How many of you like and/or model Illinois Central?
Just stop in and lets talk about Illinois Central. Pictures are welcome.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
ICMR I like and try to model the IC in N scale I have some IC pictures but can’t post them…I think there is a a group intrested in the history of the road.There has been a lot of IC stuff released over the years in HO including at least 2 Brass steamers…Centrallia car shops made a plastic side door caboose that is good…Cox 47
I model the Illinois Central in both HO scale and O gauge. I have modeled the IC for as long as I can remember. I am 60 years old and have some great memories of riding on the IC from Champaign, Illinois to Chicago. I also used to live next door to an IC steam locomotive engineer. He was just learning how to drive diesels. He offered to take me for a ride in the cab of his steam loco. Sorry to say he died before I could take him up on the offer. This would have been in the mid to late 1950’s, I believe.
Bob Blaisdell
Champaign, Illinois, on the Mainline of Mid-America
I like Illinois Central, Missouri Pacific, and Chicago & Eastern Illinois since I was raised in Pinckneyville, so I run all 3 on our club layout. Each club member has favorites from their original homeown areas – Rock Island, New York Central, Burlington, Monon, etc., and the club layout is free-lanced with no particular road in mind.
Pictures of the club layout are at http://members.cox.net/cacole2
I wish someone would make a model of the Missouri Pacific doodlebug that used to run between Mt. Vernon and Chester. It passed through Pinckneyville twice daily. The last time I ever saw it, it was sitting on a siding in Dupo, Illinois, awaiting the scrapper’s torch.
I’m not planning to model it but it is a railroad that caught my attention.
Where all did it run? For some reason my mind say Chicago-Gulf
Wasn’t it bought out by a Canadian RR? CP mebbe?
I’m not an IC modeler but I have always liked IC. Riding Metra Electric has always provided great railfanning. My fondest memory of IC is a recent one, pacing 3 IC SD70’s north along Illinois 50 just south of Monee, IL pulling a coal train.
Yoshi- IC main trunk runs from Chicago to New Orleans with lines out to Omaha, and St Louis along with several others. IC is now owned by CN. http://icrrhistorical.org/
I model the IC in both HO and N, all in steam. A good friend is modeling the IC from Freeport to Rockford, in N scale, circa 1937!
So far, my HO roster includes one 2-8-0 and two 4-8-2s, as well as two steel center door cabs, two wood center cabs, one Iowa division wood cab, and one wood outside braced transfer cab (not to mention over 15 freight cars, in plastic and resin). In N, my roster is a bit smaller, consisting of one 2-8-0 and one 4-6-2, plus a scratch/bashed transfer cab. I’ve got a master for an N scale wood center door caboose about half done now. Eventually, I’ll be making a mold out of it and pouring a few for my friend’s layout!
illinos central is definitly my favorite “fallen flag” railroad. although i model BNSF i still like IC. here’s a link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Central
Thanks for the replies. The last time I saw IC upclose was about a year ago. I did catch a glimps of a couple engines about two months ago though.
Im modeling IC in HO right now. I have an Athearn IC SD70 which needs new trucks. I also have an ICG SD38. I have a few IC freight cars. I plan on getting more though.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
icmr,
IC is my favorite RR to model, I need to email some of the old family IC stuff I have, I had 2 generations that worked for the company that goes clear back to 1880. I have 4 GP9’s, 4 GP7’s, 4 GP35’s, 2 SW’s, 4 GP38’s, 3 SD40-2 and a few steam loco’s. All are HO and are part of a layout I have been working on for to long, its a freelance setup with some sections that are from real IC photo’s. Your not going to beleive this, but about 2 years ago I was over in the town where I grew up checking on the farm that I own and noticed an IC engine that was tooling down the tracks and noticed something! The engine was about a half mile away from my farm and I noticed it was really loud, it only had about 6 or 7 flat cars behind it. I had to jump in my truck and follow it on a side road for a few miles before I realised what it was! It was an old GP9, it was smoking terrible, but was an original GP9 in the IC black and white trim paint with the good old green herald! It was pretty beat up and lloked like it had seen better days! Wish I had my camera, it would have made a good picture! I like CB&Q and TP&W.
Very cool ICRR1964. Thats too bad that you didnt have your camera.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
icmr,
Let me look in my photos bro, I got to email some of these old pics I got to you!
Ok. Thanks ICRR1964.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
On the trains.com forum I asked about information about a doodlebug the C&EI ran. I am interested in what you can remeber about the MP one, such as dates and what kind of car it was (although I doubt that it is same one on the C&EI but your answer may give more information to go on). Here is the thread on the C&EI doodlebug:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=49879
Thanks, Wayne
Great Thred icmr I model IC also with my others i have a few locos of IC This ones for you icmr ,my new sd 70
Lets talk Illinios Central!
Carl…
icmr,
I have two of those Athearn Genesis Illinois Central SD70 models, and they run exceptionally smooth. I have DCC decoders in both, but one of them continually derails because of the warped truck problem for which these models are now infamous. The Illinois Central models are not unique, either – I have two Santa Fe Warbonnet models and one of them also has a warped truck that causes derailments.
Athearn’s web site does not list any parts for their Genesis products, so I sent them an e-mail asking about replacement trucks. Their response was that the part number for a Genesis SD70 powered truck is G63833, and that they cost $15 each plus shipping. I have ordered two of them and asked for one with black sideframe for Illinois Central and one in silver for the Santa Fe. I haven’t received them yet, so I don’t know for sure if they even include the sideframe.
I read somewhere that the problem with the SD70 trucks originates with warped pickup wipers on the sides, and that they can be disassembled and straightened out. If you don’t feel comfortable disassembling the truck, you can order a replacement from Athearn. I just hope the replacement doesn’t have a warped pickup wiper.
I emailed Athearn about my trucks and they told me to send the trucks to them and they will either repair them or send me new ones.
Nice pictures ac4400fan.
Thanks for all of the replies.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
Me too I am collecting IC trains (souvenir of my US stay), that I can then run on my temporary tracks…
I was able to put togheter quite a roster, unluckily, from early 4-4-0 to SD40, I have a terrible epoque mix-up.
At the moment I am running early diesels (GP7+GP9) because they are the only ones that fit my turntable, but my hope is to put togheter enough steam epoque stuff (and a larger turntable) so to be able to run a few steam epoque trains in proper style.
With a 4-4-0, 2x 2-6-0, 1x 2-8-0 and 2 x4-8-2 I have the engines, now I need the cars. Specially for the passenger ones, that is not so easy. (the Concor cars are too late, ran only behind diesel E8s).
sebastiano
I model the D&RGW standard gauge and Colorado narrowgauge, but I’ve always thought a layout based on railroading in the Bloomington, Indiana area would be cool. There the IC worked quarrys and other business off its long branch line to Indianapolis and interchanged with the Monon.
Having lived in Champaign County for 30 years, I suppose the IC should be more on my radar. I was disappointed that the second main was pulled up. A friend works MoW and collects Lionel, but I’m not certain he is specifically an IC fan. I’ll have to ask him. I always liked the older, mostly black paint IC scheme with the green diamond. As icrr1964 noted, a few of these lingered long after you’d have thought they were gone.
I used to live in and near Rantoul and its east-west branch line through there would make an ideal small shelf layout.
BTW, Bob B., I’m the assistant superintendent of the newly revived local NMRA division, renamed the Illinois Terminal Division. We’re a small group so far, but if you’re interested, drop me a line.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I saw my first IC unit last month while railfanning CN. Never noticed what classy units they were.
IC 6015 heads onto one of 3 wyes in Durand, MI.