Before the early mid 1980's ATSF Branch had a line stretching from Pekin to
Morton up to Streator and that way. In 1982 abandonment started with the final
abandonment being in 1983 I think. IN it's history it had quite a few depots along
the branch and in Pekin even a small yard. You can see the yard in old aerial shots
from the 1940's-1960's to see where it was and where it connected. Another railroad
also had a yard and it's own branch which eventually went to the south. Old maps
locate where the yard was and whom went where. The tracks were gone by the mid to
late 1980's in Pekin and now a trail is where the line was. In Morton the tracks still
exist now owned by the TP&W on the central and northeastern part of Morton where
TP&W still serves a facility or so. The ATSF tracks on the west end are still there to a
certain point but heading west they have been removed. No longer in Groveland does
tracks run by a church and Morton is no longer an active city railroad wise like it once
was.
ATSF row & former tracks in Morton:
Still active ex-ATSF section in Morton now TP&W:
Pekin, Illinois: ATSF tracks used to be on the right where that trail now is as well
as tracks for another railroad near the building.
1929 Map of Pekin, Il:
1929 Map of Morton:
1910 Maps:
Groveland, Il 1910
Morton, Il 1910
Pekin, Illinois 1910 (shows yard)
Washington, Il 1910:
Washington, Il 1929
Washington, Il 1910