Geneva resident here. I just found your channel and its my new favorite. It gives me a lot of new ideas for places to fly my drone. Thanks for making the videos!
Thank you for watching and the ongoing support! Yes, the drone footage definitely does help the story. We expect to use it more as we head out into the open prairie. Glad that you found this interesting and entertaining.
Thank you for watching and for the support! As we make our way west, we are beginning to grasp the enormity of the task, as there is so much to document for just this branch. But we aim to see it through - although not necessarily without taking some breaks here and there for other projects. We appreciate the comment and encouragement!
Thank you for watching and the kind words! We have enjoyed the making of this series so far and are looking forward to getting into north central and northwestern Illinois, and then onwards into Iowa.
Very enjoyable to watch and I appreciate your narration, research, style, situational views then vs now, aerials, inserted animations, and everything else I’m forgetting to mention-humbly said-well done! I watched many of your episodes from this series (CGW) as well the Aurora and Elgin series; both series were captivating-especially the segments showing all the rural stops of the GW. Found your page as suggested by YT after watching several videos from a CGW YT historian from southern Minnesota named…(confused pause)…I thinks it Hiawatha something. Anyway, much luck and cheers!
Very glad that you enjoyed the video and the series (so far)! It's turned into a far bigger journey than we had ever expected, but we are learning much about the CGW, about its deep rural and agricultural roots, and also reconnecting with the US Midwest. We have been enjoying this series very much. Thanks for the support and for the kind words! We very much appreciate it!
Great job as usual. St. Charles had a very interesting association with the CGW. I once saw a map of the CGW tracks just east of the Fox River. Unfortunately I can’t find it anymore. It was really interesting and even it even saw a run-away steam locomotive plow into a store front on Main St. It also once sported 4 tracks crossing over Rt. 64. Unfortunately the bridge over the Fox River will never see trains again. It was one of the most scenic sections of the railroad.
Thanks very much, Jerry! That means a lot to us. Yes, we've seen a few of those photos of the engine embedded in the storefront as well. I believe it was from coming down from a siding off the main line. It is indeed a beautiful bridge. Looking forward to someday when the east and west bridge approaches reconnect with the east and west segments of the Great Western Trail.
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, there are some places, especially further west where the trail was more grass than limestone. Hopefully, a fresh coat of limestone screenings are in the future for those parts.
Thank you for documenting another segment of the Chicago Great Western Railroad from St. Charles to Sycamore, llinois. The ride through the fall foliage was beautiful to see. It was interesting to see were the various stations were located and what the stations may have looked like. The history around the stations and the towns was facinating. I look forward to the next segment fromo Sycamore to Bryron, Illinois.
Outstanding, my mother grew up on a farm along Rt. 64 just west of Virgil, I recall seeing when trains still used that section between STC and Sycamore.
Thanks for watching and for sharing those memories! Today, we think it is difficult for many people to get their head wrapped around how important these railways were to the local communities, in terms of mail delivery, local economies and commerce, and personal travel. And when the railways finally disappeared, their memory and importance vanished with succeeding generations.
Thank you very much for this video! Great job! From 1987 til 2003 I lived with a view of the old cgw out back 100 yards behind my home. I use to ride my bicycle to the cgw Fox River bridge when I knew a train was coming. Took a few pictures of it being crossed. Wish I had a video of it. Sad that the line has disappeared. In about 2018 I went to the St.Charles history museum to see pictures including the railroad and there was Nothing to be found. A volunteer said for $30 they Might find a picture for me that included the railroad. I said no thanks. A year later I went to the cgw museum in Elizabeth, il.and 'struck gold'! They had countless pictures of historic St.Charles including the railroad. I donated to them. A most worthy cause. I highly recommend seeing that museum.
Thanks very much for watching the video and for the support! Thanks too for the advice regarding the Elizabeth station museum. That's one to which we are looking forward to visiting - perhaps moreso than others - as the station is well preserved and in-situ, and the town still very much appreciates the CGW history. Thanks too for sharing your experiences with the CGW railroad growing up. That means a lot!
