Despite three days off, it still seams like the weekend just flew by. Lets see how we all did. Friday: Yes, like promised, I enjoyed my last "Good Friday, Great Railfanning" adventure with my buddy Brian. Funny thing is, we found a lot of things in plain view we had missed before. Starting in Toluca, Illinois we found an old tank car that had been converted for some type of use at this old abandoned factory. While looking this old tank car over we found the remnants of the industry spur that served this once running factory. We have been railfanning here since 2013 and missed this item in plain sight. Up next we stopped in to the former community of Wilburn, Illinois where this interesting factory sits next to the Santa Fe Transcon. I don't think it would be a stretch to say there is more rail traffic than road traffic in this almost ghost town. According to a resident that came up and spoke with us, this was some sort of grain processing plant until it was shut down sometime in the 1920's. Speaking of ghost, he claimed it was haunted....cool! We finished the day by meeting up with another old friend, Ron Hatch. Ron is locally known as "the guy who produces the artwork for the Galesburg RR Days posters." He is also very knowledgeable on the local history and met up with Brian and I to show us another ghost if you will. He took us to the former shops of the Galesburg & Great Eastern RR. The Railroad was a short line that mainly hauled coal and was abandoned around 1962 or so. He took Brian and I to see this impressive engine house along with the coal tipple and surviving water tower. The owner of the property was nice enough to give us full access to both the grounds and inside the building. I have more pictures, but it will require some time for me to get them uploaded, a project I will probably pursue once settled back in NH. Of course Brian and I saw lots of trains at all the usual stops from Toluca to Galesburg and like always, we finished the day with fried tacos from The Taco Hideout and cooled off with some soft serve at Kastle Kreme before saying good bye to Ron and heading home. I've decided I need to spend at least two more Saturdays railfaning the Transcon before Jess my Jeep goes back to New Hampshire. I will certainly miss the railfanning here in Illinois. Saturday: was spent working on the custom paint, finishing up the last of it and doing the paper work associated with it before spending time with family and enjoying a nice date night with Angela. Sunday: of course was Easter, so I didn't get anything done on the Inglenook. Instead we cleaned house, cooked up a meal and spent the day enjoying our last Easter in Illinois with the kids. So how about you? What did you do over the weekend? Let us know, with a an image or two if you have them. We'll come back here on Friday the 21st to start another weekend. Until then, have a great week, stay safe and as always... High Greens!
As I suspected, I didn't get a whole lot accomplished. However - I did change decoders in my GS-4 and I installed one in brass Key MT-5 -- that was fun - Not. I still have to work on the head light - but, she runs great. Hope ya'll had a wonderful Easter!! Wolf
Hard to believe that site has been disused for so long. Condition seems too good. Maybe there was another use after the 1920's?
Busy weekend, but little spent on railroading. I did manage to get the valence up over the lighting on Weaver Junction.
I guess I'm not alone in my lack of productivity. I did get the ballasting down and glued on the service tracks and the main NEAR the service tracks. Since I'm still learning how to DO it, I'm not doing anymore until I review what I DID so far. And I got the frame made and the backdrop material stretched on it - if it actually stretches the crease out of the middle, I'll likely paint the backdrop as soon as the weather outside gets a little more paint friendly. And I managed to get a new decoder into my GN F unit - and the windows hung. Still have the number boards to populate, and the loco number. There's always next week! .
Managed to make a dozen trees Saturday morning, I then proceeded to hyperextend my knee while planting them. Tried walking it off, but by dinner time the pain was unbearable and I couldn't put any pressure on it. Spent 8 hours in the ER Saturday night into Sunday morning. Got some crutches and a " call me in a few days if it's not better". First injury on my Alaska railroad! Dangerous work!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
taxes done. Boxes moved. Furniture guys coming tomorrow to move the big stuff. Potential layout space measures. 10'5" by 9'4". Pleanty of room for a N scale switching layout.
Had an op session this weekend, a fellow was here filming the day, wish I had his equipment! All I managed to do was take a few photos. Below we see a QA&P GP60 sitting in the ready tracks. Below we see the head end power for a public service coal train with D&RGW 5411 on point. Sitting on the west end of departure track 2. And the rear help, D&RGW SD50, #5510 and SD40T-2 5399.
Not sure Ken, one would think so. Very little information on this industry and the town itself. Brian and I stumbled upon this about five years ago and this was the first time we talked to a local.
It is right near the Santa Fe, and it maybe. I need to look at the customer list for this portion of trackage. It's a neat location for sure.
