ICG Sparta District, 1985 (Part 2)

In March of 1985, a typically dirty, filthy, grungy ex-GM&O GP30 leads an ICG local southbound on ICG's Sparta District, GM&O's former mainline through southern Illinois. Months later this hilly, curvy line was abandoned in favor of the ex-IC route. The rails came up the following year.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Trains
• Railroads
• Railfan
• GM&O
• ICG
• Sparta
• Sub
• GP30
• 1985

[railtrekker]

Best part is, this is 13 years after the IC takeover (Merger? Yeah right!) and still having GM&O units AND IC units still running around! Thank God for their slow locomotive repainting program!

[BRANRAN4]

note the canadian national box car in the consist, in just 14 more years the reminders of the old gm&o such as the gp-30 with alco trucks will be just that memories and as well will the icg railroad and eventually the illinois central itself with the 1999 merger with the canadian national, gm&o, icg, & ic rest in peace

[LordoftheKaty]

Even in this video the rail line didn't look very used and in somewhat of neglect

[rando4038]

also there was the alto pass grade that was a 3% grade up hill going north the gm&o would often add another engine at tamms illinois to help the train up the grade or put a engine on the rear to help the train to takle the grade

[shawn6789]

he answered your question before you asked it...Straight and level verses up and down hills, I dont know about you but im a engineer, so I would want the straightest most level track. the bigwigs want the shortest route

[eck3300]

ICG's ex-IC main through southern Illinois was straight and level compared to the Sparta Sub. The decision to abandon was sadly inevitable.