IMRR chase Havana to Pekin on Valentine's Day 2021

 Today I had planned a boring afternoon of laundry when I was greeted by the sound of a horn. It didnt sound like the usual coal train or coal empty to which Illinois & Midland uses BNSF for. I go investigate and the train stopped at the small yard in Havana. It appeared they dropped off atleast four tank cars before proceeding north.

My intention was to film it at this trestle over a creek a few miles outside Havana. The train beat me to it as the road was snow and ice covered and couldn't exactly go speed limit intended. I did catch it leaving the Havana yard on a road i sit off of to determine what a trains movement will be. Coal trains are obvious but locals not so much as they have been seen dropping cars off then proceed back south which is why I wait around. 

Pictures of trestle and IMRR leaving Havana:











Well I missed my chance to catch the train over the creek so i decide what the hell I will chase it and head toward Forest City. I considered Bishop but didnt deem it very scenic. I may one day but today is not the day. I decide to try another location from my usual Forest City one behind a elevator down the tracks from the old depot.

Forest City:



After the train passed I made my way up to Manito going for a more downtown shot. 



Afterwards I head out in the country near Manito to scope out spots. I see a trestle over a trench with water so chose this to film from the road. The train spooked some ducks probaby my ducks Ive been trying to line up in my life. haha. Who knew they were hiding near train tracks. How fitting considering I am a railfan. 😀

Rural Manito:





After this I go up Wagonseller Road near Pekin, Illinois. This is where the train will stop in the railyard here.







The video of entire chase:



 On the way back listened to a slideshow livecast on youtube someone was doing of a known railfan and facebook friend who had passed away a year or so back on the Rock Island Railroad and other railroads. Larry Anglund had photograghed railroads for some Forty or more years and captured some great stuff. He is missed by many and his work lives on. Rest in peace Larry.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fulton County, Illinois Ghost towns Part 1

Image
Ghost towns are abandoned villages that since disappeared or are no longer the population they were in their hey day after an economic down fall, disaster or whatever.  For me I consider a ghost town a town that no longer exists but may or may not leave traces behind of it's existence.  Fulton County has a lot of old historical towns like Canton which was founded in 1825 and Lewistown which was founded  years before Canton.  These towns are example of towns that managed to make it despite economic disasters and natural ones. Former towns which have signs marking their location like Civer between Canton and Cuba and Tuscumbia around Bernadotte are examples of towns that didn't make it and ceased to exist and into oblivion of history.  The only thing that is exists is those two signs that mark the location.  It's sad in a way but it is what it is and people who lived in these areas did what they had to for survival of the time period so if they moved to other...
Read more

Middle Grove- Rapatee Coal mine

Image
This subject is about the coal mine at Middle Grove and Rapatee areas. I basically just know the years and also what Railroads served them but i did get to photograph the area of this so there is a general idea of this.   The Midland Electric Coal Company has several strip mines within Fulton and Knox Counties from the years 1933-1963 ( Fulton County, strip),1963-1967 (Knox County strip), and Peabody Coal Company which  opened in 1968 and closed around that time or 1969. The mine would open once again and be the Middle Grove-Rapatee mine in 1975 or 1976 under the Midland Coal Company I think.  It ran until 1988 but the last rail shipment was in or around 1986 by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad.   Another company nearby or in this vicinity would be the Midstate Coal Company  which was a strip mine and operated from 1989-1996.  Over the decades it used the area railroads before 1960 it was the M&STL would would ship their coal and after it was Chi...
Read more

BNSF local chase (Peoria -Galesburg)

Image
Due to a tip off from a friend I managed to catch the BNSF local which would head west on the Peoria sub enroute to the yard in Galesburg,  Illinois. I had quite a day though it was cold and  for a bit rainy in spots. It wasn't just normal rain either freezing rain plus some snow flurries but neither produced but it dictated if i filmed outside or from my car.  I only ended up filming on video in my car at Elmwood as prior to it arriving it  was raining plus it seemed the temp dropped so I was freezing. The joys of a car without heat you rely on a jacket and body fat to keep you warm and I certainly have enough body fat. Ha.  I did manage to knock off a few locations off my bucket list such as Elmwood, Edwards and off Kickapoo Creek road. I've filmed in Yates City before so catching it there wasn't concerned about but I did go to Douglas to take pictures as I never railfanned there or paid that little town any mind. Here are some photogra...
Read more