I’m not sure who you dealt with at the museum, but obviously & unfortunately dealt with the wrong person. Eric Krupa assisted me with a plethora of old photos of the CGW, CNW & the CA&E railroads in St. Charles. They have probably a thousand photos of railroad activity in St. Charles.
Great series. My wife had mentioned your channel to me several months ago; she works in Byron and remembers you being featured in the local paper, I believe. I had forgotten all about it and rediscovered your videos on my own. Have been enjoying both the CGW and CA&E/Prairie Path adventures. We live in Sycamore and I can tell you that the new bridge over the Kishwaukee is unsupported by the old abutments. They're still there but lie several feet underneath the span.
Thanks very much for the kind words and for supporting our channel! Very glad that you are enjoying the Great Western series - and that you found our previous series on the Chicago Aurora and Elgin railways. There is a lot of history and interesting things to see in DeKalb and Ogle counties. You might also enjoy our series regarding the Prairie Banditti, which had strong associations with both Ogle and DeKalb counties, entitled "Bandits and Vigilantes". Very glad to hear that the bridge went in over the Kishwaukee River at the east end of town. We haven't been able to return to that part of the trail to see that as yet - but hope to perhaps in the springtime. Thanks again for watching!
Interesting, waiting for the traveling from Sycamore to Byron where we live. Was lot of infrastructure in Sycamore and have driven past the house former depot and didn’t realize what it was
We are looking forward to the Byron segment as well. There appears to be much remaining trackage along the CGW line there - as well as the bridge, of course. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Thank you for sharing. I currently live in Saint Charles, born in Sterling, Il. I enjoyed the mound videos. Visit Sinnissippi park in Sterling, Il if you have not.Thank you!
Looking forward to a segment on the sycamore to DeKalb railroad section I often wonder the path that took from through the country south of sycamore and I ride my bike around there a lot so we very interesting. Also any history on the station in sycamore at Sacramento and elm that ls now the DeKalb county community foundation
There still remains of a bridge on either side of North Cross Street in Sycamore IL. Never looked for myself but there’s also probably remains of a bridge on the South branch of the Kishwaukee River in Sycamore IL.
I was president of the Chicago and Northwestern Historical Society from 1988-1998. Hanging in my garage in Beverly Shores, IN, is the original sign from the St. Charles station. Allen C. Piening, Psy.D.
Wow! The St Charles sign!? Can you send us a photo sometime, at our email address (brian@behistoric.org)? Thanks for watching the video and for taking the time to comment!
Another great video on the CGW. Looking forward to when you get to the DBQ area. The Heritage trail here is probably some of the most scenic. Unfortunately when you get past Elizabeth there isn't much beyond the Winston tunnel that still exists until youget to the RR bridge & then beyond that until you get to my hometown of Oelwein.
Yes, we are looking forward to that as well. The tri-state area has always been a favorite, with its rolling hills and deep valleys. Much history there too, with its early lead mining activities. Also looking forward to the Heritage Trail. Haven't used that trail before, but am sure that it's quite beautiful. Thank you for watching our videos and supporting our channel!
Excellent video series so far (as usual for you guys). This might be silly but I really liked the way you incorporated the drone footage with the rest of the video it really added something perhaps a sense of scale to the story telling of the video. I have to ask though will you guys at some point be doing disused stations of the Chicago and Northwestern? I’m loving everything you guys are putting out. You two definitely lovers of history and your making all of us fall in love with it as well. Thank you for all your efforts and keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching and for the ongoing support! It is very much appreciated! Yes, the drone footage does a great deal to the visuals. We like to use them when and where appropriate. As we head further west out into the prairie, chances are we will be using more drone footage as the scenery is bigger and access to the old trackway is limited to road intersections. Glad that you're enjoying this series!
The CGW between St. Charles (near LeRoy Oaks) to Sycamore was abandoned after a derailment just East of Wasco in July 1977. There really wasn’t much business on that segment and Sycamore west could be accessed via DeKalb.
