Carbondale, IL help: tracks next to SIU campus

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Hello,

I’m going to be in Carbondale, IL, in the next week and need a little help with the local rail lines in case I have time to sneak in some time trackside (i.e. this is not a railfan trip [:(]).

My questions…

  1. The tracks that run north/south just to the east of the SIU campus, are they active.

  2. If yes, who’s line is it?

  3. How active is it?

Thanks in advance,
Bergie

2

Just from Yahoo! Maps it sure looks like the former IC main south out of Centralia, now CN.

3

  1. The tracks that run north/south just to the east of the SIU campus, are they active.

  2. If yes, who’s line is it?

Yes. It is the old IC main, now owned by CN. NS and Amtrak have trackage rights.

  1. How active is it?

Traffic Density 4 – could average 20 to 40 trains/day.

Thanks in advance,
Bergie

4

Poppa, sounds like you’re using that map software that I should have bought two years ago.

Thanks!
Bergie

5

You get to wander a little futher out of the land of cheese?

6

Yup. BTW, there’s a density 5 (very busy) UP main 6 miles north of Carbondale, in DeSoto, Ill., former MoPac. No crossing with the CN, tho, it’s on a flyover.

7

and, what software would that be, for us map geeks?

ed

8

Amtrak has either 6 or 8 trains that begin or end there on their Chicago runs. City of New Orleans goes through there also [don’t know if they make a stop]. You have to check Amtrak for times.

inch

9

In addition to the excellent information you’ve been given by PopZ and others, and if you find time, you might run over to the UP’s River Line from E. St. Louis to Thebes. You take Ill.13 west out of Carbondale, which catches Ill.149 in Murphysboro, still west and then runs into Ill.3 at Grimbsby. It’s about 15 miles and there is heavy RR traffic and very scenic country, right on the river.

I haven’t been down there for many years, but they used to have a coal tower still standing in Carbondale. It’s good railfanning territory.

Murphysboro had a GM&O Station still standing, and they had a sign out about converting it into a museum. Again, it may not have been successful.

10

Ed, you can load a free demo version off their site, if you’d like. It is invaluable.

North American Railroad Map

11

Bergie is one of your kids considering SIU you do know it is considered the BIGGEST party school in IL makes even Delta house of Animal House fame look tame at times. People go there for the parties and try to get an education not the other way around.

12

I don’t think any of the little Bergie sprouts are old enough for college right yet.

13

Right; they’re not that old yet (although they try to act like they are from time to time).

Thanks for all the info, guys. I’m going to have to stick to the CN… since it’s not a railfanning trip and I’ll be near the CN line, I might be able to sneak some time in (but not enough time to go over to the UP).

Thanks again,
Bergie