Nostalgia & History > IL-Watseka Union Depot (C&EI, TP&W)

Watseka, Illinois is a town in eastern Illinois, located at the crossing of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois with the Toledo Peoria and Western. It does not currently have rail passenger service.

The union passenger station has logos of both railroads on its sign, and is being restored for use as a museum. The exterior brick and roof look to be in superb shape, and the landscaping on the east side is well done. The west (C&EI) side is an active rail supply facility, and the north (TP&W) side is an access road. The TP&W rail line is single track through here, the C&EI side is two tracks, and there's a connection between the lines in the southwest corner of the diamond. (Thanks for the corrections)

Picture 1 is a telephoto view of the depot, looking east. The C&EI / MP / UP track is in front of me.

Picture 2 walks around to the TP&W side of the building. I didn't realize until I viewed this picture that there are two bump outs for the agent operators, one on each railroad's side. There's a large, sunny waiting room in the near corner of the building.

Picture 3 is the view from the east side. The town has taken a great deal of pride in its station, it looks lovely.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/11 13:14 by Lackawanna484.

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Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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>Each rail line is single
> track through here, and there's a connection
> between the lines in the southwest corner of the
> diamond.

You sure about that, Hoss? This shot was taken in 2008 headed south on Main Track 1 of 2 on the UP Villa Grove Sub., which is the old C&EI there. The C&EI was pretty much always 2 main tracks here.

Pump

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The C&EI was double track the last time I was there about 5 years ago. The double track starts at Woodland Jct just south of Watseka where CSX (L&N/C&EI) joins UP (MoPac/C&EI)).

You're both right. Here's another shot, with the two UP tracks clearly in view

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Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> You're both right. Here's another shot, with the
> two UP tracks clearly in view

In the last photo, you're looking east, following the TP&W to Logansport, IN, ultimately. Unless I'm mistaken (and I readily admit that I could be), the far North/South track in the photo, belongs to CSX. The near North/South track in the photo, belongs to UP. IIRC, when the MP (prior to being merged into the UP) fully absorbed the C&EI, the ICC mandated that they had to sell the C&EI line from the Chicago area (Dolton?) to the Ohio River and beyond, to CSX's predecessor (SCL/L&N). So, I don't believe that UP owns both N/S mains through Watseka, IL. I stand to be corrected on this point.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

rcall31060 Wrote:
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> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You're both right. Here's another shot, with
> the
> > two UP tracks clearly in view
>
> In the last photo, you're looking east, following
> the TP&W to Logansport, IN, ultimately. Unless
> I'm mistaken (and I readily admit that I could
> be), the far North/South track in the photo,
> belongs to CSX. The near North/South track in the
> photo, belongs to UP. IIRC, when the MP (prior to
> being merged into the UP) fully absorbed the C&EI,
> the ICC mandated that they had to sell the C&EI
> line from the Chicago area (Dolton?) to the Ohio
> River and beyond, to CSX's predecessor (SCL/L&N).
> So, I don't believe that UP owns both N/S mains
> through Watseka, IL. I stand to be corrected on
> this point.


As I drove into town, a southbound coal train was rolling through town on the nearer to the station of the two tracks. It was a CSX train.

Nice little town.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> As I drove into town, a southbound coal train was
> rolling through town on the nearer to the station
> of the two tracks. It was a CSX train.

Exactly. That track belongs to CSX. Had you continued further south to Woodland Junction, you would have seen that train split off and head Southeast, on single track, through Hoopston. IL, on south toward the Ohio river and points beyond. The UP splits off at the junction, heading Southwest, on single track. Not exactly sure where it ends up (St. Louis area?).

> Nice little town.

Like a lot of other communities in this neck of the woods, it's an agricultural based economy. Lots of corn and soybean production. Several (or more) years ago, the elevator in town had an ex-Erie Mining Alco (RS-11, IIRC), that they used to switch grain hoppers with. If you didn't come across it on your visit, it must be off the property.

Bob Callahan
Monticello, IN

Visited the area a few years ago looking for the RS-11's.
The other RS-11 was at Pittwood, not too far from Watseka.
Both ALCOs are now gone.
Nice station at watseka too.
SJS