Great fall foliage! According to a local history book about sycamore (5 mile spur line?) apparently the brown home that still stands at around 336 Plymouth Ct in Sycamore is a former railroad station. I’m not sure if it was CGW though, and it was also moved from its original location.
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, it was a particularly nice time of the year to make that ride - although a bit chilly :-) That is very interesting regarding the house at 336 Plymouth Court. Will have to do some additional research to learn more about that. Thanks for sharing that info!
I think it is a railroad station, I looked at it on Google Maps. Its a long narrow building, with a railroad-station styled roof.The proper address is 335 Plymouth Court. Considering its right next to the CGW tracks, it may be the CGW freight station.
When did you ride the trail? The Great Western Trail now goes into downtown Sycamore. The added a section and you can get all the way to page street as of Summer 2021. Before that the trail ended just east of town near Airport Rd. Love the video and information!
Hi Stephen, Thanks for watching and commenting! We rode and filmed last autumn, 2021. Google Maps did not show the trail going through to Sycamore at that time, and I just checked again and it still does not show the bicycle path going through. Wished we had known that the path was open, as that would have been the preferred way to go. Will have to ride that segment soon. Thanks for letting us (and anyone else reading this) know about that being available.
The Great Western Trail did end at Old State Road, however the Sycamore Park District brought the trail through the park and into town, then south eventually to DeKalb. Some of this south trail along now Peace Road followed the line to DeKalb that you mention at the end of your video. As mentioned, in 2021 the County Forest Preserve has now extended the Great Western Trail west from Old State Road into town, ending very near to the remaining depot at Page and Locust Streets. Hopefully an update to the state's bicycle maps will show the many options of trails through the area. As for the railroad, there are many railroad relics along the right of way that you might have missed. In Virgil, there is a sign across Illinois 64 being held up by concrete whistle posts. In Richardson, the only remaining sign is held together by old railroad mileposts. And, the portion of the trail you didn't ride, has the old mileposts every mile showing mileage from Chicago. If you watch carefully you'll see where railroad signals once stood, and the occasional wooden telegraph poles still lining the route. I live in Sycamore and would be interested to help you with your next segment. Thanks for taking the time to put this series together.
@@milepost64productions35 Hi, thanks for watching and for commenting! And thank you too for filling in the blanks regarding the completion of the Great Western trail into Sycamore. That helps a great deal. Very glad to hear that the trail is now fully linked into Sycamore. We'll have to ride that segment in the coming months. Thanks too for the pointers regarding some add'l artifacts that we missed. We did not catch the Virgil and Richardson signs. We did however spot and photograph a pair of signal bases about 1000 feet east of the Virgil station - although we didn't show those on the video for the sake of keeping the video duration to a reasonable length. Based on our previous experience with other railways, the best time to find many of these artifacts is in the later autumn and late winter, when most of the foliage has died back. And since there was still quite a bit of foliage on the trail when we recorded, we did not spend too much time looking. As we were also both trying to keep our gaze forward with our helmet cams, we didn't have too much opportunity to do side to side visual scanning. Good to know that many of the mile markers still exist between Richardson and Sycamore. Are there any remnants of the CGW bridge over the Kishwaukee on the east side of Sycamore - or have all of those been removed?
@@BeHistoric it appears the new pedestrian bridge was built upon the on Great Western concrete piers. I had to ride through yesterday to verify. I also noticed that this section of trail doesn't perfectly follow the old right of way due to property lines, etc, however it is really close and will bring you out a block from the existing Sycamore depot.
@@milepost64productions35 Thanks very much for checking on that! That's actually great to hear - the re-use of the old piers - and the fact that it generally follows close by the old CGW ROW.
Good point! We felt that we didn't have time to go into the various industrial sidings that came off the line near St Charles, especially major ones such as the General Mills siding. Perhaps we can explore this in detail in future videos.
Yes, very good observation. That indeed provides a clue to the station location, using many of the photographs. Whether the extant utility pole is in or near the same location as those from 70 to 100 years ago is difficult to say - but very likely close by.
