[CBQ] Re: [BRHSlist] Pawpaw illinois

["qutlx1@aol.com [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

Paul,

The line ran from Rockfalls/Sterling to Burgess Jct on the Fox River branch. The portion from Earlville to Burgess died in two increments starting around 1956/7 when a bridge burned. The last piece from Earlville to Baker was pulled up in the early 80s. The larger portion from Earlville to Sterling lasted until around 85 or so.

There are pictures in some of the early Q books by Olmsted in Trail of the Zephyrs and other works.

The line was very interesting to operate on as there was little topo grading so it was a roller coaster and kept snow plows busy in any hard winter we experienced.

Freight service was done by way freights. Passenger service via small two car locals and then a motor car and finally a passenger could ride  the Wayfreight.

Main business purpose was Northwestern Steel and Wire traffic from Sterling.

The line was connected to the C&I via Paw Paw to Shabbona segment that was pulled up in '32.

The BRHS has a semi finished piece from me called the Sterling Motor. It contains pictures of some depots, motor cars,plat maps and an inside close look at what it was like to work on a steam passenger local and motor in the late 1920s. Readers will learn about all the things a motor car handled besides passengers. I recently discovered a nice stash of more pictures,etc to add to the article. There will also be a future article discussing freight service history on the line when you'll learn about good pheasant hunting and how a Conductor had to decide which cars to take Sterling and which to leave behind on a cold windy stormy night when the engine couldn't pull them all.

Leo Phillipp

On Dec 20, 2015, at 6:21 AM, pauldabiker@yahoo.com [BRHSlist] <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

I was wondering if any of you out there had pictures of the line that went from Wendren to Stirling. I seem to remember seeming a Q switcher in Amboy in the mid 70's. Also, when was that line pulled up?

Paul Miller
Elgin Il

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Posted by: qutlx1@aol.com

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