Galesburg to West Havana

Link: http://a-r.us/ru3

Quick Info:
States: Illinois
Railroads: BN, CB&Q, FCNGRR

Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railroad

The Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railroad, also known as the Spoon River Peavine, was built between Galesburg and West Havana, Illinois, around 1880. It served strip mines and local farmers within Fulton County, and operated passanger trains up until the early 1900s. The line was converted to standard gauge around 1910. In 1930, the line was purchased by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway. In 1934, portions of the line between Fairview and Galesburg and between Lewistown to Havana were petitioned for abandonment; those segments were torn about 1934/1935.

The right-of-way can still be found in the some areas (especially north of Lewistown near IL Route 97, and north of Fairview), though most of it no longer exists.

The Fulton County history book from 1968 states the only thing left of the little community of Bybee was the former right-of-way and a cemetery.

The FCNG went through the following towns:

Lewistown
Cuba
Fiatt
Fairview

Thanks to Jan Smith for contributing information about this route.

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Comments

For the story of this line, see _History of the Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railway, Spoon River "Peavine"_ by E.W. Mureen, Bulletin 61A (Revised) of The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc., 1988.

According to Mureen, the leadership in Lewiston started the railroad in 1878 in an effort to secure the political allegiance of northern Fulton County in the struggle with Canton for possession of the county seat. Lewiston won. The line operated until August 23, 1934.

Last time I looked (a long time ago), most of the grade had been plowed under. The only parts still visible were at road crossings or where some buildings still stood along the ROW, as at Fiatt. I also remember a short stretch still extant immediately north of the Spoon River at London Mills.

Richard V. Gilpin
St. Louis, MO
8/29/2010

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exactly, where is the tracks at in havana?? i lived there a few years of my life and i didn't know about the abandend tracks. could you tell me anything about it, like if people are able to walk on it, ride there bikes between the rails etc. also, i would like to have the directions to the tracks as well if possible. i greatly appreciate the information. p.s. my name is greg.

Greg
Havana, IL
9/17/2010

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Greg, it never reached Havana. The line terminated in West Havana aka Point Isabel, just south of where the Spoon River empties into the Illinois, directly across from Havana. Both rivers have undergone significant engineering and the former townsite appears to be a wooded marsh. I'm not sure if another RR ever crossed there. If not, its load would have either ferried across and/or transferred onto barges at West Havana.

John
Alton, IL
9/26/2010

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I read they ferried passengers acrossed. The tracks were removed from West Havana about 1935. The freight was also at one point ferried acrossed. I think there was a temporary bridge that was rented from another railroad there but it was too expensive or something & they had quit using it. I need to dig out the book on this i got in a box in a closet & reread it. Theres still concrete slab near the riverfront park at Havana where the bridge use to cross but no track or bridge in that spot remains today. The only way to cross the river is the Highway 136 bridge down the river from that.

Im not sure if the old grade can be seen or not as its a wooded & marshy area now. Theres a fishing area with a trail that goes around near the Spoon River that is currently in the area. The trail leads back into wooded area near the area the tracks were but i didnt see anything when i walked it 5 or 6 years ago. This area is right next to The Spoon River on Rt 78 west of Havana.

Jan Smith
Cuba, IL
10/15/2010

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There was a railroad bridge over the Illinois River at Havana. From what research I have done to this point, it appears it was constructed circa 1873-74 by the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Ry, owners of the line that later became the Illinois Central's Havana District. This line was to be extended to the Mississippi River at Keokuk, but never made it. IB&W went bankrupt and the bondholders of IB&W's "Extension Railway" (ie the future ICRR Havana Dist) bought the line at auction and formed the Champaign, Havana & Western Ry. CH&W was almost immediately leased or consolidated (haven't determined which, yet) by Jay Gould's Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific. Gould had no interest in pushing track farther West at Havana as the Wabash already had a line from Decatur to Kansas City via Springfiled and Hannibal; however, Gould also happened to own the narrrow-gauge Havana, Rantoul & Eastern line which was constructing East and West out of Rantoul. The FCNG was granted rights to lay a third rail across the bridge, in anticipation of connecting with the HR&E upon reaching Havana, and operated trains into Havana. HR&E never made it to Havana and the trackage rights agreement was terminated around 1886-7. FCNG terminated in West Havana after that. Interestingly, that date also corresponds with the Wabash bankrupcy and the Wabash controlled CH&W line changing hands from Wabash to Illinois Central.

If anyone has documented information on the Havana bridge, I'd like to hear about it.

Thomas Scott Jr.
Monticello, IL
5/30/2012

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I have found a couple pictures of the Fulton County Narrow Gauge, in the Canadian Archives of all places. I can send them if you have a email address.

Ralph Beaumont
Canada
11/13/2012

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Shortened Link: http://a-r.us/ru3

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