If you love switching operations and railroad's with rich history, then this video is for you!
Welcome to the Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad based in the heart of Southern Illinois. Founded in 1971, the CO&E began operations as a tourist railroad for the greater Marion area. This railroad was the home to two steam locomotives, 2-4-2T #5 and 2-8-0 #17. Tourist operations ended in 1978 after a fire broke out inside the old Illinois Central depot in downtown Marion on June 13, 1977. From there, the railroad began its freight operations in 1978 using a newly acquired 35-ton switcher. The 2-8-0 #17 began its first revenue run on May 10, 1979 and was used as the primary locomotive for the CO&E. Moving into the new decade, #17 was continuing to pull freight on the still expanding railroad in and around Marion before the steam pipe from the throttle valve to the cylinders collapsed in 1986, abruptly ending the steam era for the CO&E. Only two days before, the railroad had acquired two former Missouri Pacific Railroad SW1200 diesel locomotives, which became the railroad's primary motive power after the decision was made not to overhaul 2-8-0 #17. The historic steam locomotive now rests at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad in Boone, Iowa for historical purposes. The CO&E was North America's last railroad to use a steam locomotive in freight operations.
You can find more information on the Crab Orchard & Egyptian Railroad here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_Orchard_and_Egyptian_Railway
On that note, let's get into today's video. It is December 2022 and we find ourselves at the former Illinois Central Railroad depot in downtown Marion. We are ready for a full day of following today's operations of the CO&E. Locomotive 33, an EMD SW1200 owned by Progressive Rail can be seen pulling out of the shed just west of the depot to begin their day. We will follow this train all across Marion and to the west end of the railroad in Crainville before wrapping up in the mid-afternoon.
Thanks for watching, sit back, & enjoy!
Marion
0:00 - Leaving Downtown Marion
2:42 - Eastbound, Main & Gray Streets
4:16 - Westbound, Main & Gray Streets
6:02 - Westbound, Downtown Marion
7:51 - Westbound, North 4th Street
10:06 - Westbound, Whippoorwill Road
11:42 - Westbound, Old Bainbridge Trail
Crainville
13:46 - Westbound, Briggs Road
15:37 - Eastbound, Old IL Highway 13
Marion
17:26 - Eastbound, Old Bainbridge Trail
19:14 - Eastbound, Whippoorwill Road
20:26 - Eastbound, North 4th Street
22:04 - Eastbound, UP Diamond
23:07 - Eastbound, Monroe Street
24:56 - Arriving into Downtown Marion