Actually, Illinois & Midland's Shops Yard is now solely the base for two local jobs, a lumber and plastic transloading facility and car storage. Locomotive maintenance moved up to sister Tazewell & Peoria RR's Creve Coeur facilities several years ago. Kincaid coal trains pass through town most days.
Norfolk Southern's Decatur-Kansas City line sees a mix of merchandise, auto parts, vehicles and intermodal traffic (including RoadRailers). There is a local turn from Decatur and a Springfield-based local that runs west to Jacksonville, Bluffs and Naples.
The NS line is busiest but perhaps not for long. Besides ten Amtrak trains per day on its line, UP started running 2-3 intermodal trains through Springfield (Global 4 - Dallas/Houston) in mid-September, a number that should increase. When tri-weekly Alton & Southern - Bloomington manifests and as needed grain trains and a South Local are added to the mix, you get at least 15 trains a day.
Canadian National's Clinton (IL)-Cockrell local probably still makes it to Springfield three times a week (MoWeFr last I knew) and there are still coal trains loaded at Crown 3 Mine near Farmersville.
Kansas City Southern apparently runs to Springfield once per week. I believe Wednesday is still the day.
A couple of years ago Ridgely Tower was open and I would stop there when passing thru. The UP line trhu town has about 8-10 Amtrakers a day. The line also has a couple of UP manifest trains, plus coal and grain extras.
NS runs about 15 trains a day. CN might have a local (not sure). The regional line which used to be Chicago and Illinois Midland has it's shop and operations based in Springfield. UP runs trains north from the Ridgely Tower site on their tracks.
Srpingfield is not exactly the railroad capital of Illinois, but is the state capital.
Ed
Anybody have info about this city as like where to go to see the NSRR & CNRR action?
Living nearby to MP 186 of the UPRR Austin TX Sub
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