From our research, the original piers were installed in the 1850s for the airline bridge - but the bridge was never built. Not until the mid 1880s was the first bridge built, using these original 1850s piers and abutments. Whether this steel truss bridge was replaced or refurbished between 1887 and the 1950s, we do not yet know - but it is likely that there was some replacement/overhaul in this interval. Then in the 1950s, the truss bridge was replaced with a steel post and beam bridge, the one that we see today. With this 1950s change, they also added three new (smaller piers) to complement the original larger piers. You can see this in the early versus later photographs. They also likely repaired/restored the original piers when they added the new piers. Then around 2000, they built the pedestrian bridge alongside and beneath the railway bridge, again sharing the original piers, although they cantilevered out the piers to fully accept the footings for the pedestrian bridge.
@@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory We cannot say for certain. We can say for certain that three new piers were added in 1956, to accommodate the new steelwork for the post and beam bridge - and that at that time, the original two piers were not removed or replaced. As we have no evidence to the contrary - and since the two larger piers appear to be the same dimension and in the same place as the original piers, they appear to be from the original 1850s construction - but likely refaced and/or reinforced with concrete once or twice over the past 100 years.
@@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory- the taller piers are the originals…sort of. The original piers were made of limestone slabs & it’s been said that they were strengthened & built up by pouring reinforced concrete around them, the same still standing today. If this is true, the limestone originals would still be encased within.
Even if trains don't run. The right of way can be a profit center for the owner. Due to rent being charged to the utilities and other renters. It is still profitable too from a tax angle. Too bad those taxes were not spent improving the track to faster trains and better service.
Thanks for commenting! Yes, there were several narratives that conspired to reduce/eliminate railroad traffic in the US. There could have been many more options considered prior to removing all of this infrastructure. Thanks again!
There’s little to no profit from an old railroad right-of-way. Why do you think railroads abandon them? The railroads still have to pay property taxes on every mile, heck…every foot of their property. Once these lines no longer generate revenue, they generate tax liabilities. No business which desires to remain in business operates in the red. Abandonment is the next logical step. The CGW had no utilities leasing their right-of-way here. The telephone poles seen here were for carrying ‘code lines’ - direct current, low voltage power lines to carry Morse code messages between stations.
@@chooch1995 That is why they should be public like airports , roads and water. We don't abandon roads We keep building new ones. And what if you need it in the future?
Not to nit-pick…but you’re a little off on your mileposts - St.Charles station was right around milepost 36….more than double your claim of 15 miles west of Grand Central Station….
Thanks for watching and the comment! You are indeed correct. That was a script typo that we overlooked, even after multiple viewings. And so thank you for catching that!
Thanks for commenting! Not sure which part of the video you are alluding to? The timetables that we typically reference span from the late 1880s to the 1950s. If we speak of typical travel times, we usually look at timetables from the 1930s/1940s.
Geneva resident here. I just found your channel and its my new favorite. It gives me a lot of new ideas for places to fly my drone. Thanks for making the videos!
Thanks very much for watching our videos and for the support! Glad that we can inspire your drone adventures!
Just fabulous. Loved the use of drone footage and bike cams along with the music. Your work just keeps getting better. Thanks so much!
Thank you for watching and the ongoing support! Yes, the drone footage definitely does help the story. We expect to use it more as we head out into the open prairie. Glad that you found this interesting and entertaining.
Another great documentary on the CGW. 🎉
Thanks very much for watching and the kind words!
What a joy to watch.. as a st charles local and spending many many hours bicycling the great western this was entertaining and informative. Thank you!
Thank you for watching and so glad that you enjoyed it!
Your Videos are a real treasure. It's interesting what was once in this area. Thanks
Thank you for the kind words - and thank you for watching our videos!
Excellent job, very professional. My hat’s off to you.
Thanks very much the kind words - and for watching our video!
Beautifully researched and videoed. Keep going. Yes, it IS that important.
Thank you for watching and for the support! As we make our way west, we are beginning to grasp the enormity of the task, as there is so much to document for just this branch. But we aim to see it through - although not necessarily without taking some breaks here and there for other projects. We appreciate the comment and encouragement!
