Illinois once boasted a vast network of railroads that connected communities large and small across the Prairie State. Today, many of these historic rail lines have vanished, leaving behind fascinating remnants of a bygone era. As I explore the ghostly traces of Illinois’ railroad past, I’m constantly amazed by the hidden stories these abandoned corridors tell about our state’s transportation history.
1. Rock Island Line’s Lost Western Branch
Though immortalized in song, portions of the legendary Rock Island Line have vanished from Illinois’ physical landscape. The western branch from Rock Island to Peoria once served as a vital transportation artery before being abandoned in the 1980s following the railroad’s bankruptcy.
If you venture to small towns like Alpha and Wataga today, you’ll find empty grain elevators designed for rail service now standing forlorn beside phantom tracks. My favorite discovery was in Galesburg, where an old Rock Island turntable pit remains visible, partially filled with rainwater and surrounded by wildflowers.
The Great River Trail now occupies 26 miles of the former Rock Island corridor along the Mississippi River, allowing hikers and cyclists to traverse the same route where steam locomotives once thundered. Railroad spikes occasionally surface along the trail after heavy rains, tiny artifacts of the mighty Rock Island.
2. The Vanishing Wabash Bluebird Route
Between Decatur and East St. Louis ran the Wabash Railroad’s famous Bluebird passenger route, known for its striking blue streamlined trains. After passenger service ended in 1971, freight operations gradually diminished until abandonment in the early 1990s left behind a corridor slowly returning to nature.
During a springtime exploration near Hillsboro, I walked along the barely perceptible railbed where only occasional railroad ties and scattered coal cinders confirmed I was on the right path. The most impressive remnants are the massive concrete bridge piers standing in the middle of farm fields, supporting nothing but memories.
Several former Wabash depots have found new life as local museums or businesses. The Litchfield station, with its distinctive brick architecture, now serves as a community center where old photos of the Bluebird trains adorn walls where passengers once waited.
3. Mysterious Tunnels of the Illinois Terminal Railroad
Hidden beneath the streets of downtown Champaign lies a remarkable secret: the abandoned tunnels of the Illinois Terminal Railroad. This electric interurban system once connected cities throughout central Illinois before ceasing operations in the 1950s.
When renovation work exposed sections of these tunnels in 2018, I joined a rare public tour. The brick-lined passages, still bearing overhead wire supports and century-old utility conduits, create an eerie subterranean time capsule. Most fascinating was discovering that many downtown buildings still have sealed basement doorways that once opened directly onto underground platforms.
Above ground, the former Illinois Terminal building in downtown Urbana stands as one of the most visible reminders of this vanished railroad. Though repurposed for offices, its distinctive architecture and large windows designed to illuminate waiting passengers still hint at its original purpose serving electric interurban cars.
4. The Milwaukee Road’s Forgotten Southwestern Connection
Though primarily associated with routes to the Pacific Northwest, the Milwaukee Road once operated a significant line from Chicago through Joliet to Ladd, Illinois. Following its 1985 abandonment, much of this corridor has been reclaimed by nature or repurposed.
Hiking the Old Plank Road Trail between Frankfort and Joliet follows part of this former route, where I’ve spotted original mile markers half-buried in vegetation. Most surprising was discovering an intact Milwaukee Road signal bridge spanning nothing but grass in a New Lenox park, its crossbar still displaying faded orange paint.
Perhaps the most poignant remnant stands in Joliet: the massive stone arch bridge over the Des Plaines River. Now carrying only pedestrians instead of freight trains, this engineering marvel remains one of the most photographed railroad structures in Illinois, despite serving a railroad that hasn’t existed for decades.
5. The Mysterious Embankments of the Alton & Sangamon
Among Illinois’ earliest railroads, the Alton & Sangamon (later part of the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio) connected Springfield to Alton beginning in 1852. While much of its mainline remains active, several abandoned branches have left curious traces across central Illinois landscapes.
Outside the small town of Nilwood, massive earthen embankments rise unexpectedly from farm fields, supporting nothing. These impressive structures, built by hand before modern earth-moving equipment, once carried trains across flood-prone lowlands. Now they stand as monument-like reminders of 19th-century engineering ambition.
During a countryside drive near Carlinville, I spotted an unusual line of mature trees cutting straight across open farmland – a living fence that grew along the railroad right-of-way and survived long after the tracks were removed. County records revealed this segment was abandoned in 1930, meaning these silent sentinels have marked the phantom railroad for nearly a century.
6. The Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad’s Phantom Path
Nicknamed the “Roarin’ Elgin,” this electric interurban railway abruptly ceased passenger operations in 1957, stranding commuters who had taken morning trains into Chicago. The railroad’s sudden demise created an instant time capsule of mid-century railroading.
Walking portions of the old right-of-way today, I’ve discovered concrete foundations of former stations and crumbling bridge abutments nestled between suburban developments. In Wheaton and Glen Ellyn, sections have been transformed into the Illinois Prairie Path, one of America’s first rail-to-trail conversions.
Most fascinating are the ghost platforms at the Desplaines Avenue CTA station, where commuters once transferred between the CA&E and Chicago rapid transit. These silent concrete witnesses hint at the bustling commuter corridor that once connected Chicago’s western suburbs.
7. The Interurban Web Around Springfield
Springfield was once the hub of an extensive electric interurban network connecting the capital city to surrounding communities. The Illinois Traction System (later Illinois Terminal) operated frequent passenger service until automobiles and improved roads led to its demise by the 1950s.
Walking through Rochester last spring, I followed the subtle depression where tracks once ran down the middle of Main Street. Most fascinating was spotting the distinctive concrete poles that once supported overhead electric wires, now repurposed as fence posts on farms along the former right-of-way.
Several original power substations that converted electricity for the trains still stand as architectural oddities in small towns. The massive brick substation in Mechanicsburg, with its distinctive windows and copper details, now serves as a private residence. Its current owner showed me original electrical control panels preserved in the basement and transformer mounting points still visible on exterior walls.
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