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Peabody Shortline

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Peabody Shortline
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 29, 2004 3:30 PM
Does anyone know of any books or pictures of the Peabody Shortline. I am looking for pictures of the cabooses they had.
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Posted by cacole on Saturday, October 30, 2004 7:34 PM
Not even Google turned up any information about Peabody Short Line except their hoppers. Hoppers may be the only thing Peabody owned. Nearly all references I could find to Peabody were centered around Illinois Traction Historical Societies.
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Posted by rexhea on Saturday, October 30, 2004 8:43 PM
The only thing I found was that they were bought by Illinois Central in 1960. Maybe that could be a starting point for your research.
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Posted by SSW9389 on Saturday, October 30, 2004 9:38 PM
There is an article about the line in Trains Magazine about the time it was sold to IC. Check the Trains database.
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 16, 2005 7:23 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by jlheiz

Does anyone know of any books or pictures of the Peabody Shortline. I am looking for pictures of the cabooses they had.


Try this...
http://www.lepeabody.com/index.html
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 16, 2005 9:48 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Carrales

QUOTE: Originally posted by jlheiz

Does anyone know of any books or pictures of the Peabody Shortline. I am looking for pictures of the cabooses they had.


Try this...
http://www.lepeabody.com/index.html



I sent an e-mail to the IC historical association and got this excellent response...

Capt. Carrales,
The following is a quote from Al Lind's great book, From the lakes to the Gulf: A hHstory of the Illinois Central Railroad.

"The Peabody Short Line began life as the St. Louis & Belleville Electiric Railway (B&E), an electric suburban line serving the East St. Louis, Illinois area. Though offering passenger service in its early years it was principally a freight hauling railroad. Affiliated with the East St. Louis & Suburban Railway, the StL&B (B&E) came under the control of the Union Electric Company of St. Louis. It sold the line to the Peabody Coal Company in 1956. Nearly all the PSL's traffic was coal moving from the River King mine near Belleville, Illinois to the terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis at East St. Louis, Illinois.
In 1960 the Illinois Central took control of the PSL. It merged into the IC on August 1, 1961."

Since that time, probably by the late 60s or early 70s the IC abandoned the line.

Thank you for visiting our website.

A. B. Mifflin
Associate Editor and Art Director
Green Diamond, official quarterly publication of the Illinois Central Historical Society
501 Lexington Court
Carbondale, IL 62901
618-529-3837
ab13@hcis.net
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 2, 2006 4:25 PM
I too am interested in finding info on the Peabody Short Line. I grew up in the Edgemont Area of East St Louis, IL. Right below the River Bluffs. The old Peabody Short Line ran by my house as it started up the grade into the bluffs. I used to look out my upstairs bedroom window and watch the trains. Some of my fondest memories are of hearing the lonely train whistle on rainy mornings. I also found hopper cars on the Web. But I clearly remember seeing Locomotives painted bright yellow with green trim. Since I am a Switchman with the A&S in East St Louis now, I'll see if I can find some info/resources thru local channels.
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 2, 2006 5:23 PM
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pbcc-fm-ags.jpg
is peabody Short line same as peabody coal??
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Posted by caboose63 on Sunday, July 2, 2006 8:58 PM
jiheiz, have the 1960 issue of trains that has the article on the peabody shortline. i picked up the copy about 6 years ago at a model train flea market at michigan state university's ag expo.. i could mail you a photo copy of the article.
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Posted by caboose63 on Sunday, July 2, 2006 9:00 PM
jiheiz, have the 1960 issue of trains that has the article on the peabody shortline. i picked up the copy about 6 years ago at a model train flea market at michigan state university's ag expo.. i could mail you a photo copy of the article.
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 3, 2006 4:47 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by BMTRAINS

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-p/pbcc-fm-ags.jpg
is peabody Short line same as peabody coal??


What loco type is that please?

Looking at the back end (end of long hood) are those fans displaced or would they have been in that angled position in operation?

Thanks for help [8D]
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Posted by jrbernier on Monday, July 3, 2006 8:17 AM
looks like a FM Trainmaster.....

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 3, 2006 9:29 AM
well is peabody coal peabodyy short line???
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Posted by PHARMD98233 on Monday, July 3, 2006 10:04 AM
I used to live a block away from the Peabody Shortline tracks in Belleville, IL. They ran ALCO RS's usually in sets of 2 or 3 engines. The engines were painted in the same color scheme as the hoppers. I do not recall anything about the cabeese. The Shortline was owned by Peabody Coal.
It seems like there is a railroad historical society which covers the lines which coursed through that area. The owner of RED BOARD Hobby in Belleville, IL is probably a good resource to contact for information on the society.
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Posted by mlehman on Monday, July 3, 2006 10:21 AM
My grandfather used to work for Peabody Coal near Carrier Mills, IL.