LOVE THIS !!!!! a million thanks for going to all this work. Cant wait for the next episode !!
Thank you for watching and the kind words! We have enjoyed the making of this series so far and are looking forward to getting into north central and northwestern Illinois, and then onwards into Iowa.
Very enjoyable to watch and I appreciate your narration, research, style, situational views then vs now, aerials, inserted animations, and everything else I’m forgetting to mention-humbly said-well done!
I watched many of your episodes from this series (CGW) as well the Aurora and Elgin series; both series were captivating-especially the segments showing all the rural stops of the GW. Found your page as suggested by YT after watching several videos from a CGW YT historian from southern Minnesota named…(confused pause)…I thinks it Hiawatha something. Anyway, much luck and cheers!
Very glad that you enjoyed the video and the series (so far)! It's turned into a far bigger journey than we had ever expected, but we are learning much about the CGW, about its deep rural and agricultural roots, and also reconnecting with the US Midwest. We have been enjoying this series very much. Thanks for the support and for the kind words! We very much appreciate it!
Thank you for all the adventures so far
Thank you for watching and commenting!
Had a friend share this video today. We live just south of Ingalton in older West Chicago. This is a great series.
Thank you for watching! Very glad that you are enjoying the series!
Great job as usual. St. Charles had a very interesting association with the CGW. I once saw a map of the CGW tracks just east of the Fox River. Unfortunately I can’t find it anymore. It was really interesting and even it even saw a run-away steam locomotive plow into a store front on Main St. It also once sported 4 tracks crossing over Rt. 64. Unfortunately the bridge over the Fox River will never see trains again. It was one of the most scenic sections of the railroad.
Thanks very much, Jerry! That means a lot to us. Yes, we've seen a few of those photos of the engine embedded in the storefront as well. I believe it was from coming down from a siding off the main line. It is indeed a beautiful bridge. Looking forward to someday when the east and west bridge approaches reconnect with the east and west segments of the Great Western Trail.
9 years since I've ridden it and the weeds are creeping up! Great video
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, there are some places, especially further west where the trail was more grass than limestone. Hopefully, a fresh coat of limestone screenings are in the future for those parts.
Thank you for documenting another segment of the Chicago Great Western Railroad from St. Charles to Sycamore, llinois. The ride through the fall foliage was beautiful to see. It was interesting to see were the various stations were located and what the stations may have looked like. The history around the stations and the towns was facinating. I look forward to the next segment fromo Sycamore to Bryron, Illinois.
Thank you for watching the series and for supporting our channel! That means a great deal to us!
Terrific memories and we know that your videos and editing is a LOT of work. If you are ever in the Kane County area, we'd like to shake hands.
Thanks very much for the supportive words - and for watching the video and commenting! Very much appreciated.
Outstanding, my mother grew up on a farm along Rt. 64 just west of Virgil, I recall seeing when trains still used that section between STC and Sycamore.
Thanks for watching and for sharing those memories! Today, we think it is difficult for many people to get their head wrapped around how important these railways were to the local communities, in terms of mail delivery, local economies and commerce, and personal travel. And when the railways finally disappeared, their memory and importance vanished with succeeding generations.
Another factual video that is well done. I can not wait to see more!
Thanks for watching and for the kind words!
Thank you very much for this video! Great job! From 1987 til 2003 I lived with a view of the old cgw out back 100 yards behind my home. I use to ride my bicycle to the cgw Fox River bridge when I knew a train was coming. Took a few pictures of it being crossed. Wish I had a video of it. Sad that the line has disappeared. In about 2018 I went to the St.Charles history museum to see pictures including the railroad and there was Nothing to be found. A volunteer said for $30 they Might find a picture for me that included the railroad. I said no thanks. A year later I went to the cgw museum in Elizabeth, il.and 'struck gold'! They had countless pictures of historic St.Charles including the railroad. I donated to them. A most worthy cause. I highly recommend seeing that museum.
