CB&Q/BN abandoned Bushnell to Rio branch
For two decades I have found interest in abandoned railroads but it has only been the last ten years since I started photographing or doing research on various ones. This is one of the lines.
The Bushnell to Rio Branch was a CB&Q and later BN line that served several communities in McDonough, Warren and Knox counties in western Illinois. This line was abandoned in sections spanning several decades. I am
creating this for the stuff I have photographed.
Bushnell:
Abandoned from Bushnell to Roseville in 1981.
These pictures are in two areas of Bushnell where the line ran and tracks in the street can still be found. In one area it looked like two sets of tracks on of which may have been a spur to an elevator pictured here next to what was the main.
Now onto Monmouth which is tricky to write about since this line here was abandoned in 1958 for an exception of a remaining track that went to some industries on the north end of town atleast one I know of that was used as late as the mid 1990s.
Monmouth:
Abandoned from Monmouth to Gerlaw in 1958 for an exception of a small section in the city of Monmouth.
This section in Monmouth is used by a facility there or was probably and BNSF stores cars or track equipment here from time to time.
Next in Monmouth was track that crosses a main road that had seen action to serve industry as late as the mid 1990s.
I took the track pictures in 2018 but in 2020 it has been paved over.
Rio, Illinois :
The branch ended up coming up to Rio where it connected to the Barstow Subdivision. BN abandoned the line from Alexis to North Henderson in 1978 but in 1983 the rest from North Henderson to Rio was abandoned by the BN.
This line served a grain elevator here and some other place no longer standing and had a spur of the branch to those facilities.
Rio:
I have yet to visit North Henderson, Alexis and Gerlaw but it's my hope to someday check out the ROW there.
North Henderson:
No doubts the grain elevator here was a possible customer and the only thing in this town that may have seen service as late as the abandonment in 1983.
Alexis, Illinois:
Another town with elevators that potentially saw rail service but it was abandoned about 1978.
Gerlaw, Illinois
Roseville, Illinois:
Another town I have been meaning to visit. The elevators here no doubts seen service once. The line here was abandoned in 1980.
The Bushnell to Rio Branch was a CB&Q and later BN line that served several communities in McDonough, Warren and Knox counties in western Illinois. This line was abandoned in sections spanning several decades. I am
creating this for the stuff I have photographed.
Bushnell:
Abandoned from Bushnell to Roseville in 1981.
These pictures are in two areas of Bushnell where the line ran and tracks in the street can still be found. In one area it looked like two sets of tracks on of which may have been a spur to an elevator pictured here next to what was the main.
Now onto Monmouth which is tricky to write about since this line here was abandoned in 1958 for an exception of a remaining track that went to some industries on the north end of town atleast one I know of that was used as late as the mid 1990s.
Monmouth:
Abandoned from Monmouth to Gerlaw in 1958 for an exception of a small section in the city of Monmouth.
This section in Monmouth is used by a facility there or was probably and BNSF stores cars or track equipment here from time to time.
Next in Monmouth was track that crosses a main road that had seen action to serve industry as late as the mid 1990s.
I took the track pictures in 2018 but in 2020 it has been paved over.
Rio, Illinois :
The branch ended up coming up to Rio where it connected to the Barstow Subdivision. BN abandoned the line from Alexis to North Henderson in 1978 but in 1983 the rest from North Henderson to Rio was abandoned by the BN.
This line served a grain elevator here and some other place no longer standing and had a spur of the branch to those facilities.
Rio:
I have yet to visit North Henderson, Alexis and Gerlaw but it's my hope to someday check out the ROW there.
North Henderson:
No doubts the grain elevator here was a possible customer and the only thing in this town that may have seen service as late as the abandonment in 1983.
Alexis, Illinois:
Another town with elevators that potentially saw rail service but it was abandoned about 1978.
Gerlaw, Illinois
Roseville, Illinois:
Another town I have been meaning to visit. The elevators here no doubts seen service once. The line here was abandoned in 1980.
I remember a lot of these tracks, I am doing research on a lot of these same abandoned rail lines. It is so sad to have personally been apart of these important branch lines and then see "progress". As a kid, I was blessed to have been able to ride in the business car of the TP&W from Lomax to East Peoria, right through Bushnell in the early 1960's. But I just came across a website that helps put in perspective where these tracks were: https://www.openrailwaymap.org/.
ReplyDeleteIt shows current, and, abandoned rail lines all over the world. And no, I am not affiliated in any way. It just seems like such a great tool. You really have to scroll in to find the tracks that are no longer with us. As sad as that is.
Thank you for sharing. Sadly most of this line was removed before I was born for an exception of Rio where I was two when it was abandoned.
ReplyDelete