L-2 and IC 4-8-2 share space near the roundhouse

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L-2 and IC 4-8-2 share space near the roundhouse

Facilities

Kankakee, the western outpost of the Indiana Division, contributes a far smaller portion of the mainline traffic than its position as a terminal and interchange point would seem to indicate, A great deal of the business, including U.S. Steel coal in particular, goes to the Western Division at Sheff, 37 miles east. A smaller yet respectable slice is interchanged with the TP&W at Sheldon, eight miles west of Sheff. The remainder is handled through Kankakee, and most of this is routed in and out over the Illinois Central (the Lines West and Big Four exchange very little traffic here, and there scarcely any industries located on the Big Four side). What used to be a flourishing business with the IC has dwindled in recent years to two trains a day, which usually have from 10 to 40 cars apiece. It follows that, at this rate, the 770-car Indiana Division yard at Kankakee is a lonely place indeed. At the same time, however, the 12-stall roundhouse had its busy moments before the end of steam activities; in addition to Big Four power, it also cared for Lines West power and IC engines off the passenger trains and the manifest runs. In the scene above, a trim IC 4-8-2, no. 2410, lays over between arrival on no. 416 and departure on no. 405, while L-2 no. 2893 prepares to take out manifest no. 98 after the IC connection arrives.

Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor

5x7 glossy photo

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engine terminal

Kankakee, IL