The Rock Island line at Joliet's Union Station

Sometimes I will look at an old building and just find it fascinating that 100 years ago life went on around that same building just as it does today. It is a completely different time, so many changes to everything, however there the building stands just as it did long ago. History is what makes Joliet special to me. I look at photographs like the ones shown below and can see a world that is familiar to me as it appeared to family members long past. Today if you stand at Joliet's Union Station, there is constant freight traffic moving north/south being pulled by Union Pacific and BNSF diesels. On the east/west tracks you will most likely see a Metra passenger train or a CSX freight train.

Flash back as recent as 62 years and you would see this. A Rock Island Lines 4-8-4 steam engine pulling a freight load eastbound. This shot is taken standing on the south side of the station facing west, looking toward the DesPlaines river. Today only the tracks closest to the platform pavers remains.

Posted above is the Rock Island 4-8-4 #5114 heading west. If you click on the picture above and open the larger version, you can clearly see the bell on the front of the engine swinging away. This picture is taken looking east, standing in roughly the same location described above. The switch tower seen in this picture still stands today, however its future at this time is uncertain.

It is always a treat coming across photographs like this. Special thanks to Lance Wales who gave me permission to repost photographs which are in his collection, original photos by Bruce MacDonald. You can view Lance Wales collection here.