Jacksonville trains & old Meredosia depot.

Today March 21, 2021 decided to explore a few areas as well as look for trains.  My goal was to catch a train at Jacksonville but also check out Roodhouse as well as a depot in Meredosia, Illinois. My first catch was in the morning down at Beardstown where a BNSF Ore empty train was heading out towards Galesburg on the Beardstown Subdivision.

After Beardstown I cruise on down hoping to see KCS action down at Roodhouse. No such luck but there at least was two units there but no crew. 

Roodhouse:

After Roodhouse I head up to Jacksonville and see a little Norfolk Southern action. I catch an NS manifest and a power move.

Jacksonville, Illinois:

Also in Jacksonville stop and photograph the old GMO Railroad depot which was built in 1900. The depot has been used as a restaurant in the past and possibly still is.

GMO depot Jacksonville:

After Jacksonville checked out a small town called Bluffs, Illinois where NS has a tiny yard.

NS Bluffs yard:

After Bluffs went to my main goal to check out a depot but I was getting pressed on time so made it quick also the sun was in a bad position.

In Meredosia, Illinois lies the old Wabash Railroad depot which is in good condition and by the river is the remains of the bridge. If people weren't on it I would have taken a picture of it.

Meredosia Wabash Railroad depot:

The Wabash line through Meredosia itself was probably abandoned by the  late 1950's as the old bridge was taken out. I say probably because not sure but seen the bridge was torn out about 1959 and the last train to cross it was 1955 by what I could find. However there is a grain elevator here I wonder if they didn't see service after on the Meredosia side of the Illinois River.  Some sections west of the River like Carthage to Keokuk may have been abandoned as late as 1978 to early 1980's under the Norfolk & Western Railroad which Wabash merged with prior.

An important and interesting fact was Meredosia was the location if the first Railroad in the state named the Northern Cross Railroad which was created and started getting going as early as 1838.  By the 1840's the line was extended from Jacksonville to Springfield and service opened from Meredosia to Springfield, Illinois. By 1847 the name was changed to the Sangamon and Morgan Railroad. In later years the Wabash Railroad acquired the railroad. The Wabash later merged and became Norfolk and Western in 1964.

South of Meredosia tracks remain and serve as car storage as well as has a few customers left the Norfolk Southern Railroad serves.

Used section south of Meredosia:

Unused out of service section south of Meredosia:

The out of service section has a spur that goes into the Power Plant here which has since been shut down in then past decade. The line over grown with trees was part of the mainline that remains that went into Meredosia.

I enjoyed the trip as rushed as it was at times and despite the sun being in bad locations at times. I hope I provided enough history as it's all I could find online. I can later update if need be.