I'm pretty sure that the Peabody locos on the Fallen Flags site are various mine switchers. Although also owned by Peabody, I think these shots are unrelated to the PSL, although ultimately owned by the same company.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 9:08 PM
I was talking to one of the older engineers at work last night (Alton & Southern Railway). He said that the Peabody Shortline crossed Our tracks in East St Louis between State Street and Lake Shore Drive. And after the I.C. bought them, they worked through the Gateway Yard next to mine that is currently ran by the KCS. Anyway, they did indeed buy and run three Locomotives. They were ALCO's. And to answer the other question, The Peabody Short Line was owned by the Peabody Coal Mine until the Illinois Central bought the line.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 9:19 PM
I lived in Edgemont on South 83rd St. The Day Line tracks as I remember them called, ran at the end of my street and seperated Edgemont from Centerville. From there they crossed Hwy 157 over a trestle (I used to play there) and climbed into the Bluffs up into Signal Hill. Where abouts did you live?
QUOTE: Originally posted by PHARMD98233

I used to live a block away from the Peabody Shortline tracks in Belleville, IL. They ran ALCO RS's usually in sets of 2 or 3 engines. The engines were painted in the same color scheme as the hoppers. I do not recall anything about the cabeese. The Shortline was owned by Peabody Coal.
It seems like there is a railroad historical society which covers the lines which coursed through that area. The owner of RED BOARD Hobby in Belleville, IL is probably a good resource to contact for information on the society.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 9:43 PM
Here is a link to a cover photo of a 1960 issue of Trains Magazine showing the Peabody Alcos in action.
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Posted by PHARMD98233 on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 10:10 PM
usmcgunny0369

I lived off of 59th street in Belleville. It is now called Frank Scott Parkway.
I often played at the trestle over the Southern tracks.
Go Maroons!
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Posted by PHARMD98233 on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 10:29 PM
This is what I remeber them to have looked like.

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0403/pcc1503.jpg



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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 10:41 PM
I went to East Side and played football & ran Track there. Played in the last Turkey Bowl game. We beat Belleville as usual. Go Flyers![:D]

QUOTE: Originally posted by PHARMD98233

usmcgunny0369

I lived off of 59th street in Belleville. It is now called Frank Scott Parkway.
I often played at the trestle over the Southern tracks.
Go Maroons!
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Posted by braymanj on Thursday, July 14, 2011 5:20 PM

Hi-  It's nice to know that there is another PSL enthusiast out there.  There was a nice article in "Trains " magazine in Feb, 1960 about the PSL's yellow scheme.  I beleive that is correct.  I have been trying to find out what kind of caboose was used also.  I talked with owner of Red Board Hobbies in Belleville, IL, and he said that they used no caboose.  Instead, there was a hopper that had a small square compartment attached to the rear of the last hopper.  I have seen illustrations of them on my train simulators, but not the actual Peabody hopper/caboose.  I'm a fanatic with TRAINZ Simulator.  I have been trying to recreate the PSL for years.  I've been in love with the PSL for over 50 years, and to this day, still walk the old roadbed, collecting spikes.  The PSL used to travel behind my grade school ( Union School ) in 1960, when I was 10 years old.  Because of high weeds and trees, only the top 4 or 5 ft. of the engines were visible.  I do remember the ultra-smoky, noisy Alco RS2;s, and the low-sounding horn.  I couldn't remeber the paint scheme until I saw the TRAINS issue at a train show 15 years ago.  I was always fascinated how the PSL literally went right through people's backyards, and struggled along at 10 mph.  There were 2 trains.  One had 2 units, # 702 & 703, pulling 42 hoppers.  The other was a single unit, # 701.  Here is a link to a YouTube RS-3, so that you can hear the horn that Peabody used.  It was a " Leslie A-200 ".  If you live in the Belleville area, feel free to give me a call if you have any questions, or additional comments.  I'll purchase the TRAINS issue next time I see it, and I'll contact you, if you'd like.  I don't know if you're aware of what happened to the engines.  Once the I.C.R.R. took over, they painted them in their black paint scheme, and used them as switchers at the switchyard in E. St. Louis.  Eventually, the were traded to EMD, and that's all I know.  A few years ago, I purchased original blueprints on Ebay, for small PSL buildings that were along the route between Freeburg and E. St. Louis.  There was another magazine article on the PSL.  The Terminal R.R. Association has a monthly magazine, and the PSL was on the front cover, with a nice article.  I guessing it's from about 13 years ago.  Check out train shows, or talk with seniors that live next to the old right-of-way, they may remeber what kind of caboose was used.  Years ago I considered hypnosis, just to remember what the train looked like.  Had I not been 10 years old, I'd probably remember.  I still go to the playground at Union School, hoping to jog my memory.  I hope that I've been some help.  -B.J. Schulte,  Belleville

