Southern Illinois is not the first place that probably comes to mind when it comes to manned helper districts, but one of the last such districts on the BNSF was the short hill between Neilson and Goreville, south of Marion. This is a jointly operated line, as the tracks between Neilson and West Vienna are part of the Union Pacific’s Marion Subdivision. BNSF trains enter U.P. tracks (former Missouri Pacific and Chicago & Eastern Illinois) at Neilson. From West Vienna to Metropolis, Illinois, all trains run on BNSF’s former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy tracks. BNSF stationed a helper at Neilson until widespread use of distributed power units rendered the practice unnecessary.
These recordings were made between 1997 and 1999, when the vast majority of trains operating over the route belonged to BNSF.
Track Listing 1. A BNSF coal train pounds over the Lake Of Egypt power plant switch as it attacks the bottom of the hill at Neilson with SD70MACs fore and aft - 8:59 2. The BNSF local from Centralia to Paducah climbs the hill south of Neilson with a GP38-2 in the lead - 4:27 3. The BNSF C30-7s were almost gone when we started recording on the hill, but we caught a set of five of them leading a train at the Eagle Point Bay crossing north of Goreville, with an SD70MAC as the helper - 9:01 4. Another BNSF coal train at Eagle Point Bay Road, this one with SD70MACs on the point - 9:01 5. A third BNSF coal train climbs the hill at Eagle Point Bay Road - 8:58 6. Just north of Goreville, BNSF C30-7s lead another coal train up the grade. We are located across a small valley and about 100 yards from the tracks - 10:30 7. From the same location, SD70MACs lead another BNSF coal train up the hill. Listen to the flanges bite into the curve as the train powers up grade! - 15:01 8. Finally Union Pacific gets into the act, as an SD90/43MAC leads a train at Eagle Point Bay Road, bringing the CD to a close - 10:01
