Dave and I drove out to Freeport, Illinois and using his GPS, took us right to the Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad's Silver Creek Depot. I walked over to the tracks, saw the train coming and quickly got Dave before we set up for pictures.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad HistoryThe Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad of Freeport, Illinois is a not-for-profit educational organization, preserving America's historical railroad heritage. The legends of railroading are filled with crack passenger trains speeding down the mainline to fame and glory. But, the golden age of railroading had another, more unsung hero in the numerous branchline trains that tied the small towns of a once more rural America to the outside world. These small workhorses had a sometimes eccentric and always fascinating appeal that is captured on our rustic track and equipment. Experience steam branch-line railroading behind our 1912 steam locomotive on a 3.4 mile round trip excursion into history.
Railroad Timeline1982: The Stephenson County Antique Engine Club purchased the Heisler locomotive.
July 5, 1983: The Club purchased 1.72 miles of right-of-way from the bankrupt Milwaukee Road, which removed the rails and ties before the sale. The club salvaged rail from as far away as Mankato, Minnesota and salvaged ties throughout Illinois.
May 28, 1985: Club members laid the first track.
May 1986: The train shed was built to house and maintain locomotives and rolling stock.
May 31, 1993: The Silver Creek depot was dedicated, based on plans from the Illinois Central depot in Elroy, Illinois and houses the ticket office and a large display of memorabilia.
The 3:00 PM train returned to the Silver Creek Depot.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Heisler 2, ex. Whitewater Valley Railroad 2, Connersville, Indiana, exx. Maggie Valley Railroad 2 1962-1974 in Maggie Valley, South Carolina, exxx. Santee River Hardwood Company 7 St. Stephens, South Carolina, exxxx. Turner-Farber-Love Company 2 Charleston, Mississippi in 1923, exxxxx. Lamb-Fish Lumber Company 2 Charleston, Mississippi, exxxxxx. Poplarville Saw Mill Company 2 Poplarville, Mississippi, nee Louise Lumber Company 2 Hawkes, Mississippi built by the company in 1912.
The Stephenson County Antique Engine Club purchased the locomotive in 1982 and stored it at the Stephenson County Fairgrounds until 1986. By 1986, the club had built the Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad and the engine was back in service. It was celebrating 100 years of service this year.
The engineer of the 3:00 PM run.
Another view of Heisler 2. I walked around to the other side of the station.
The train in front of the Silver Creek station.
Three views of Heisler 2.
Milwaukee Road caboose 991909 built by the railroad in 1941 and donated by club member Louie Lamm in 1985.
The train in front of the station.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad caboose 14264 built by the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, a predecessor of Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, in 1899. It is reported to be the oldest caboose in the State of Illinois.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad open car acquired in 1986 from the Fiat-Allis Company of Springfield, Illinois.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad open car built from Union Pacific flat car 904493 built in 1951.
The rear of our train and where I would be riding.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad 14 ton industrial switcher 5 built by Brookville Locomotive Works in 1945.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad model JL 12 ton switcher 3, ex. Rockford Sand and Gravel 1973, ex. Anderson Sand and Gravel, nee Northern Illinois Supply built by Plymouth in 1926.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad model DH40 44 ton switcher 007, nee Medusa Portland Cement 007 built by Davenport in 1954.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad open car built from United States Army flat car 5359, acquired in 2008.
Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad caboose 199002, ex. Chicago Central 199002, exx. Illinois Central Gulf 199002, nee Gulf, Mobile and Ohio 2720 built by Western Steel in 1948.
Three views of Heisler 2.
The steam engine's builder's plate.
Two more views of Heisler 2. From here I boarded the caboose and sat down out in the fresh air on the rear porch.
Two views of where we would be reversing north up the line.
The fire crew had to come out through the switch to reach the mainline, then re-align the switch before they took off to run the line ahead of us.
At 4:00 PM, Heisler 2 blew its whistle and we started our trip back to the end of the line, passing the semaphore signal.
The semaphore blade.
Views as we reversed down the tracks. Next we run through the area of the line where the Train of Terror runs in October.
The event uses these buildings.
We passed the station of Mayhem.
We came to the end of the building used for the Train of Terror.
Views of us reversing up the line.
Whistle post for the Yellow River bridge.
Our train crossed the Yellow River.
The whistle post for the Yellow River bridge from the north.
Views as we reverse towards the end of the line.
A red barn east of the route.
We were nearing the end of our ride.
This is as far as our train ran. Now we would run south, with Heisler 2 pulling us, back to the Silver Creek station and I relaxed all the way. Once back at the station, we thanked the crew before Dave and I left, but we had one more item to photograph in Freeport.
The Freeport Illinois Central station built in the early 1850's was actually built by the Chicago & North Western Railroad. In the beginning it was just the C&NW, then the Illinois Central used it jointly. After the C&NW abandoned its line to Freeport, it reverted back to Illinois Central.
From here we drove back to Dave's house and Cathy cooked excellent steaks before I wrote all of the stories from yesterday. I want to thank Dave, with all my heart, for the very special day we spent together today riding these three train trips.
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