Greetings All,
I grew up as a railfan and model railroader during the 70’s and early 80’s along the former C&EI line that ran from Danville Illinois up through Woodland Jct and then on to Chicago.
If memory serves, and it probably doesn’t, I seem to remember that Subdivision as the Chicago Sub. It seems that it’s now called the CE&D subdivision.
What the heck does “CE&D” stand for??
Thanks,
Mike Collier
Phoenix Az
This is really shooting from the hip, but it make sense in terms of terminal points.
C = Chicago
D = Danville
E = Evansville
Since UP got the part of the CE&I line that went to Pana IL where it connected to the NYC and eventually received trackage rights, maybe that is what they mean?
I realize I am probably wrong, but hope this will get the topic flowing.
Gabe
I think you’re definitely on the right track, Gabe (pun not intentional).
Looking through the late William D. Edson’s reference Railroad Names, I came up with a couple of conclusions.
(1) There was no Chicago, Evansville & Danville Railroad, nor anything else with the initials “CE&D” in which the “C” would have stood for Chicago.
(2) The C&EI’s predecessor was the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes.
I’m wondering whether the “E” would stand for something other than Evansville. I think Danville is correct, but if the E were for Evansville, it would almost have to come after the D. However, I can’t come up with an alternative.
Thanks guys,
I too had thought of “Chicago / Evansville / Danville” but as you both mentioned the sequence seems a bit off. I suppose I could always call somebody at CSX and just ask! [:D]
I’m in the process of doing some research in order to build a model railroad of this line between Danville Illinois and Yard Center in Chicago. My best friend and I spent many years during the 70’s and 80’s chasing the trains along this stretch of track.
Thanks for the help!
Mike Collier
Phoenix
Seems like a good line to watch trains. I am way too young to remember the CE&I, and I was born near the line where it had trackage rights over the NYC rather than actual CE&I trackage. Nonetheless, I have always thought it was an interesting railway and have considered modeling it myself.
Gabe
The map of the sub shows Chicago at one end and Evansville at the other. Danville is in the middle. I have to go with Gabe on this one.
Yeah, the cities/letters make sense but if that’s what it was wouldn’t it need to be CD&E (North to South) vs. CE&D?
Mike
Nice choice… I liked those GP30s with the white chevrons and old school circle logo. I guess you’ll be doing the Chicago heights connection at EJ&E?
Dave
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Indeed I will! Along with (hopefully) a scratchbuilt version of Jay Tower [:D]
I do intend to model the MoPac “Screaming Eagle” operation along the double-track north of Woodland Jct. I’ll have a hidden staging yard under the lower level to accomodate the MoPac trains running South from Chicago. [:D]
Mike
I don’t want to pick a fight or be insultive to someone’s favorite diesel, but I have always felt that if it were not for the BL-2, the GP-30 would be the ugliest diesle I have ever seen. Oh, wait, what are pulling Amtrak trains now days? I am not sure about those diesles, I have never seen one that still wasn’t in the box it came in.
Gabe
Cactus…
you will be pleased to know that Jay Tower is still standing. I was by there last month and took a couple of pictures.
I remember going down to Watseka a few times and even ventured down to Woodland Jct. Neat place, but just in the middle of nowhere.
Good luck with the model and let me know if you need any photos of Jay.
ed
The piece of railroad you mention is what I run on every day, so I am a good source or if I don’t know I can ask someone else I work with. By the way, I still don’t know what C,E&D stand for, but it’s the northernmost subdivision in the Nashville district of CSX. It runs from RB Junction to the ByPass in Evansville.
Yeah, but that’s part of the charm I suppose. Can just sit out there in the country and watch the trains roll by and not be bothered. [:D]
Some additional photos of Jay Tower would be MOST appreciated! I only have a couple that I found off the internet.
Thanks!
Mike C
Woohoo! My hero! LOL!
You sure you want to volunteer fielding my questions? You may get sick of me real fast! [;)]
I guess what I’m most interested in is going back and trying to collect all the operational data that I SHOULD have collected back in the late 70’s early 80’s when I was still living in Central Illinois (Hoopeston). The power we saw through Hoopeston during that era was old L&N paint as well as the then current Family Lines paint. (LOVED that paint job!)
