Goreville Hill, Union Pacific and BNSF, Then & Now

The “Then and Now” series takes a look at the same railroad or locations with vintage film or video and then contrasting the “then” footage with modern “now” footage. In this series entry we look at thirty years on a stretch of railroad in deep southern Illinois: the joint Union Pacific and BNSF line primarily used by coal traffic over the hill at Goreville, Illinois. Our look begins in the tower that guarded the junction at Neilson, Illinois, just before the tower was removed in early 1989. A Union Pacific coal train passes the tower and semaphores, and we tour the tower and its workings.

From there, it’s a look at change over the years as Burlington Northern becomes BNSF, four-axle U.P. locomotives give way to modern six-axle power, and B.N. C30-7’s give way to modern BNSF power. This single-disc program covers action on the line into mid-2022, as coal trains grind up the hill (including the use of manned helpers in the late-1990’s), and empties make good time as they return on their trek back to the Powder River Basin. This is nearly two hours of railroad action on one of the Midwest’s secret gems.