Eastern Railroad Discussion > Wabash Signals at Lodge Illinois for Signal Sunday

This post could be placed on several boards but I'll stick it here. 

Thanksgiving Day weekend I ended up with the four day weekend for the first time in over twenty years. After and excellent Thanksgiving Day with mom and dad in Dayton I took my friend and went to central Illinois. Lodge Illinois was one of the main things I wanted to check out and was not disappointed as the Wabash signals are still there.

1-3) We'll take a look at the Northbound Absolute Signal for the mainline. Notice how the bottom light is only capable of producing red and therefore uses a smaller housing.

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Not only is Lodge the north end of the first siding on the NS Bloomington District it was also where the Illinois Central from Clinton to White Health crossed. The Southbound Absolute Signal is still placed far back from the diamond although there is a pedestal closer to the siding switch maybe for moving it at some point. 
4-6) Notice how there is a cable from the signals to the main signal bungalow and how the codeline poles raise up to cross where the Illinois Central had been.

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The Bloomington District now ends up turning in Bloomington and going to Peoria. Into the 1990's this line would have went all the way to Chicago. NS still has trackage rights on the CN to Chicago from Bloomington. I do not know anything else about this line. If anyone wants to add to this please do.
7-9) The Southbound Absolute Signal with three heads.

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 Searchlight signal systems usually don't have as noticeable a difference from one railway to the next as do some of the other signal styles. The Wabash was an exception. Not only was the use of the smaller housing on the mainline signal a bit different their Dwarf signals for leaving sidings were completely different. The top light is white and when illuminated over a colored light below produced Medium Speed aspects for leaving sidings. 
10-12) The Northbound Dwarf for leaving the siding. Although we weren't lucky enough to see a train seeing one of these again was well worth the stop at Lodge, my first time there...

Thank you for looking!

Jim

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Thanks for the interesting pictures and story.  Gerry

Great to see searchlights still being used, and I love how in this case the masts are painted differently than other RR's.  And the dwarfs are very interesting.  What about snow, though?  The poor things could get buried, then short out!

Also, why a 3-headed signal aspect for a siding?  I'm guessing that old grain facility once had a spur off the siding, thus requiring the 3rd signal...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/18 09:55 by coach.

Code lines with lots of insulators too!  Great photos, thanks for posting.

The former Wabash line now turns west onto the former NKP line at Gibson City to reach Bloomington and Peoria. The former Wabash main towards Chicago is now operated by the Bloomer Railroad and is abandoned north of Forrest (?) I believe. NS recently down graded this line to 25 MPH max. to reduce maintenence expense, due to the closing of the auto plant/reduction of business at Bloomington. Speculation is that it might become a candidate for a short line spin off because of less business but still some profit from large, unit train elevators, ethanol plants, a few other industries and added interchange at Peoria.

exprail.

The former Wabash line now turns west onto the former NKP line at Gibson City to reach Bloomington and Peoria. The former Wabash main towards Chicago is now operated by the Bloomer Railroad and is abandoned north of Forrest (?) I believe. NS recently down graded this line to 25 MPH max. to reduce maintenence expense, due to the closing of the auto plant/reduction of business at Bloomington. Without the auto plant there is still considerable business  from large, unit train elevators, ethanol plants, a few other industries and added interchange at Peoria.

exprail.

nice!
 

Thanksf or sharing. US&S was THE signal supplier for the Wabash.

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

Question, in following this line on google maps does the statement has trackage rights on CN from Bloomingto to Chicago actually mean from Gibson City to Chicago?  Looks like a good higher speed connection is in place at Gibson City to connect the 2 there. 

Neat shots, Jim.  Interesting to see code line in 2018, adds to the character of the line.

I am glad people liked the thread and the pictures. It is a nice throwback to see how the codeline poles looked at interlockings and control points.

Cumbres Wrote:
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> Question, in following this line on google maps
> does the statement has trackage rights on CN from
> Bloomingto to Chicago actually mean from Gibson
> City to Chicago?  Looks like a good higher speed
> connection is in place at Gibson City to connect
> the 2 there. 

Yes. I made a mistake on that part. See the entry from exprail for more detail on this line. Here is also the Illinois State Railroad Map which will also help.
http://www.idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Transportation-System/Maps-&-Charts/RailRoad-Maps/ILRailroadMap2018.pdf

Jim

Great catch on these signals and code lines!
Nice to see the "old days" exists at least a little bit.
Gary

Thanks for the interesting signal shots!!

Larry