B&O Track Maps

Flora, IL to Old Shawneetown

These track maps for the B & O Railroad have been provided by the B & O Railroad Museum Archives. From 1949, the maps indicate the location of bridges, crossings, and depots over the 74 mile stretch from Flora to Old Shawneetown. I counted 98 bridges that my grandpa maintained for over 36 years during a period when power-assisted tools were limited. Even though the physical evidence of the former line has been removed, these artifacts are a reminder of their existence. The railroads enabled growth of the region by transporting coal, oil, and agriculture products for over 100 years.