Steam & Excursion > Monticello (IL) Railway Museum is getting a turntable

The Monticello Railway Museum in Illinois will be getting a turntable. According to the news station in Peoria IL they will be getting the ex Rock Island turntable that is located near downtown Peoria. That will be a welcome addition to the museum who currently uses the wye in downtown Monticello to turn the locomotives when needed.

https://week.com/news/top-stories/2019/10/07/public-input-sought-on-what-should-replace-railroad-turntable-at-riverfront-park/

Even bigger and better things to come in the future!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

I've got to get over there and visit.  Must be an awesome place.

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Even bigger and better things to come in the
> future!

More video opportunities for you

Posted from iPhone

Great for them! They seem to be very active. Might be time for a return visit after a 20 year absence!

Posted from Android

So there will be a wye on one end and turntable on the other? Or will the turntable replace the wye? IIRC, the wye is rather cumbersome and the curvature is limiting?

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So there will be a wye on one end and turntable on
> the other? Or will the turntable replace the wye?
> IIRC, the wye is rather cumbersome and the
> curvature is limiting?
>
> Victor A. Baird
> http://www.erstwhilepublications.com


Just guessing here but I think the turntable will be by the shop area on the main museum campus. The wye is in Monticello which is several miles away. I don’t think the wye is limited as far as curvature goes but being a historical museum an operating turntable is a great addition.

Location of the wye
415-375 W Livingston St, Monticello, IL 61856
https://goo.gl/maps/k9Fd6JWik6oFD9xz6

Follow those tracks NE and you come to the museum

Area where i’m guessing the turntable goes
Dropped pin
Near Monticello Township, IL
https://goo.gl/maps/VdToFLbfLVzRV2877

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/19 15:28 by Spoony81.

Perhaps it was not the curvature that was limiting but obstructions or having to move an industrial customer's cars?

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

The wye in town is occasionally used to turn equipment.  #401 is turned every year to equalize wear, for example.  Also, the wye was used last year for photo runs during a photo charter.

There is also a second wye on museum property at White Heath, but the track has been out of service for decades.  In theory, a train could turn at both ends of the line while stopping at the museum grounds in the middle of the line.  To accomplish that, it would take some deep pockets and some serious track work at White Heath.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

MaryMcPherson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The wye in town is occasionally used to turn
> equipment.  #401 is turned every year to equalize
> wear, for example.  Also, the wye was used last
> year for photo runs during a photo charter.
>
> There is also a second wye on museum property at
> White Heath, but the track has been out of service
> for decades.  In theory, a train could turn at
> both ends of the line while stopping at the museum
> grounds in the middle of the line.  To accomplish
> that, it would take some deep pockets and some
> serious track work at White Heath.

One leg of the wye in Monticello passes through the grounds of a local industry (Viobin USA) and NS has traditiionally had rights to use both legs of the wye and the west end of the Museum's track for whatever industry or car storage work they may have (Viobin may be the only remaining active shipper...maybe. There is no longer anything on the west end except a short runaround track). Even though it is the Museum's track, they have always in the past been required to get advance permission of both Viobin and the NS to use the wye. I'm not sure how much NS controls the usage anymore, but I'm quite sure Viobin wants no part of occupied passenger trains passing through the middle of their facility.

At Whte Heath, there is enough of a stub of the old IC to Champaign north of the wye to turn an entire train, but the western "tail" of the wye (a remnant of the IC's branch to Lodge and on to LeRoy) is stubbed short of former Rt. 47 (the "main drag" of White Heath) and is JUST long enough to turn a loco, maybe two diesels. Extending the stub is not practical as the road has been re-graded to eliminate a "dip" at the tracks. At this point any extension would likely require an overpass.

The good news is MRM will be getting a 90' turntable and they continue to reactivate a little more of the IC toward White Heath each year. Hopefully won't be long before trains can run between the Museum and White Heath with the engine pointed the right way both directions. They are doing some great things down there!

NZ

It is really a great outfit, considerig the equipment and what they have accomplished. And there must be a source of $$$ in addition to what revenue they may take in from hauling tourists. As some will tell you, just because you have operating steam on a touist RR, doesn't mean it will bring in that much more revenue comensurate to what you've spent on restoring an operating steam locomoitve.


Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilpublications.com

Revenue from car storage helps-, which ironically increases income when the economy slacks and freight traffic is down.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

I saw on the Monticello Railway Museum FB page that the turntable left Peoria today via stretched flatbed trailer. Glad to see the progress

Posted from iPhone