Can you tell me about good trainwatching spots in Effingham, Illinois?
I live 40 mile east of Effingham [along the CSX] and get over there some. The best place is the old IC/PRR station.
You have the E-W tracks, CSX and the N-S tracks, IC/CN traffic. The IC/CN yard is just south and the CSX yard is just west of the crossing. Weekdays are the best, and weekends are slow sometimes. You can see, mostly CSX/UP and IC/CN power, but sometimes there’ll be SP, NS, WC, CN, KCS, SF, BNSF, power come through.
Amtrak also has 6 trains, a day [2 after dark] on the Chicago-Carbondale runs. I think I seen that the City of N.O. goes through there, but during the night. Amtrak use’s the old IC baggage buildings for a waiting, but the doors are only unlock, 45 minutes before and after scheduled arrival times.
Plenty of good places to eat and shop, plus I’ve never had any hassles with authorities. If you have any questions, give me a holler.
inch
anyone have a list of regularly scheduled trains thru Effingham on both lines? If not, about how many scheduled trains per 24 hours are there usually.
My guess (only a guess) is there is about 20 freights each plus the Amtrakers.
Just south of Effingham is Edgewood where the Edgewood Cutoff vears off of the mainline. Also, I would suggest Kinmundy where the UP and CN cross (and interchange trains). At Salem the CN crosses the CSX ex B&O mainline with the old CPL signals. Centralia sees the NS, BNSF, and CN running north south thru town.
And, if you are interested in regional railroading, go over to Palestine, Il and see what the Indiana Railroad is running.
Have fun, be safe and report back.
ed
Hello everyone,
I don’t mean to intrude on the thread, but you guys seem to know the central Illinois area and I wanted to say that I went to Tuscola, Tolono, and Danville, Ill. this past Thursday (July 19th). This was my first trip to the area. Was hoping to see a lot of CN trains as they are something I don’t get to see here in the Indianapolis area. But, the CN wasn’t very active for some reason, did catch some UP trains at Tuscola and NS at Tolono. Danville was interesting. Found a spot where the CSX crossed over the NS but I’m not sure if it was the CSX main through D’ville, could have been a secondary line. Saw a freight car manufacturer/repair shop that had a whole slew of new coal gons lined up. Didn’t see what company it was. Does anyone know who runs that shop?
Regret to say that I didn’t take any photos even though I had my camera. It was a gray, rainy day and I was content just to ride around and see the area. Would like to make a trip to Effingham in the near future.
Take care and stay well,
Gregory
I’m from Champaign, IL and i get to Tolono a fair amount. Great NS action there. Tuscola is a great spot for UP, OK for CSX. Great place for trackside photography.
I’ve been to Effingham once. The day after the CSX takeover of Conrail. Bad time. CSX shutdown Conrail that day to get their ducks in a row. But, the only place seemed to be the diamond where CN/IC crosses.
I really enjoy Danville and was there about 2 weeks ago. If the CSX/NS crossing was about 10 blocks north of Main St and immediately north of Fairchild Ave, then, yes, that was the CSX main. If the coal gons were on the east side of town, near the CSX yard and immediately visiable from Main St, I saw them also. And, no, I don’t know who’s they are. I know that Trinity Ind. has a car manuf
CSX runs about 20, some times 30 trains east- west weekdays [morning and late afternoon - evening best], less on the weekends normally. Most any kind of freight you can think of.
If you take off east from Effingham on US-40, you run along side or just off the Vandalia line from there to just east of Martinsville [where I live]. Some good places along there to railfan . You’ll want to take the Cumberland road cutoffs through the towns. Also some interesting RR history can found if you know where to look. Part of the old ST. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute RR stone arch bridge is still standing, just east of me, built around 1878.
Didn’t think about it earlier, but the IC/CN yard has a wye there, it’s also where there the old IC tracks take off east to Newton, IL, and connects with the INRR.
Don’t know much bout what traffic the CN runs north-south. I do think there are several trains through there on their way to Mattoon, where the line splits for Champaign or Decatur… If you take off north from Effingham the Co-op has a grain elevator and fertilizer plant on the north side of town. US-45 runs along side part of the way along the tracks. When you get to the Neoga road head into town. The CN interchanges with the ELRR a short line on the old NKP tracks through Charleston up to the CSX [B&O] tracks in Metcalf [the old signals and switches are still there].