Thanks very much for watching the video and for the support! Thanks too for the advice regarding the Elizabeth station museum. That's one to which we are looking forward to visiting - perhaps moreso than others - as the station is well preserved and in-situ, and the town still very much appreciates the CGW history. Thanks too for sharing your experiences with the CGW railroad growing up. That means a lot!
I’m not sure who you dealt with at the museum, but obviously & unfortunately dealt with the wrong person. Eric Krupa assisted me with a plethora of old photos of the CGW, CNW & the CA&E railroads in St. Charles. They have probably a thousand photos of railroad activity in St. Charles.
Great series. My wife had mentioned your channel to me several months ago; she works in Byron and remembers you being featured in the local paper, I believe. I had forgotten all about it and rediscovered your videos on my own. Have been enjoying both the CGW and CA&E/Prairie Path adventures. We live in Sycamore and I can tell you that the new bridge over the Kishwaukee is unsupported by the old abutments. They're still there but lie several feet underneath the span.
Thanks very much for the kind words and for supporting our channel! Very glad that you are enjoying the Great Western series - and that you found our previous series on the Chicago Aurora and Elgin railways. There is a lot of history and interesting things to see in DeKalb and Ogle counties. You might also enjoy our series regarding the Prairie Banditti, which had strong associations with both Ogle and DeKalb counties, entitled "Bandits and Vigilantes". Very glad to hear that the bridge went in over the Kishwaukee River at the east end of town. We haven't been able to return to that part of the trail to see that as yet - but hope to perhaps in the springtime. Thanks again for watching!
Interesting, waiting for the traveling from Sycamore to Byron where we live. Was lot of infrastructure in Sycamore and have driven past the house former depot and didn’t realize what it was
We are looking forward to the Byron segment as well. There appears to be much remaining trackage along the CGW line there - as well as the bridge, of course. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Thank you for sharing. I currently live in Saint Charles, born in Sterling, Il. I enjoyed the mound videos. Visit Sinnissippi park in Sterling, Il if you have not.Thank you!
Thanks for watching and commenting! That's good advice regarding Sterling. Thanks again!
Looking forward to a segment on the sycamore to DeKalb railroad section I often wonder the path that took from through the country south of sycamore and I ride my bike around there a lot so we very interesting. Also any history on the station in sycamore at Sacramento and elm that ls now the DeKalb county community foundation
Thanks for watching and commenting! We will attempt to get to that video in the coming months.
There still remains of a bridge on either side of North Cross Street in Sycamore IL. Never looked for myself but there’s also probably remains of a bridge on the South branch of the Kishwaukee River in Sycamore IL.
Thanks for commenting and pointing that out. On our next trip through Sycamore, we'll look for that bridge as well as a few others in the area.
I was president of the Chicago and Northwestern Historical Society from 1988-1998. Hanging in my garage in Beverly Shores, IN, is the original sign from the St. Charles station. Allen C. Piening, Psy.D.
Wow! The St Charles sign!? Can you send us a photo sometime, at our email address (brian@behistoric.org)? Thanks for watching the video and for taking the time to comment!
Let me know if you’d ever like to sell it!! Longtime St. Charles resident here….
Another great video on the CGW. Looking forward to when you get to the DBQ area. The Heritage trail here is probably some of the most scenic. Unfortunately when you get past Elizabeth there isn't much beyond the Winston tunnel that still exists until youget to the RR bridge & then beyond that until you get to my hometown of Oelwein.
Yes, we are looking forward to that as well. The tri-state area has always been a favorite, with its rolling hills and deep valleys. Much history there too, with its early lead mining activities. Also looking forward to the Heritage Trail. Haven't used that trail before, but am sure that it's quite beautiful. Thank you for watching our videos and supporting our channel!
Excellent video series so far (as usual for you guys). This might be silly but I really liked the way you incorporated the drone footage with the rest of the video it really added something perhaps a sense of scale to the story telling of the video. I have to ask though will you guys at some point be doing disused stations of the Chicago and Northwestern?
