Knox County ILGenWeb

Railroads

CB&Q Railroad.  

Taken from the 1870 Atlas Map of Knox County, Illinois, Andreas, Lyter & Co., Davenport, Iowa, page 7.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]  "The C. B. & Q. R. R., which is conceded to be the best equipped and best managed road in the country, entered Knox county in 1854, and now has 69 miles of road in operation within the county.  437 and 1/2 miles of the road is managed from Galesburg by H. Hitchcock, Assistant Superintendent, one of the ablest railroad managers in the land.  Over 600 men are employed by the company in the county, receiving yearly $1,100,000 as wages."

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Taken from Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1886, page 1005.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]  "... on December 7 [,1854] the first locomotive steamed into Galesburg."

Taken from Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1886, page 1006.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]  "In 1884 the large, handsome, new passenger depot was completed.  It was opened to the public May 10, and the first train came to its platform on this day.  It is an elegant and very conveniently arranged station-house, two stories high, and of composite style architecture, and an ornament to the city.

Galesburg is the headquarters of the Galesburg Division.  Here are located the company's car-shops, round-house, locomotive department, bridge department and stock-yards.

The C., B. & Q. R. R. Co. has 104 miles of track in this county.  In the Galesburg Division there are 504 miles.  The equalization of its property in the county for 1885 was $877,017; in the city $224,352.  The returns from the ticket office were about $212,000.  The local receipts on freight were nearly $126,000.  The average number of employees in the different shops is 500, who with the trainmen, etc., increase the number to about 1,400."

Taken from Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, Munsell Publishing Company, 1899, page 650.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]  "Trainmen [employed by the CB&Q] in Knox County."

"CB&Q Depot ~ Galesburg, Ill." postcard postmarked September 25, 1906.  This depot, located on South Seminary Street near South Street, was built in 1884 to replace an earlier depot that was destroyed by fire on March 1, 1881.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]

"Burlington Depot in Gala Attire, Galesburg" postcard postmarked October 13, 1906.  In 1899, President William McKinley was greeted at the depot with banners and flags to celebrate his visit.  This depot was also destroyed by fire, like the one before it, on April 27, 1911.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]

"Chicago, Burlington and Quincy R. R. Depot, Galesburg, Ill." postcard.  [Contributed by Jim Ferris.]

"C. B. & Q. Depot, Galesburg, Ill." postcard.  [Contributed by Cindy Lowe.]

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"Burlington Route Depot, Galesburg, Illinois" postcard from circa 1915.  This new depot was constructed in 1912 on Seminary Street at the head of Tompkins Street.  It was located slightly north of the site of the former depot.  Much to the disappointment of local residents, the building was razed by the railroad in 1983.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]

"C. B. & Q. Ry. Station, Galesburg, Ill." postcard from circa 1915.  [Contributed by Jim Ferris.]

"C. B. & Q. Passenger Station and Train Sheds, Galesburg, Ill." postcard from circa 1915.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]

"Main Waiting Room, C., B. & Q. Passenger Station, Galesburg, Ill." post card from circa 1915.  [Contributed by Cindy Lowe.]

"Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Depot, Galesburg" picture taken from Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, Munsell Publishing Company, 1899.  The depot was erected circa 1887.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]

"Santa Fe Depot Galesburg, Ill." postcard.  [Contributed by Jim Ferris.]

"Santa Fe Depot Galesburg, Ill." postcard.  [Contributed by Bob Miller.]

Maquon train depot about 1910.  It was located north of the lumber yard and torn down in early 1990's.  [Contributed by Todd Walter.]

Saint Augustine train depot.  [Contributed by Patti Lawson.]