 The
special day, founded by Amtrak, is dedicated
to celebrating and educating the public on
the history of the railway and the
significance of rail travel to the history
America as well the role trains will play in
the future.
Wanda Lee Rohlfs of Main Street Lincoln
put together a daylong event that was held
at the Amtrak station on the corner of
Broadway and Chicago streets.
Inside the shelter was a display poster
commemorating the history of the railway in
the city of Lincoln as well as the role that
rail played in the life of Abraham Lincoln.
Those who were boarding or exiting the
trains that day were given "goody bags" by
volunteers and had the opportunity to visit
with local officials such as Mayor Keith
Snyder, Alderwomen Marty Neitzel and Joni
Tibbs, Rohlfs, and other members of the
community.
At the first train stop of the day,
Snyder, Neitzel, Tibbs and Rohlfs saw off
about a half-dozen riders heading for
Chicago. Throughout the day, a variety of
volunteers came and went at the station,
offering meet and greets to rail passengers,
and sharing in their knowledge of the
history of rail in Lincoln.
Rohlfs said that acknowledging the day
was especially important to the city of
Lincoln, as the only train stop in Logan
County. She wanted to speak to the public
and to Amtrak about the importance of the
stop to the community and the strong desire
she has to see the stop continue throughout
the coming years.
The mayor also commented that based on
2008 data presented by Amtrak, that year
approximately 19,000 passengers boarded or
departed from Amtrak trains in Lincoln.
In searching out special people to help
commemorate the day, Rohlfs found an expert
on trains in a very surprising place.
Young Lincolnite David Hepler III, at 17
years of age, has spent well over half of
his life being fascinated by and learning
all he could about trains.
Hepler has been volunteering at the
Monticello Railway Museum in Monticello
literally since he was a child.
The museum commemorates the history of
rail with an open yard collection of
engines, cars and cabooses. They offer train
rides on weekends and hold special events
throughout the year, such as Mother's Day
and Father's Day events, a fireworks special
on July 3, a Ghost Ride in October, and this
year a Polar Express ride in late November
and early December.
The village of Monticello, located to the
east of Lincoln in Piatt County, does have a
historical connection to the city of Lincoln
through the railways.
On Feb. 21, 1861, the Monticello Railroad
Co. was chartered. Construction began in
1863 and was completed in the 1870s. The
Monticello Railroad consolidated with the
Havana, Mason City, Lincoln and Eastern
Railroad in June of 1872.
In 1879, this line would become the
Champaign, Havana & Western Railway. In
1880, the CH&W was consolidated and absorbed
by the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway.
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The Wabash system, facing bankruptcy,
sold its interest in the "Havana Division"
to the Chicago, Havana & Western Railway,
which was incorporated in October 1886.
In 1888, the Illinois Central Railroad
leased the line, and on Dec. 15, 1902,
purchased it for "$1.00 and other valuable
considerations."
The Illinois Central Railroad later
merged with the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio to
become the Illinois Central Gulf. It has
since returned to its original name, the
Illinois Central Railroad.
Rohlfs also noted, drawing from the
history of Abraham Lincoln and the city of
Lincoln, that on the day the city was
christened by the would-be president in
1853, the train depot, which was then
located on the south side of Broadway and
the corner of Sangamon Street, was under
construction.
She noted that Lincoln traveled by rail a
great deal and visited his namesake city via
that conveyance.
In addition, the president's last ride
passed through Lincoln, when after his
assassination his body was brought home via
train to Springfield for burial.
Hepler during his talk also commented on
the train cars that have been incorporated
into the Depot Restaurant.
The restaurant, which is only open
periodically, has incorporated into its
structure two vintage cabooses and two rail
cars: a dining car and a lounge car. Hepler
said that as time goes by, these vintage
cars are becoming extinct, and it is a
pleasure for him to see a few that are being
preserved rather than having them rust to
nothing in a rail car cemetery.
[By NILA
SMITH]
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