I’m loving everything you guys are putting out. You two definitely lovers of history and your making all of us fall in love with it as well. Thank you for all your efforts and keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching and for the ongoing support! It is very much appreciated! Yes, the drone footage does a great deal to the visuals. We like to use them when and where appropriate. As we head further west out into the prairie, chances are we will be using more drone footage as the scenery is bigger and access to the old trackway is limited to road intersections. Glad that you're enjoying this series!
The CGW between St. Charles (near LeRoy Oaks) to Sycamore was abandoned after a derailment just East of Wasco in July 1977. There really wasn’t much business on that segment and Sycamore west could be accessed via DeKalb.
Thanks for watching and commenting! That is very helpful and adds to the overall story of this section of the railway. Thanks again!
Great fall foliage! According to a local history book about sycamore (5 mile spur line?) apparently the brown home that still stands at around 336 Plymouth Ct in Sycamore is a former railroad station. I’m not sure if it was CGW though, and it was also moved from its original location.
Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, it was a particularly nice time of the year to make that ride - although a bit chilly :-) That is very interesting regarding the house at 336 Plymouth Court. Will have to do some additional research to learn more about that. Thanks for sharing that info!
Ok so now there's possibly FIVE stations in Sycamore still there?
I think it is a railroad station, I looked at it on Google Maps. Its a long narrow building, with a railroad-station styled roof.The proper address is 335 Plymouth Court. Considering its right next to the CGW tracks, it may be the CGW freight station.
It was the freight house. Converted to a home. Still standing.
When did you ride the trail? The Great Western Trail now goes into downtown Sycamore. The added a section and you can get all the way to page street as of Summer 2021. Before that the trail ended just east of town near Airport Rd. Love the video and information!
Hi Stephen, Thanks for watching and commenting! We rode and filmed last autumn, 2021. Google Maps did not show the trail going through to Sycamore at that time, and I just checked again and it still does not show the bicycle path going through. Wished we had known that the path was open, as that would have been the preferred way to go. Will have to ride that segment soon. Thanks for letting us (and anyone else reading this) know about that being available.
The Great Western Trail did end at Old State Road, however the Sycamore Park District brought the trail through the park and into town, then south eventually to DeKalb. Some of this south trail along now Peace Road followed the line to DeKalb that you mention at the end of your video. As mentioned, in 2021 the County Forest Preserve has now extended the Great Western Trail west from Old State Road into town, ending very near to the remaining depot at Page and Locust Streets. Hopefully an update to the state's bicycle maps will show the many options of trails through the area. As for the railroad, there are many railroad relics along the right of way that you might have missed. In Virgil, there is a sign across Illinois 64 being held up by concrete whistle posts. In Richardson, the only remaining sign is held together by old railroad mileposts. And, the portion of the trail you didn't ride, has the old mileposts every mile showing mileage from Chicago. If you watch carefully you'll see where railroad signals once stood, and the occasional wooden telegraph poles still lining the route. I live in Sycamore and would be interested to help you with your next segment. Thanks for taking the time to put this series together.
@@milepost64productions35 Hi, thanks for watching and for commenting! And thank you too for filling in the blanks regarding the completion of the Great Western trail into Sycamore. That helps a great deal. Very glad to hear that the trail is now fully linked into Sycamore. We'll have to ride that segment in the coming months. Thanks too for the pointers regarding some add'l artifacts that we missed. We did not catch the Virgil and Richardson signs. We did however spot and photograph a pair of signal bases about 1000 feet east of the Virgil station - although we didn't show those on the video for the sake of keeping the video duration to a reasonable length. Based on our previous experience with other railways, the best time to find many of these artifacts is in the later autumn and late winter, when most of the foliage has died back. And since there was still quite a bit of foliage on the trail when we recorded, we did not spend too much time looking. As we were also both trying to keep our gaze forward with our helmet cams, we didn't have too much opportunity to do side to side visual scanning. Good to know that many of the mile markers still exist between Richardson and Sycamore. Are there any remnants of the CGW bridge over the Kishwaukee on the east side of Sycamore - or have all of those been removed?
