on the CB&Q (later BN and BNSF ) line of the Yates City sub. At one time
the town had a good sized coal mine west of the town which CB&Q later
Burlington Northern served until it closed in 1980. There was other mines
in the area also at one time or another in the areas history. Norris has two
railroad trestles still in place over two roads one being Route 78. The railroad
tracks were removed in 2017. The last known train was in 1999 but north of
Norris and also south of Farmington BNSF did use sections of track to store
cars as late as 2001-2002 that I know of. I know they had a string of Autoracks
stored for a while around the 2000-2002 time frame north of Gilchrist and south
of Farmington. Today the tracks and ties are gone but the right of way can be
seen. A tavern (I think it's still a tavern) had somehow purchased two crossing
signals that once stood not too far off that once served that line.
Further west by a mile or two you can see the right of way of the spur that went
to the mine that closed in 1980. One of the dirt roads tracks still lie under the dirt
but appears just at the crossing of one road. There is no tracks in the field though a
year or so back ties had been plowed up. The mine had by the looks of maps a yard
with maybe 4-6 tracks. The mine also used an electric white locomotive for the mine
and switching on the property.
Norris photo's:
Old tracks & Row to spur to Norris mine and mine area west of the town:
The signals at the tavern:
Track removal, ect:
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