Western Railroad Discussion > Iowa Interstate BUSW at LaSalle, Illinois

The IAIS BUreau SWitcher (or "Bureau Rocket" to most crews and the DS) based out of Bureau Junction, Illinois, does a turn east to interchange with CSX at Utica (MP 95) and service Buzzi Cement at the old IC interchange at the top of the "Hill Track".

Top photo; GP38-2 #707 is solo shoving up a short cut of cars. Winter 2019/20

Middle; The CRI&P Peru-LaSalle depot in restoration as a art gallery. It had spent years as a mower/small engine repair shop. This pic from ~2015 is after that shop had moved out and just before cement barriers went up in front.

Bottom; BUSW on a different day in the fall of 2019 on the main with a more common consist. The station sign is recognizably Burlington Northern and its placement to the South of the ROW tells of its association with the Walnut-Zearing-Streator, Illinois branch. Illinois Railway is busy on the existing LaSalle (Peru) to Zearing (BNSF interchange) section.




 

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Regarding the Peru-La Salle depot...
It depends on which end of the depot you look at.
The West end is Peru-La Salle (City of Peru is West of La Salle) but
on the East end of the depot, the station sign reads La Salle - Peru.
Enjoyed seeing the pictures.
zr190

Brings back memories of the 40's and 50's.  Rode the Peoria Rocket many times from Chicago(after connecting from the B&O)to LaSalle.  As a young boy I spent the summers at grandparents farm about 12 miles south in Tonica.  Still remember the Rocket arrived LaSalle at 12:33PM.  The IC Gruber line, on which Buzzi Cement is located, ran right behind great grandparents house in Tonica.  Further from my bedroom on the second story of the farmhouse, I could see the CB&Q Streator to Zearing local(often with 3 covered wagons) about three miles distant across the flat prarie.  I loved summers in LaSalle County with all the railroad action. Unfortunately the RI, CB&Q and IC are all gone from the area.

Mexrail