On the INRR they run 2 coal trains to Newton power plant daily along with 1 or 2 in and out of the coke plant in Robinson, both during the week mostly. The Heath candy factory and the Marathon refinery [watch taking photos there] are there too. Palastine has the yard and an ethanol plant.
Please don’t forget the elegantly painted ex-CR SW-8 that Effingham RR has in the NW quadrant of the now CSX / IC crossing south of I-70 there in town. (Just south and east of the oversized cross you see south of the Interstate)…
Darn, I feel a road trip coming soon. All the years we’ve been going over there, and hadn’t heard anything about the EFRR. Didn’t even know it was there till now. Thanks for the info.
Charlie Barenfanger also has a GP-9 also nicely painted over at Greenville (Illinois Western RR) in the industrial park up on the hill NE of town north of I-70.
I can’t say enough about the ownership of the EFRR. During my second year of lawschool, I was in the rat race with all my other classmates looking for a job/summer internship–fearful that well over 6 figures of debt and nine years of hard work would be for naught.
I decided to see if any railroads would be interested in permitting me to do an internship between my second and third year. Although the Effingham Railroad did not have a position open for me or anyone else, it sent a letter back to me saying all kinds of nice things and asked if it could help me find a job using some of its connections because I seemed like a nice kid with a great resume.
It is not often in life you see people willing to offer help and time to a complete stranger. Let me tell you, if I am ever in a position to help the Effingham Railroad. That act convinced me that random acts of kindness still exist.
Sadly, the EFRR sent me the letter via email to my school account, and I did not receive it until my summer was already up and I was not able to take benefit
Mudchicken
I looked on the map and Greenville is another 60 mile or so on west. I can’t drive anymore, so if the wife’s not in the mood, I’ll have save it for another trip
Gabe: Yep, Charlie is class guy and so are his outfits. (He has a B&O pedigree.)
Dennis: Our company has an office where you are. Have you ever seen Vermillion Valley turn a wheel just east of you on the old P&E?
Inch: Is there a bright yellow RS-1 around you somewhere?
Not that I know of, the closest RS’s are at the Moticello rail musuem, almost 1 1/2 to 2 hour NW from me.
Have you heard of one round here?
I took a look at Effingham RR website, they seem to have quite an operation going there. Does anyone know if they built their railroad or did they assume ownership of existing trackage?
Also, any info on about how many cars they handle either on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis?
I was in that industrial park about 10-15 years ago and do not recall trackage in place.
The effingham location is a great one, Greenville is pretty good too.
ed
Both are scratchbuilt and started as small crossdock operations for Agracel at Effingham (larger of the two sites) and the county at Greenville. We helped Charlie & Co. put in the aggregate dumper at Effingham. Looked a little strange initially with engines sitting on less than a thousand feet of track.
[2c]The EFRR handles rock, newsprint & other paper products for the plant that makes paper cups in Shelbyville IL. In addition they handle the fiber board that the inexpensive computer desk you are using is made from. They use to get alot of vegatable oil in tank cars that were then bottled into regional or store brand cooking oil. But they were bought out by Kraft & then Kraft shut the operation down. Krispy Creme also is one of there customers. Flour & dextrose.
Rob
PS I’m glad you like the paint job…I spent many an hour helping sand that engine…Which was neat as we sanded we could see the history of the engine as the various colors of paint of paint were uncovered.
Sorry, no. I have not heard of Vermillion Valley. The ex-P&E (ex NYC, ex Conrail) runs one mile north of my house. I’m ‘assuming’ the Vermillion Valley is in Urbana or east of? Perhaps in Vermillion county?
Starts in Danville Yard and goes east into Indiana. Owned by the car parts manufacturer Indiana and operated by Indiana Boxcar. Say goodbye to the P&E closest to you.
I’m assuming that the P&E we’re talking about is the Peoria & Eastern. NS bought the Urbana to Bloomington segment just before they acquired Conrail. They use the Mansfield to Urbana segment, which goes one mile north of my house and 1/2 south of my work, still. The Mansfield to Bloomington has been dormant since they purchased it. But the rails are still in place.
I was by Danville yard a few weeks ago. And on the east side of town where Conrail used to come from Indy. Inside of Danville it appeared the tracks were used for storage. The rails didn’t appear all that used each of Danville either.
Sadly,
There are parts of the P&E Urban-Bloomington section that it would be difficult for a buldozer to traverse. I have no idea why, but that sadens me, as I have always kind of thought that line was cool.
Gabe