Clifford J. Downey - Kentucky and the Illinois Central Railroad

While working on this book, I received considerable help from many fine photographers, collectors, and historians. Bruce Meyer generously allowed the use of several photographs taken during his trips to Kentucky in the late 1950s. Meyer was a meticulous photographer who was always exploring new vantage points. For years, he sold prints from his extensive photograph collection, allowing others to experience a long lost era of railroading. Meyer, who passed away on June 29, 2006, worked briefly for the Signal Department of the Illinois Central Railroad before going to a long career with the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors, a major builder of diesel locomotives.

Mike Haper also generously allowed the use of several of his photographs taken during trips to Paducah between 1956 and 1960. During these trips, he took many fine photographs of Illinois Central Railroad steam in action, and much to my regret, I could not squeeze more into the book.

Chris Thompson and Sam Harrison both contributed several photographs from their extensive collections, including several rare ones that I could not find elsewhere. These two gentlemen also took time to review the text and captions.

Many photographs in this book were taken by the Illinois Central Railroad and were used for publicity purposes, or simply were taken to record daily activities around the railroad. Over the years, Thompson saved some of these photographs and made them available to me. They are identified in courtesy lines with (IC.).

In addition to the photographers and collectors mentioned above, there are several others that I would like to thank. Back in the early 1980s, when I first developed an interest in the Illinois Central Railroad, there were few books or magazines about the Illinois Central Railroad in print. Wallace Henderson, Chuck Hinrichs, Bob Johnston, and David Hayes patiently answered questions and helped me learn more about the railroad. The late Jerry Mart, Joe Wirth, and Lloyd Stagner also provided me with considerable information about the Illinois Central Railroads locomotives and train operations.

Finally, I would like to extend a huge thank-you to my loving wife, Jolinne, and my ever-patient daughter, Rebecca, for their unending support.

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One

HICKMAN DISTRICT

The Illinois Central Railroad (IC) was well known for its fast passenger trains and heavy coal trains. But none of these trains were to be found on the Hickman District, an often overlooked branch line in far western Kentucky. This 51-mile-long line began at Dyersburg, Tennessee, where it connected with the ICs mainline from Fulton to Memphis, Tennessee. From Dyersburg, the branch line snaked northward through the Tennessee towns of Ridgely, Winnburg, and Tiptonville, and skirted the northwest shore of Reelfoot Lake. At milepost 41.4, the Hickman District crossed into Kentucky and terminated at Hickman on the banks of the Mississippi River.

The Hickman District was built in two segments. The Dyersburg-Tiptonville segment was built between 1904 and 1907 by the Dyersburg and Northern Railroad (D&N). In 1909, the D&N was renamed the Chicago, Memphis, and Gulf Railroad, and afterwards the track was extended to Hickman. On December 31, 1922, the IC signed a long-term lease for the CM&G.

In the early 1920s, several factories, cotton gins, and grain elevators were located along the Hickman District, and each day a freight train made a round-trip on the line. Many businesses closed during the Great Depression, causing a slow decline in traffic. By the late 1950s, trains were traveling over the Hickman District only three to four days each week. The traffic decline continued, and in 1983, the route was sold to the Hickman River City Development Council. The Tennken Railroad was contracted to operate trains and maintain the track. Traffic is far below the hectic days of the early 20th century, but the railroad provides much-needed rail service.

Prior to 1922, the Hickman District was owned by the CM&G. The CM&Gs roster included two 2-6-0 and two 4-4-0s. No. 6 was a 4-4-0 constructed by Baldwin in 1911. After the IC took over the CM&G, this locomotive was renumbered IC No. 2107 and was scrapped in the late 1920s. (Authors collection.)

The same locomotive is seen at Dyersburg around 1920 with a three-car passenger train. By this date, many passenger trains serving rural areas were losing money. To discontinue a passenger train, railroads first had to file petitions with state and federal regulators. Objections from passengers and politicians often dragged out this process for months or years. (Authors collection.)

Details are sketchy, but the CM&G also owned a handful of passenger cars. A heavy cast-iron plaque on the door to car No. 3 reads, Passengers are not allowed to stand on the platform. The platform would have been a dangerous place to be as CM&Gs passenger trains rocked and rolled along the sparsely maintained trackage. (Authors collection.)

Car No. 3, at the top of this page, had a steel car body, while car No. 5 had a wooden car body. The ornate stained-glass window at the left side of the car afforded privacy for those using the restroom, while a coal-burning stove at the far end of the car provided heat. Passenger service on the Hickman District was discontinued in 1930. (Authors collection.)

The photographs on pages 14 through 16 were taken in the late 1950s during the northbound run of a local freight. At Ridgely, Tennessee, the train pauses to switch cars. The town was once home to a cotton gin, a pair of cotton seed houses, and a large warehouse. Todays train consists mostly of 40-foot boxcars and is powered by SW1 610, built in 1946. (Chris Thompson collection.)

While switching at Ridgely, Tennessee, a brakeman gives a go ahead hand signal to the engineer. Over the years, railroads established a set of standardized hand signals to govern train movements. The use of portable radios became widespread during the 1970s, but even today, most train crew members still use hand signals when switching cars. (Chris Thompson collection.)