The Big Four Station

Trains Made and Brought the News

One hundred years ago, trains were not only the source of travel, but of new as well.  Who arrived and departed from the local depot made news, and the editor made it a point to be at the depot at train time.

The train time of the St. Louis, Alton, & Terre Haute Railroad was listed in the first issue of the Gazette, Jan. 19, 1866.  Time of arrival of both passenger and freight trains, going both east and west, were listed.  

Passenger trains going east arrived at 8:50 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 6:05 p.m; and going west at 7:00 a.m., 6:52 p.m., and 11:10 p.m.  Eastbound freight trains arrived at 9:20 a.m., 3:50 p.m., and 10:25 p.m and westbound at 8:20 p.m., 12:15 a.m., and 5:00 a.m.

Much was said of late schedules and waiting room facilities in later issues.

...Read more about this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/

--Cite this story: Redford, Carol, and Betty Triplett. "City Growth." In Reflections: A History of the Bunker Hill-Woodburn Area, 34. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1993. Provided by the Bunker Hill IL Historical Society.