Rare and one of the last trains of the BNSF Yates City Subdivision
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This morning a friend gave me a heads up of a very rare move on the BNSF Yates City Subdivision. He informed me two BNSF units had the permission to head up the Yates City Subdivision to retrieve Baretable cars that had been sitting up by Saint David for months. I go check out Saint David first and take a few shots of cars they will take.
St. David:
A brief history on the line goes back to the 1860's when C.B.&Q built the line from Buda down to Rushville. It once provided passenger trains in the steam era, and freight of various kind. By 1980 and the 80's abandonments occurred from Buda to Elmwood and the Rushville branch. The only thing remaining was the Yates City Subdivision from Yates City to Vermont, Illinois. By 2017 track was abandoned and pulled up from Canton to south of Yates City. The only thing left active and intact was from Dunfermline to Vermont where coal trains went to the Duck Creek Power Plant. The power plant closed down in 2019 and the line has been inactive since other than storeage. Today BNSF sent two units to pull any cars stored and this could be the last or one of the last trains on this line. If BNSF will use the sub for further storeage is yet to be known. Either way probably provided a shock to locals that witnessed it.
I sat and waited for the two units on the north edge of Lewistown:
Then waited at Bryant:
St. David:
Locomotives couple to string of baretable cars and connect with the rest at a crossing cut. An hour or so later they depart towards Vermont.
Bryant:
Lewistown:
Ipava:
Vermont, Illinois:
Chase video and full train filmed at Bryant:
The train then pulled on a siding and switched power to the other end of train and headed north probably Galesburg bound.
Vermont:
Also took pictures of what remains of the CB&Q/BN Rushville branch which was abandoned in 1980 or around there. BNSF uses it to store track equipment and years back had a gondola shoved back there.
Vermont:
According to the friend who gave me the heads up that this old structure used to be the water tower for the steam engines. So this is a former CB&Q water tower for the Steam locomotives.
Coal train from several years ago I filmed at St. David:
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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...
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