Aban/BN/CB&Q Bridge over I-57 in West Frankfort, IL

(no Bridge Hunter, Satellite)

20160329 1962

I've noticed this BN logo several times on my trips to and from Kentucky. I had always assumed it was BNSF's route through southern Illinois. But, thanks to a posting by Aaron Qualls, I learned that it is near West Frankfort and that it is an abandoned branch. The width of this bridge for a rural area has always amazed me. It is even more amazing given that it was just a branch.

Streetview

Looking at an old aerial photo explains the width of the bridge --- I-57 is on the west side of town and CB&Q had a railroad yard on the southwest side of town.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

The wye in the upper right-hand corner of the following satellite image is the same wye that is on the left side of the above aerial photo. The wye in the lower-left corner is where this branch connected to the CB&Q mainline through southern Illinois. The upper branch of the first wye was the MoPac.

Satellite

IC had a branch coming into town on the east side that they built jointly with CB&Q. This branch was expensive because it was elevated. (The branch at the top of the 1938 aerial excerpt below. About a fourth of the way from the left you can see it also crossed the C&EI tracks.)

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

Why did CB&Q, IC, MoPac, and C&EI have so many branches around West Frankfort? Because in the vicinity were the following coal mines: Orient Mines 1 & 2, Producers Mines 18 & 19, and Old Ben Mines 9 & 15.  (Update: the mine along the west side of the C&EI tracks in the above image was Old Ben #8.) Studying the railroad map that includes these coal mines, it appears that each mine wanted at least two railroads servicing it. And I'm sure the railroads wanted to serve the mines.

Looking at a satellite image, all of these mines must have been underground mines. Between the operational expense of shaft mining and the high sulfur content of the coal, I assume all of these mines closed soon after the Wyoming Powder River Basin was developed. And when the mines closed, the railroad branches disappeared. So now only the north/south route of UP/C&EI remains in this area.

Update: 27 Historical Photos of coal mining in Southern Illinois. I noticed that many of the mines were around West Frankfort.

I don't have time to research exactly where this mine was and which railroads served it. But I'm sure it is representative of the mines that were in the area.

Roger Kujawa posted
Industrial Coal Company Mine 19 West Frankfort, Illinois
Paul Meier The head sheaves arrangement indicate a Whiting style hoist.

My wife was driving, so I was able to take pictures from the passenger seat. I wanted to get another photo of this bridge. Soon after I took a photo of this bridge, I realized it was not the one I was after. But I include it because it turns out it is the bridge for the still used BNSF branch to the south.

20171230 9423

The following two are of this bridge.

(Facebooked)