Michael,
I checked my 1959 Q track alingement charts and my memory. Lee was laid out
in the classic Q Aurora division fashion for a small rural station. Much
like many other stations on both the main line and C&I. There were 2 tracks
on the North side of the main. The one nearest the main could have been a
passing track back in the pre CTC days. The next track farther North made a
wide swing away from the main and was usually referred to as the back
track.The back track came off the pass and then swung back into the pass
before
the pass connected at the west switch to the main
The depot was located between the first and second xings on the west end
end on the south side of the mainline. So the first track to the North would
not have been named the house track.
I do not recall any cars spotted at Lee in the 1970s except for a couple
cars of Fertz. There was an elevator there but like so many others it was no
longer shipping by rail. Most likely over time this track saw mtys for the
elevator,loads of lumber and coal. See BB #62 article by Steve Holding for
reference. By the 1970s the "pass" was removed and I do recall setting out
at least one b/o car at the east end of the back track/passing track. It
was a friction bearing hot box covered hopper of sand out of Oregon. That
sand got into everything.
Now heres some history of Lee and the RR. The afternoon Zephyr derailed
here in the 1960s at track speed(approx 90MPH at the west switch).
In the mid to later 1970s #181 burned off a friction bearing journal on a
"J" gon loaded with steel directly over the hot box detector installed in
the early 70s. Yes,it literally dropped onto the detector. I happened to be
on a work extra headed for Rochelle when the call for help came in.We left
our train at the west end of Shabbona siding and went engine lite to Lee.
After the heavy mechanical truck from Eola had chanied up the sideframe we
dragged the car back to the back track at Shabbona.
Leo Phillipp
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