Out-of-Service CSX Mainline with Intact Infrastructure

The CSX Illinois Subdivision runs 159 miles from Washington, IN, to East St. Louis, IL. For most of its existence, it was a crucial link for both freight and long-distance passenger service on the B&O system, hosting named trains such as the National Limited, and was the first line operated by an east coast railroad to reach the Mississippi River.

Continuing as a busy through-route under CSX, despite most on-line customers being lost to truck business, the Illinois Sub became endangered when CSX inherited the parallel Conrail St. Louis Line from its former competitor in 1999. Traffic was gradually redirected to this alternative routing over the ensuing years, until 2015, when the final four trains remaining were taken off.

Rail was cut at Caseyville and Flora, IL, officially ending service over a 90 mile portion of the line (with local service to several industries remaining on the eastern end). The rails at Caseyville were reconnected just two years later, in 2017, to allow for the line to be used for car storage, but in the end, only a couple of trains were run, and in 2019, all stored cars were removed and the rails cut once again.

In 2021-2022, most sidings were removed and scrapped, leaving only the main track with its still active signals, now also severed at the diamonds at Shattuc and Odin. While the future is uncertain for the route, the remaining infrastructure continues to await a train that may never come again.