Marshall and List,
The Burlington "Batavia Branch" went through the Mooseheart Property. For
those of you that don't know Mooseheart is an orphanage for the children of a
member of the Moose Lodge. Mooseheart is located between Batavia and North
Aurora IL.
For a number of years and I don't know what the occasion was but it was in
the summer perhaps graduation or another event at Mooseheart the Burlington
would run a special train up the branch off the main line at Aurora to
Mooseheart. I remember seeing more than a few of the trains as a kid.
Back in 1917 my Grandmother and her 4 children along with my Aunt came to
Mooseheart from West Virginia. Her husband was killed in a mining accident
and she told of riding the train out from WV to Chicago and then to Aurora on
the Burlington. After living here for a short time she met my Grandfather,
they were married and then they had my Mom. Mooseheart is a working farm,
with a school on a beautiful campus along IL Route 31. I have been to a
couple of weddings in the Chapel there.
I have never came across any information but at one time I was told that the
Burlington had regular passenger service to Mooseheart. But I have never
found any thing about the service or even if the service ever happened.
One year I think it would have been around 1963 I saw a Mooseheart Special
with all stainless steel Zephyr equipment including domes. A nice way to ride!
Loren Johnson
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