What is the current status of the CSX line thru Flora, Illinois ?
This part of the old B&O line to East St Louis? Everything I've seen suggests CSX has no use for it. The Conrail split made it surplus for CSX.
Mothballed - STB Discontinuance of Service in effect, AB 55-748(X) AVISON TO CASEYVILLE...the rest is a dark jerkwater branch for now .
Sad to see - that was the territory I hired out on a number of Leap Years ago!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD : It is sad. My grandfather retired from the B&O as conductor. His last assignment was on a local from Flora up the branch toward Beardstown I believe. Have photo of him at old roundhouse with crew and offical in front of steam engine.My mother also worked at Flora depot during WWII as telegraph operator.
mudchickenSTB Discontinuance of Service in effect, AB 55-748(X) AVISON TO CASEYVILLE
Another workable "Chicago avoidance" strategy tossed to the wind.
Wonder if they are going to rip up Avison to Caseyville and parcel-off the land to adjacent land users, just to make the remainder a 'no-compete' when they finally get around to abandoning the rest of it?
I believe the line is cut between Olney and Noble (about 15 miles east of Flora). CSX serves a grain elevator in Olney on the old IC line south of the junction.
Ed
If anyone is interested in reading some more information about this line, I recently created a website dedicated to it's history. Used to a vibrant route during the B&O days from St. Louis eastward.
https://ilsubdivisionrailroad.wordpress.com/
mmonken:Thanks for the great website on a very under appreciated B&O line. It made my day.
Can you give me any info on line that went North out of Flora towards Iola and if it terminated in Beardstown ? Thanks
106crewchief Can you give me any info on line that went North out of Flora towards Iola and if it terminated in Beardstown ? Thanks
The line from Shawneetown, on the Ohio River, through Flora & Springfield to Beardstown was abandoned in the early 80's.
The Springfield & Illinois Southeastern Railway was incorporated on Feb 8, 1870 (itself a combination of the Pana Springfield & Northwestern RR and the Illinois Southwestern RR) and was bought by the Ohio & Mississippi Railway at forclosure on Jan 1 1875. This addition became known as "the Springfield Branch" of the Ohio & Mississippi Railway. Roughly 222 miles.
The O&M became part of the B&O in 1893
Page 27 of the linked PDF has a map you might find interesting
mmonken,
Great job on the website. Very much enjoyed the read.
Bob
Thank You Bob, much appreciated!
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