I need information badly on a couple IL railroads i came
across on some old maps. The Railroads are Pairie Central Railroad
and Pairie Western Railroad any infomation would be very helpful.
I can’t Find anything on the net. So please Help.
Where on the map of IL are they located? What year is the map? I can toss that to a RR historian that is researching a lot of IL railroads.
Hint: Failed late 60’s/ Early 70’s shortline built out of portions of PC and Former NKP lines.
The lines are found at www.mapquest.com. the Pairie Central was at Mount Carmel,IL.
ICMR
Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]
the maps i beleive are from 1970’s 1980’s.
Never heard of the Prairie Western, but the Prairie Central and Prairie Trunk were formed from lines rejected by Conrail, I believe.
Edit, now that I’m awake: Nanaimo has the correct info about these lines’ origin.
I recall seeing freight cars from both railroads–PACY and PARY.
The Prairie Trunk and the Prairie Central were owned by Trans-Action Lines Limited. Prairie Trunk started in 1977 on a former Baltimore and Ohio line from Shawneetown to Springfield, Illinois, 180 miles. It stopped operating in June 1984 and was abandoned on July 3, 1985. It had 4 locomotives , one of which was a GP7 from BRC.
Prairie Central started in June 1981 on a former PRR line from Decatur to Paris and a former NYC line from Paris to Mt. Carmel, 159 miles. It stopped operating in May of 1984.
The 1982 Offical Railway Guide shows the Praire Central Co as operating between Decatur IL & Paris IL. It does not show any listing for a Praire Western RR BUT does show one for a Praire Trunk Railway with service between Flora IL & Old Shawaneetown IL [:p][:p]
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Originally posted by waltersrails
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Thank you all very much for the information. [bow]