Nice article by Jim Boyd on the tiny Lee County Central in Illinois in the February 2004 Railroad Model Craftsman. Begun as a trolley line at the turn of the century, it acquired a 2-4-2T steam engine and began hauling grain from local elevators in 1911. A couple of used 4-4-0s followed, being discarded when they wore out, succeeded by an ex-CB&Q 0-6-0. The trolley wire was scrapped around WWI. A new Vulcan 0-4-0T was purchased in 1924, but didn't work out well and was resold to the two-mile Illinois Midland, where it ran into the 1960s. A 15-ton Whitcomb side-rod gas-mechanical was acquired in 1929 and became the main motive power until the early 1960s. Two small Plymouths followed the Whitcomb; the last operations were in 1972, and dismantling about ten years later, followed shortly after by abandonment of the ex-CB&Q branch the line connected with.

It is an interesting story of a small farmers railroad like the original Strasburg, but one that did not survive. Interestingly, photos taken in the 1930s (see below) looked a lot like some of our less successful museum and tourist RR attempts, with derelict equipment in abundance.

http://donross.railspot.com/dr096.htm
ryarger@rypn.org