Rockdale South: (Satellite, now Joliet Junction Trail and it continued northeast past some industries)
Statesville: (Satellite, a tree line is what clued me in to research this)
Kevin Piper posted a history and some images of the EJ&E Branch that began in 1904 as the Rockdale, Joliet & Lockport Terminal Railway. EJ&E discontinued service on the 6.46-mile line in 1991 because a wooden trestle was severely damaged by a fire. In 1994 the Joliet Junction Railroad was founded. After obtaining a $390,000 loan from the Illinois taxpayers, it gave up in 1999. "The line sold for $467,424 to the Forest Preserve District of Will County, which created a recreational trail, called the 'Joliet Junction Trail.'" I hope that $467,424 was used to pay off the loan.
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Kevin's post While looking at a satellite image of Rockdale Junction, I noticed there was a tree line curving northward as well as this branch going south. The 2005 SPV Map shows an EJ&E branch going up to Statesville Prison. This abandoned RR map shows both branches. |
As expected, the prison has a boiler building. I presume it now burns natural gas instead of coal.
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| 3D Satellite |
But there is not evidence of an abandoned RoW in the prison.
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| Satellite |
I think that is because the track ended just outside of the prison wall.
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| Global Earth, Mar 1994 |
They had structures at the wall to pass the coal through the wall. Remnants of the outside structures are still standing. The inside structure as been removed except for the foundation.
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| Satellite |
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