Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

Found some nice abandoned (or some of them being at the very least unused) crossings in Morton, IL and Peoria, IL this evening. The first line is the TP&W Morton Industrial Branch, which has some nice crossings. It appears to be unused, but the FRA claims is gets a train a week. I see nowhere for the trains to go, though.

Some very interesting bell mounts here. The near bell also kinda looks like a Federal Signal bell. This is also the only LED crossing on the line: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6141842 ... authuser=1

Some very rare signals for Illinois. RACO cantilevers, RACO 8 inch lights, and what appear to be some WRRS mechanical bells mounted on the sides: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.612492, ... authuser=1

Here's the same thing but with a RACO bell: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.609764, ... authuser=1

And lastly for this line, some old 70s Safetran signals (these are definitely abandoned): https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6080688 ... authuser=1

Next up are some abandoned crossings on the Pioneer Industrial Railroad in Peoria, IL. First crossing has some very old (and nice looking) Safetran signals: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7033202 ... authuser=1

An odd one "signal" wonder, in the middle of the road. Signal has been downgraded though: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.704213, ... authuser=1

This crossing is IMO the best on this list. Not only does it feature two more old Safetran cantilever signals and two more downgraded signals, but it also features a bell-only signal with an RRS mechanical bell! and split crossbucks! https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7059061 ... authuser=1

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7055472 ... authuser=1

Some more downgraded signals, though the signal on the right still features a RACO/Griswold mechanical bell!
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7079602 ... authuser=1

The line becomes a rail-trail for a little while, but eventually comes back for one last crossing with some more 70s Safetran cantilever signals, although this time with the Walpar cantilever style: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7832991 ... authuser=1

Past this point, the line is still active and owned by the Pioneer Industrial.

That pioneer line is not active and whatever little bit is left is now owned by the city of Peoria. They are in the process of ripping out the remaining signals.

Need to get myself up there then. After a bit of research it turns out that line is the old Central Illinois Railway which is now completely defunct. Before that it was Pioneer. From what I can find, the last train on the line was in 2009, and most of the crossings haven't activated since 2005 (with some of the already removed crossings not being activated for even longer).

I ended up finally getting up that way last month and documenting all these. Videos are on my channel.

Nice. I saw some of these when I happened to pass through Peoria in spring of 2014. Always meant to go back and get pictures but never have gotten back that way.