Roger,
This is of primary interest to me as well so if anyone has something to
add I would like to hear it as well. Much of this information has been
thrown around on this group in days gone by and employee timetables of
the era are of great value. Now I will pick a minor nit by stating the
Streator to Zearing portion was not the Fox River Branch. This was
Montgomery to Streator. The line to Zearing is referred to as the
Illinois Valley and Northern or IV&N. (Real railroaders please feel
free to make corrections.)
My primary interest is 1954 so my info is slanted to this time frame.
The ETT shows train 85 to Steator early in the morning and 86 back out
late at night. At certain times during this period the power from 85
was sent to Zearing and back before being put on 86. An extra train is
called for from Streator to Zearing in the ETT. On the Fox River, the
aptly named Fox River Wayfreight was generally run from Eola to Wedron
and back. (85 and 86 generally went to Cicero. I'm away from my sources
so I'm using terms like "generally".) The Roustabout seems to have had
several different origins and destinations over the years that may have
had to do with engine assignments and the line from Mendota to Burgess
Junction. Again the ETT makes mention of this run. For my purposes I
use the Roustabout to go from Ottawa to Wedron to pick up the loads at
Wedron Silica and bring them back to Ottawa so 86 does not have to get a
heavy train up the hill from a dead stop. Ottawa, Streator, and LaSalle
had switch engines well into the 80's. To this day Wedron Silica and
Ottawa Silica keep this line going for Illinois Railnet.
Eric Mumper
Kujawa's wrote:
>
> Hi everyone:
>
> Can anyone give me an overviw of the trains on the Fox River Branch? I'm
> interested in the action form Montgomery to Zering. I know the BN had a
> switcher based in Peru in the 70's. What was a typical day like?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Roger Kujawa
>
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