Caboose 726 rattles over the double track mainline. The tracks are former Chicago & Eastern Illinois mainline south from Chicago to Evansville, IN and St. Loius, MO. In 1952, the Danville segment in conjunction with the L&N hosted such passenger trains as the Dixie Flyer, The Georgian, and The Hummingbird. The C&EI was double track from Chicago to Woodland (four miles south of Watseka). Because of the many passenger trains on the Danville line, this segment received CTC in the late 50s. The C&EI came under the control of the Missouri Pacific in 1967. MP retained the line from Chicago to St. Louis but sold the line from Woodland south to Danville to the Louisville and Nashville in June 1969. The L&N had trackage rights to Chicago over the MP. Work started on installing CTC on the line from Woodland to Gorham, IL in the late 60s and was finished in 1972. The line from Findlay Junction to St. Louis received signals and CTC in the 80s after MP (now UP) acquired the line between Pana and Lenox from Conrail.

TP&W Index

MP train