Hi,
I inherited a Ball Railroad pocket watch which belonged to my great uncle who was an engineer for the C & NW RR. He lived in South Pekin Illinois from at least 1917 to 1954 when he retired. I heard South Pekin was a railroad town, but that’s about it. By chance would anyone know more history regarding the town? Did it just handle freight or was there passenger service? Also, would anyone know someone from that area that might know more about South Pekins history. Thank you in advance, the watch has sparked my interest in railroads and my great uncle, Elwood Karnaghan.
Well, I should know a lot about this one, but I don’t. I was born in Pekin and grew up in a small town (bigger than South Pekin) about 10 miles away from South Pekin. Although I was basically fascinated with trains from birth, it was always a Mecca I couldn’t journy to.
It was known as a home to motorcycle gangs and any mention of an intent to ride my bike over there would meet strong parental discouragement. (and in those days strong parental discouragement was backed up with physical pain.)
From what I know the C&NW line into southern Illinois was built in the latter years of railroad construction. Because of that, the C&NW had absolutely no interest in establishing more money loosing passenger service. The line was either totally freight only from its construction, or offered very limited passenger accomodations. The line intentionally by-passed “major” cities on its route avoiding both Peoria and Springfield. Because of this, little passenger service was possible.
It’s intent was to reach the southern Illinois coal fields and connect with the Litchfield and Madison short line into the St. Louis area.
South Pekin was a crew change point with a yard and engine service facilities. I had two high school acquaintences that went to work there. One an engineer and one a conductor. In my very young days a neighbor named Crafton worked out of S. Pekin as an engineer. For a time, he ran the yard engine. He knew of my fascination with trains and had a standing offer to my folks to give me a ride if they’d bring me over. They declined the offer.
The yard has been removed. I don’t know if they still change crews there or not.
There has been an integration of operations between the Union Pacific (which took over the C&NW) and a short line, the Illinois & Midland. The I&M now operates on the line handling interchange coal off the UP to a power plant south of Springfield. The UP operates over the I&M from its own line at Barr, Illi
“The I&M now operates on the line handling interchange coal off the UP to a power plant south of Springfield.”
The Illinois & Midland has trackage rights on the UP between Sommer and Barr/I&M Jct. but rarely if ever uses them. The Powerton Switcher ran across the Illinois River Bridge to interchange cars with UP at Sommer in 2000 and 2001 but this died off as Iowa - St. Louis traffic was diverted via Chicago and the old C&EI.
That power plant south of Springfield is the Dominion-Kincaid Generating Station. UP delivers Kincaid-bound coal trains to IMRR at Crescent (Powerton). The trains traverse the IMRR mainline via Havana and Springfield, rather than the UP mainline.
As for South Pekin, it was a railroad town established as C&NW built from Kickapoo Jct. on its Nelson - Peoria branch to the Litchfield & Madison connection. South Pekin Yard and shop facilities opened in 1913 but closed in 1982. South Pekin is still a crew change point for UP and sees manifests MPRPB, MASPR and occasional unit coal, grain and potash extras.
CNW build line from Nelson ILL. into Peoria ILL. in1902 to access the industry in Peoria & I think that they ran passenger service into Peoria for awile.
In 1912 construction begun on the SI Divison, to access their coal fields in Macoupin County. South Pekin was built around CNW large yard ,& Roundhouse
In 1926 CNW built a line from Macoupin County to connection with L&M at Belnd ILL.
A side note on March 30, 1930 a tornado almost wiped out South Pekin workers at South Pekin Yard crawled into firebox of locomotive in for repair, and all escaped injury.