Similarities between the Illinois prairies and West Virginia plateaus

As a long-time subscriber to Blogger content, though a seldom contributor, recent weeks of inspiration through mutual friends, an increase in writing interest, and flexibility in scheduling has allowed me to sideline permissible time to revivify my modest corner in the internet's vastness. As a freelance writer and photographer with a dominant engrossment in rail related content, whether through railroad photography, industry news, or preservation efforts, I'm eager to replenish this blog with rail material or illustrations of personal interest, industry relevance, or historical significance in an effort to share my railroad interests and photography with followers and friends old and new. 

The inaugural reestablishing of this site features a condensed blurb outlining a few collective thoughts and observations during a May 2014 visit to Illinois and Wisconsin. 

 Similarities between the Illinois prairie and West Virginia plateaus

Surrounded by prodigious mountain ranges, narrow valleys, and isolated communities thriving off the production of West Virginia’s most desirable natural resource, I somehow managed to find a interrelation between mountainous West Virginia and the flatlands of Illinois during a recent visit to The Prairie State.

As a Mountain State resident, tracing the mainline of the former Illinois Central Railroad, often called the Main Line of Mid-America, and later acquired by Canadian National in 1999 provided me with an authentic perspective to America’s agriculture industry and its critical significance to the economy of these remote communities.  Temperatures were beginning to warm up and local vegetation was in bloom at the time of my visit in early May, but communities were still preparing their plantations and estates for the year’s harvest, heavily delayed by a winter that exceeded its welcome.

Often exploring obscure mining communities and rural coal mining valleys often exceeding no more than 100 yards in width back home, I’m oftentimes enamored with my findings and enjoy relating them to the communities I visit during my travels. It was apparent that during my time in Illinois following CN’s Chicago Subdivision mainline, there were some unique comparisons between the two diverse geographical regions.

Historic steam-era infrastructure related to the predominate corn and soyben industries dotted the mainline, often positioned around the center of town. Occasionally, a modest station would stand boarded over, dwarfed by surrounding grain silos. The commercial districts of these quaint towns were immaculate, though human activity was seldom.  Occasionally, a large combine would disrupt the stillness, utilizing the Illinois state roads to enable access to nearby ranches.

People were very neighborly, extending waves most times and essentially unmoved by the presence of a camera holding young man with a strange Appalachian accent. The position of the railroad in relation to the community reminded me of being home. I envisioned the significance of passenger rail traffic in its hey-day and how such service enabled access to Chicago, only 90 miles away.

The atmosphere of being in an outlying area, surrounded by natural beauty, historic infrastructure, and hard-working people reminded me of being in the coalfields of remote McDowell County, West Virginia. While understanding the importance of coal back home and how it creates families, feeds tables, and keeps the lights on, I realized in my short trip to Illinois how significant of a role the agriculture industry plays in both the local economy and the railroad.