CSX and IC at Odin, Illinois

Producer: Big E

Locations: Odin

Timeframe: 1997

Length: 1 hour 40 minutes

Source: Dick Eisfeller

The small town of Odin, Illinois is on the Southern part of the state. Two lines cross here. CSX on former B&O. CSX mainline is Cincinnati to St. Louis. The Illinois Central on it’s Centralia to St. Louis line. The larger IC route covers from Chicago to New Orleans. Big E recorded all of the trains in a 24 hour period. September, 1997.

A single DVD-R. Fullscreen 4×3 aspect ratio.Obviously an old VHS tape transfer. Shot in HI8mm videotape which has issues. At the start, picture quality is fair. Tape slipping is constantly present. So, it feels junky from the beginning. Fortunately, the tape settles down and improves to the good range. The problematic tape playback returns later.

Choice of Play or Chapter Menu. Chapters then can click into a listing of Chapter number and train symbol. Includes a map. Narrated by Dick Eisfeller.

To the Trains… 👉

CSX 7890 leads the first freight train in the darkness.

Illinois Central follows. The night videography lighting is better than some other Big E shows. The nighttime runs long. Daylight clarity provides the preferred views.

At 6:24 am dawn and a CSX. Chapter 19 of 33. Runtime is at 43 minutes. Union Pacific 413 on Q687 is more interesting and the 2nd daylight freight to appear. Chapter 20.

Illinois Central 7158 leads a trio of SD40 engines. Train JACP is rolling Northbound. Finally, full sunlight. A better camera angle, as well. This being 52 minutes into the show.

IC 6103 hits the diamonds and cross the CSX track at 8:22. Symbol GLCE is from Glen Yard to Centralia.  It hauls 150 cars and is 8800 feet long. This freight train travels on a Southbound move.

Several more IC moves roll through. New EMD SD70 units lead a long freight IC at 11:30 am. This one is CRGE. Hauling traffic from Conrail at Effingham, Illinois. Destination is Geyser, Louisiana.

CSX has a number of trains next in the lineup. This Westbound move from Cincinnati navigates into a siding. CSX 7636/7709 eases forward, while some rain falls. Note the old B&O signal.

Train Q208 is going to Louisville.from Gateway Western. Engine 8513 has the lead. Empty auto racks galore.

CSX 8440/7079 front an Eastbound S372 at 3:32 pm.

CSX and IC at Odin, Illinois

Tedious is a single word summary. The uncommon location is the highlight. Although there are no railroad structures or anything of interest there. The videotape condition is the huge downfall.

Informative narrative is jam packed with operations. If this type of material is of interest, perhaps worth a purchase. Big E does include the complete train. There are around a couple dozen trains to see. Again, visual quality is problematic.

For everyone else. Both railroads are easily found in higher quality. This program is at the lower end and an unnecessary show.

Rating: 2 Stars