(see below for satellite)
(The
L&N dock has more information about the railroad in Old Shawneetown.)
Clarence Yarber
posted three photos with the comment:
ITS A VERY SAD DAY IN ILLINOIS, AS THEY LOAD THE VERY LAST COAL BARGE,N THE LAST LOADS DUMPED BY SEMI COAL DRIVERS IN ILLINOIS TODAY...THEY WILL BE TORING DOWN THE COAL HOPPER/DUMP DOCK BY NEXT FRIDAY...ANOTHER COAL,BARGE,N TRUCKING INDUSTRY JOBS LOST,ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF COAL MINER JOBS...As a 14yr underground coal miner,n 8yrs of truck driven hauling coal..it hurts to hear ALL THESE GREAT PEOPLE LOOSE THEIR JOBS...
Aileen Purdy
shared
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| 2, cropped |
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According to a comment, Peabody Coal planned to have the conveyor belt and loading dock torn down within four days of the closing. But it looks like this town is still worth trying to visit because of the
truss bridge across the Ohio River.
(While looking for the
old gas station in Mar 2022, I noticed that the label on the grain elevator was changed. I wonder what else Bunge has sold. I can tell by the river level that it is still the same satellite image.)
I noticed that Google's street view car didn't visit this side of the town. The conveyor belt is hard to see.
I don't know what the dock in the foreground loads. The dock in the middle loads grain and the dock on the left did load coal. Note the levee around
Bunge's grain storage facilities. Old Shawneetown was abandoned in favor of building
Shawneetown because of flooding.
The comments talk about the trucking jobs that are being lost. I noticed that there is no longer any rail service to this town. The comments also indicated that Wildcat Hills recently closed.
1977 aerial photo of Old Shawneetown's railroad yard and barge complex. Peabody had a set of tracks to the right of the L&N.
Looking towards New Shawneetown, the Peabody track parallels L&N and curves to the right. The conveyor belt also curves to the right towards Gold Hill. Believe conveyor went to Bowlesville. Former O&M railroad used to run to Bowlesville as well. Unsure if conveyor belt path was the old railroad right of way.
Anyone have more information on the Peabody railroad or the former O&M that went to Bowlesville?
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Dennis DeBruler commented on David's post
What you are calling the Peabody track was the B&O. (That statement is wrong. The topo map doesn't show the Peabody track because it did not exist in 1959. As you have indicated, a 1990 topo map shows the Peabody track was west of the L&N+B&O track.) Originally, the B&O track was the 1871 Springfield & Illinois Southeastern: That was sold to the Ohio & Mississippi in 1875 because of the Panic of 1873. The O&M became the B&OSW in 1893 and part of the B&O in 1900: The L&N joined the B&O west of Junction,and then it then separated from the B&O at the L&N Junction near Old Shawneetown. 1959 Shawneetown Quadrangle @ 1:24,000 Dennis DeBruler Paul Harvey used to share the rest of the story which is what I am attempting to do here. I saw your blog post on the closing of the coal dock and that was why sharing what I know about the area. I've made several trips to Old and New Shawneetown and visited the courthouse. |
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Dennis DeBruler commented on his comment
David Cantrell Your recent post on the L&N depot in Old Shawneetown has me revisiting this topic. I now understand my error. I revised my comment. This map by AJ Grigg shows the Peabody routes in green. Your analysis of topo maps below confirms the northern route. The southern route seems to have come and gone between the available 1959 and 1990 topos. |
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David Cantrell commented on his post
Gallatin County coal map shows the Peabody track just north of the conveyor belt. The B&O and L&N yard is closer to the water. 1973 B&O customer lists indicates that Peabody started around 1962. |
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David Cantrell commented on his post
Circled Peabody track as it goes below New Shawneetown on the map. |
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| David Cantrell commented on his post |
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Dennis DeBruler commented on David's post
This map shows Peabody's two Eagle mines for which they built the railroad. |
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Dennis DeBruler commented on David's post
This directory excerpt provides the dates of the mining activity. |
The south railroad in green from the river to near bowlesville mine, was known as the tram line. It hauled coal going back to the late 1800’s. I have seen one map that had a route along the river going towards Old Shawneetown, however that was before the large levee system was put into place. Having grown up near there…. The curving line in green going north and south didnt exist as a peabody train. Peabody Eagle transported the coal from the tipple west of the Bowlesville mine to Old Shawneetown via a conveyor belt. The conveyor ran along the top of Gold Hill before coming down on the northeast side and running to peabody dock yard. The conveyor ran close to the old stage coach route. The tram line even has a 911 sign known as tram road, just small portion of the former right of way is still visible today, and at one time an iron bridge was still located in the now wooded area near the river.
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