@@BeHistoric it appears the new pedestrian bridge was built upon the on Great Western concrete piers. I had to ride through yesterday to verify. I also noticed that this section of trail doesn't perfectly follow the old right of way due to property lines, etc, however it is really close and will bring you out a block from the existing Sycamore depot.
@@milepost64productions35 Thanks very much for checking on that! That's actually great to hear - the re-use of the old piers - and the fact that it generally follows close by the old CGW ROW.
Also what about the general mills plant! I recall that was the only reason trains ran in later years
Good point! We felt that we didn't have time to go into the various industrial sidings that came off the line near St Charles, especially major ones such as the General Mills siding. Perhaps we can explore this in detail in future videos.
26:26
note the telephone pole on right
Yes, very good observation. That indeed provides a clue to the station location, using many of the photographs. Whether the extant utility pole is in or near the same location as those from 70 to 100 years ago is difficult to say - but very likely close by.
So how many bridges were built on across the Fox River, one or two? And did the first bridge use the original piers? Just a little bit confused.
From our research, the original piers were installed in the 1850s for the airline bridge - but the bridge was never built. Not until the mid 1880s was the first bridge built, using these original 1850s piers and abutments. Whether this steel truss bridge was replaced or refurbished between 1887 and the 1950s, we do not yet know - but it is likely that there was some replacement/overhaul in this interval. Then in the 1950s, the truss bridge was replaced with a steel post and beam bridge, the one that we see today. With this 1950s change, they also added three new (smaller piers) to complement the original larger piers. You can see this in the early versus later photographs. They also likely repaired/restored the original piers when they added the new piers. Then around 2000, they built the pedestrian bridge alongside and beneath the railway bridge, again sharing the original piers, although they cantilevered out the piers to fully accept the footings for the pedestrian bridge.
@@BeHistoric So the original 1850s piers are still there?
@@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory We cannot say for certain. We can say for certain that three new piers were added in 1956, to accommodate the new steelwork for the post and beam bridge - and that at that time, the original two piers were not removed or replaced. As we have no evidence to the contrary - and since the two larger piers appear to be the same dimension and in the same place as the original piers, they appear to be from the original 1850s construction - but likely refaced and/or reinforced with concrete once or twice over the past 100 years.
@@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory- the taller piers are the originals…sort of. The original piers were made of limestone slabs & it’s been said that they were strengthened & built up by pouring reinforced concrete around them, the same still standing today. If this is true, the limestone originals would still be encased within.
Even if trains don't run. The right of way can be a profit center for the owner. Due to rent being charged to the utilities and other renters. It is still profitable too from a tax angle. Too bad those taxes were not spent improving the track to faster trains and better service.
Thanks for commenting! Yes, there were several narratives that conspired to reduce/eliminate railroad traffic in the US. There could have been many more options considered prior to removing all of this infrastructure. Thanks again!
There’s little to no profit from an old railroad right-of-way. Why do you think railroads abandon them? The railroads still have to pay property taxes on every mile, heck…every foot of their property. Once these lines no longer generate revenue, they generate tax liabilities. No business which desires to remain in business operates in the red. Abandonment is the next logical step. The CGW had no utilities leasing their right-of-way here. The telephone poles seen here were for carrying ‘code lines’ - direct current, low voltage power lines to carry Morse code messages between stations.
@@chooch1995 That is why they should be public like airports , roads and water. We don't abandon roads We keep building new ones. And what if you need it in the future?
Not to nit-pick…but you’re a little off on your mileposts - St.Charles station was right around milepost 36….more than double your claim of 15 miles west of Grand Central Station….
Thanks for watching and the comment! You are indeed correct. That was a script typo that we overlooked, even after multiple viewings. And so thank you for catching that!
Gee what is the date of your time table to have such slow times? Even speedways car racing get government assistance and tax advantages.
Thanks for commenting! Not sure which part of the video you are alluding to? The timetables that we typically reference span from the late 1880s to the 1950s. If we speak of typical travel times, we usually look at timetables from the 1930s/1940s.