I’ll need to try and find old timetables to get train numbers. I do remember from listening to my scanner that most trains then had 700-series numbers with even numbers Northbound (718 - 792 etc) and odd numbers Southbound (717 - 791 etc).
I’m pretty familiar with the trackage between Danville and Watseka. What I’m NOT so familiar with is the trackage and train operations North of Watseka. I’ll also need to research train operations on the Missouri Pacific along the double-track between Woodland Jct and Chicago in order to accurately capture what was going on.
Thanks in advance for the assistance!
Mike Collier
Phoenix
Sort of like the Shorts-360 Airliners [;)]
Mike C
There’s one funny note about a dispatcheron the UP, “GM” are his initials. He always calls trains as follows… “Q597 UP dispatcher, over.” So, it sounds like the train is calling the dispatcher if you don’t know his voice. Some engineers have just not responded or try to correct him on his radio procedure, but that just gets you a little tongue lashing. But, GM is about as good as it gets in train dispatching on my territory.
Mike:
Somehow I will get you photos of Jay. I am not sure if members here can email…come to think of it I think you can. Anyway, I have a couple of rolls of film ready to go in tomorrow. Why dont you email me and I will get you photos.
Also, one of my favorite locales is Momence, Il. The line crosses the Kankakee River in a very setting. There was a tower at Momence which controlled the Conrail crossing. I got quite a few pictures of that somewhere. Will see if I can dig them up.
About 1994 or so, I stopped at the tower…it was no longer manned. I went upstairs and looked around, found it pretty much trashed, took some photos, and went on my way. The next time thru town, it was gone.
It is my mission to photograph as many towers as possible before they are gone.
Nate, does UP dispatch the line north of Woodland Jct? Are there many delays to CSX coming up from Danville? It sure seems like a pretty busy railroad.
ed
Ed,
I love that Momence area as well, there is a beautiful park between the two channels of the Kanakakee river. The UP maintains and dispatches the former C&EI between Woodland and Chicago. And I operate south on the east branch of the former C&EI that goes to Danville, which is maintained and operated by CSX and dispatched out of Jacksonville, FL. The UP segment Woodland Jct. north is dispatched by UP dispatchers, but they are the few that work out of Chicago.
Delays are common if you are a freight caught during the rush of intermodals in the late evening. Q127, Q129, and Q121 are all within hours of each other out of Chicago, while Q128, Q124, and Q120 are headed north. Also, CSX trains are often held off the UP controlled section until all UP trains are clear of Woodland in either direction. Sometimes we wait for several trains and it takes up to an hour waiting for these trains. I think CSX runs more trains daily on that line than UP does. Right now the UP is finishing up a major maintenance project that will bring train speeds back up to normal. The FRA had limited train speeds due to the poor condition of the track. Many ties were replaced and more ballast was added. Then the tracks were tamped down. The #1 main is finished so intermodals can run 60mph again and freights can go 50mph. #2 is about finished, so it will be nice not to have to run 40mph anymore. I could go on forever with stuff, so just keep the Q’s coming.
Nate:
Do you primarily run south? Is that all the way to Evansville?
I grew up west of Vincennes (in Illinois of course) and made a couple of trips over to Vincennes to watch the action of the B&O/L&N. That was in the 70’s. I remember one fine autumn afternoon driving north along the Wabash River and catching a southbound. That must be a pretty run.
Is the Cincinnati - St. Louis line still seeing traffic? According to Bullsheet, CSX has several trains routed north from Evansville and then west at Vincennes. Hopefully that line is still active.
Do you run the line up north to Chicago also? That must really be a mess the closer you get to Chicago. It seems the run to Bedford Park would be quite an ordeal, what with Thornton Jnct, Dalton, Barr Yard, Blue Island, and finally getting into Clearing. What is the “normal” time to Bedford Park from Danville?
I have a customer in Bridgeview right next to the tracks and there is ALWAYS a train parked south of 71st.
ed
Cool… In this shot you can still make out the old connection RoW on the SW corner of the interchange.
You’ve probably heard about the trackage rights EJ&E used on that line in the old days, to get to the coal fields. That was the purpose for the old Rossville Roundhouse.
Dave
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