G’day,I was on holidays in Rockford last July (2005) and was shown the old Amtrak passenger depot in the city of Rockford but the people I was staying with couldn’t tell me who used to own the depot or which railroads used to use it before Amtrak. Could somebody on this forum assist me with this question and/or any links to websites for old timetables by those railroads? Thanking you in advance Geoff.
Geoff, if I am not mistaken the depot used to be Illinois Central, which ran the Black Hawk before
Amtrak.
ic also ran /land of corn/ there.
Yup, it’s an old IC station. I believe the Freedom Train made a stop there back in the mid 70’s. I think I have some pics that my Dad took of it when I was in the army.
Bill
West side of the Rock River it was IC. Talk about a model railroqd scene just waiting to be done. Next time zip up to Beloit Wisconsin (10 miles or so) and drive by the old FM plant. there is an FM switcher that was hoisted on top of a truss bridge about 250 yards south of the plant.
I live in Roscoe and grew up in Rockford.
Bill
geoff64,
I took the Land O’ Corn and Hawkeye several times from the South Main St. Illinois Central depot you saw in Rockford. The Black Hawk was a state-supported Amtrak train that used the IC route and station through Rockford during the 70’s. The railroad was Illinois Central Gulf from 1972. I remember overhearing a freight train crew waiting in the hole at the station calling the Black Hawk “the chicken freight”. Three RDC’s were often used as well as a three car consist using observation cars at each end. I rode the RDC’s several times.
Into the 60’s, there was a rickety suspension walk bridge (kinda like Indiana Jones) that spanned Kent Creek from across the station platform to the other side of the creek that led up the hill to Tinker Cottage, the preserved home of a prominent businessman who helped bring the railroad into the city.
http://www.tinkercottage.com/ In one of the righthand photos on the website is a photo that shows the original IC station (in the background). That station burned, and was replaced by the station you saw last year.
The Bicentennial Freedom Train with the SP Daylight steamer came up the Burlington Northern branch from Rochelle (Flag Center) to the Rockford airport grounds (formerly Camp Grant) at the south end of town. I remember seeing the train arrive there, and going through it. As I recall, the train returned to Flagg Center rather than onto the IC, as its next stop was Aurora, IL on the Burlington. http://www.freedomtrain.org/aft_timeline.htm
The station you saw was used only by the IC. Trackchart: http://70.127.197.62/Index.htm Poor photo http://www.rockfordillinois.com/gif/112101b.JP
Thank you Thom for the wealth of information and links you provided you have been a great help.I would also like to thank the other people who resonded to my post.I was lucky enough to meet an elderly gentleman who lives in Loves Park who used to work for FM in Beliot (forgive me if my spelling is wrong) and shared some very interesting stories about his time there.I will have a lot of places to see when I return to Rockford and plenty of reading to do in the mean time which should keep me out of trouble,thanks again,Geoff.
That’s the first I’ve heard of Amtrak possibly using the station again for a reinstated Blawkhawk. There’s been talk for years about Metra extending west from Elgin to Rockford using the UP Belvidere Sub to reach Rockford and using the IC station. Maybe there’s a connection. It would make sense if Amtrak used the Milwaukee West Line between CUS and Elgin (established passenger route with stations, no track/signal upgrades needed on the all freight IC line, etc.). The big hang-up with Metra and Rockford is that Rockford is outside of the Metra territory (six counties). Also, I don’t see a big draw for Amtrak on this route outside of the tourist town of Galena,
CC
I have heard that Amtrak to Rockford is almost a “done deal” but with Illinois politics, who knows. I think in the next 10-15 years you will see two lines to Rockford, one being Amtrak on the IC and one being Metra on the CNW line. On a personal note I am hoping for the Metra service since I live only about two miles from the proposed Huntley station, should make my property values go up!
Bert
A Photo of the Depot in Question…
http://www.pbase.com/trailryder/image/50843225
More Depot Photos
http://www.pbase.com/trailryder/railroad_depots
Later
Bill