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnUXeYmKjBY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIeUxi7c_Nc&NR=1

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leslie_A200-156.ogg

Tags: Caboose
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Posted by R. T. POTEET on Friday, July 15, 2011 2:55 PM

I'm gonna bet you dollars to donuts that, since it really was a short line, they probably purchased cast-offs from Class 1s and they didn't have two cabooses that looked the same. Why don't you buy a generic shaped caboose, paint and decal it, and you will have a better than average chance of hitting something on the head/ 

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

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Posted by Flashwave on Friday, July 15, 2011 7:19 PM

Found this: http://www.greenfrog.com/carson_picrom14.shtml I don't know if it's worth it or not, but it's 7 minutes of Peabody, so there's a chance a caboose or two will show up.  I just don't know if it would be yours.

Are we sure they even had them, cabeece I mean?

 

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Posted by Dean S May on Saturday, July 16, 2011 9:12 PM

Here is a link with more information to confirm that Peabody Shortline was absorbed by Illinois Central =>

http://www.tdf23.info/html/Railroads/PeabodyShortLine.htm

Dean S May

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Posted by Mike Yurgec on Saturday, January 26, 2013 9:13 AM

The "River King" mine was located a few miles north east of Freeburg, Illinois. 

Peabody had a huge coal preperation plant there for almost 45 years.  It cleaned coal from the large strip mines east and soouth of Freeburg.  The strip mines used haulage trucks to deliver the coal from the pit to the plant until they were closed in the late 1970's.

Next to the prep plant was the "River King Underground #1" mine.  The RKU#1 used the tipple until it closed.  The entire plant is gone and only the remnants of the shops and offices are left of the RKU#1.

The PSL ran from the prep plant to the Peabody Coal docks on the Mississippi River directly across from the Gateway Arch.  The coal dock was on the East St. Louis side of the river.  It is now a grain terminal.

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Posted by cacole on Saturday, January 26, 2013 9:35 AM

Bowser/Stewart has released Peabody Short Line Baldwin AS-16 HO locomotives, both with and without Tsunami sound, in road numbers 2234 and 2239.

Atlas Trainman HO models of Peabody Coal hoppers are available sometimes on e-Bay as 2 and 3 car sets.  Model Power, Athearn, Tyco, and Lionel have released Peabody Coal hopper HO models in the past, and I believe Lionel even had O scale models of them.

I have been searching for an HO scale model of a Peabody caboose but have come up empty handed.  A couple of copper mine short lines in Arizona use hoppers with a crew member's compartment on the end and a horn to sound a warning at grade crossings when backing up in place of a caboose, which may be similar to what Peabody used.

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Posted by NP2626 on Saturday, January 26, 2013 3:35 PM

"And Daddy won't you take me back to Muhlenberg County, down by the Green River, where Paridise Lay.  Well I'm sorry my son, but your too late in asking, Mr. Peabody's coal train has hauled it away"

Paradise
©John Prine

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association:  http://www.nprha.org/

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Posted by MR DENNIS A SMITH on Sunday, March 27, 2016 5:38 PM

Anonymous
Does anyone know of any books or pictures of the Peabody Shortline. I am looking for pictures of the cabooses they had.
 

Anonymous
Does anyone know of any books or pictures of the Peabody Shortline. I am looking for pictures of the cabooses they had.
 

The peabody rr never had cabooses.They just put a red flag in the draw bar

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Posted by MR DENNIS A SMITH on Sunday, March 27, 2016 5:47 PM

The only peabody man still is donnie echert and he now has altzeimers ,he was a car knocker for the old peabody rr later when to work for icrr,peabody en held dual senority .They could work on railroad as well as in mine.The icrr did not have to offer these men when they brought the railroad,but they did.The icrr was a good raiklroad to work for.I had the pleasure to work with several of these men .

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