BIRKS MUSEUM

DECATUR, IL

Making the Quota I was chatting with a friend about roadrailers, sharing photos and the like, when I realized I almost never actually photograph the things. I had a look through my folders and have consistently only shot them once a year. This is frankly absurd considering the the things run within spitting distance of home. What have I been doing the last five years?

For once, I actually went out and sought the elusive Triple Crowns out. After already meeting my yearly quota back in January, it seemed like snatching a roadrailer would be a good way to spend a day. I got more than I bargained for when the day was said and done, but more importantly, I did find the 255.

At Milmine, NS 255 makes haste on its westward journey to Kansas City. NS7676 had quite a lengthy train of trailers on it today, and pairing that with warm temps, clear skies, and even a friendly wave from the conductor, I don't think I could complain about anything here if I wanted to. Nice day out! — Making the Quota Credit: Leo Blackwelder

The Birks Museum is located in Decatur, Illinois and is a historical site dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Macon County and Central Illinois. The Museum building was built in 1890, and the Birks family donated the building to the Decatur Park District in 1966.

The Museum contains a variety of exhibits and artifacts that tell the story of Macon County and the central Illinois area. There are permanent exhibits that include the "Life and Times of Decatur" which chronicles the early settlement of Decatur, an exhibit about the Civil War, and a display of the artifacts from the Birks family. In addition, the Museum also often hosts temporary exhibits, such as the "Roots of the Blues" exhibit which explored the history of the blues in Decatur, and the "Macon County History" exhibit which showcased the history of Macon County.

In addition to the exhibits, the Birks Museum also offers educational programs and activities. These include guided tours of the Museum and its exhibits, living history programs, and workshops that teach visitors about the history of Macon County and Central Illinois. The Museum also hosts a variety of community events such as concerts, family events, and holiday celebrations.

The Birks Museum is a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about the history of Macon County and the Central Illinois area. The Museum offers a variety of exhibits and programs that provide visitors with the opportunity to explore and appreciate the history of the area.

BIRKS MUSEUM is a Uncategorized or General Museum in DECATUR IL. US MID #8401700253

The museum is classed as GMU (Uncategorized or General Museums). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Midwest (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin).

Old Influences Milepost 267 is located at just another minor crossing in the middle of nowhere on the DREI, a typical midwestern scene we all know and love. Aside from the crossing, though, the mileposts on the DREI still hail from the B&amp;O - not the signs themselves, but the numbers. The Decatur Sub was formerly part of the B&amp;O Indianapolis Division, with all mileposts westwards from Cincinnati, Ohio. Just between La Place and Casner in Illinois, we're 267 miles away. It's a line you can't take by rail anymore as abandonments and split up ownership have separated things, but little details like this are certainly neat reminders of the past, and their little influences on things today.

Meanwhile, DREI 101 is fast approaching as the sun continues to give us just the right amount of gold early (ish) in the morning. Even though most would complain about the line being pretty much arrow straight from here on, that does work nicely in our favour as the sun climbs into the eastern half of the sky. Never anything wrong with light on the nose, eh?

La Place To Be As I was out and about following DREI 101, La Place was one of the spots I was very much hoping to shoot. I'd shot here before with a friend once, and the shot hadn't come out well, so to go back and get some much better positioning was a treat. The elevator is what midwestern railroading is all about and was simply a must-shoot. I about didn't make it there in time, either, as I'd tried a shot at a crossing 2-3 miles back that didn't pan out. Good thing there's not much traffic out that way, eh?

You Gotta Get Out Personally? I don't like being in Decatur that much.

IC1000 and UP3807 couple onto a long string of cars at ADM Decatur, shoving back briefly before stopping and putting the string beside them on yard air. Decatur is not known for its cleanliness - or safeness, or much of anything positive these days if we’re being really honest here - and this ADM plant is one of the worst offenders. It and T&amp;L are able to make the entire city just plain stink. No amount of interesting RSSX critters nor IC1000 can make up for that. By the time we did find our favourite deathstar by ADM, dusk was coming quick, so we made a point to get our quick couple of photos, and get the hell on out of there before darkness really hit.

At least the smoke and steam looks neat from a distance.

A Losing Race NS D36 rolls past the community of Milmine, IL, as the sun begins to turn the sky yellow on its way out for the day. Milmine is one of those many small towns along the rail lines of the midwest, made up of a grain elevator and a rather small collection of homes. Places like these are often forgotten, but following trains around tends to bring us to places like this.

Of course, losing the race against the train tends to make it easy to come across these places. Now we have to race both the train and the sun, and man, I am not winning much of either lately.

Slowdeath All good things must come to an end. MEC609 rests at Mervis Recycling in Decatur, waiting for its turn to be torn apart.

MEC609 is far from an original MEC unit and far from home. The true identity of this engine is Milwaukee Road 156 - the legendary bicentennial unit. After 49 years, she’s been through a lot, but this is the end.

Built in 1972 as the 3026, it was renumbered to 156 in 1973 during Milwaukee’s latest grand renumbering project. In 1975, the 156 was selected to be repainted into the railroads bicentennial scheme, where it would join railroads across the nation to celebrate the 200th birthday of the United States. It wore the scheme until 1977, crossing the system and making impressive meetups over time.

The 156, back in its orange and black dress, remained in service with the Milwaukee until the company’s final bankruptcy in 1985, when it went with its sisters to the Soo Line. SOO renumbered it to 6333, banditized it, and ran it for two years. It was retired in ‘87 and sent to Morrison-Knudsen for a rebuild, where it gained a full sized fuel tank and other unspecified work. Turned out in April ‘88, the engine was promptly sold to the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, or NdeM, along with 40 of its sisters. Given the number 13022, it ran in Mexico for 9 years, when it was given to TFM after a short stint on FNM and applied the new number 1420. From there, she worked in both Mexico and the US for a number of years before being moved to the US full time. Officially, it was renumbered KCSM 3269, but it never wore those marks. As TFM 1420, it operated until 2010 when the Pan Am Railways bought the engine and shipped it to Maine.

It was promptly renumbered 609 and patched for a few months, then it was repainted into the dark blue and white of Pan Am, living in the Maine Central subsidiary. For 8 years, the 609 worked hard for the Pan Am, but time ran out in 2018 when she and two sister engines were sold to GATX and shipped off to Altoona. 156 never turned a wheel for them and instead sat idle for two years.

Then, out of the blue, she appeared at Mervis in Decatur, missing parts and ready to be torn apart. Where is her future now? Likely joining the towering mountains of scrap metals in the facility. The MRHA and IRM have been contacted, apparently, about the status of 156, but Mervis is known for being quick to scrap. And so, given the information we have, it’s time to say goodbye to the bicentennial. 49 years of service isn’t a bad track record at all. Goodbye, MILW 156.

EDIT: 156 is confirmed to have been purchased and saved! She ain't dead yet!

Contact BIRKS MUSEUM

telephone: 2174246337

BIRKS MUSEUM
1184 W MAIN ST
DECATUR
IL
62522

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BIRKS MUSEUM Information

MID #	8401700253
Name	BIRKS MUSEUM
Alternate Name
Classification	Uncategorized or General Museums, , Midwest
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)
NTEECC
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM)
INCOME	0
REVENUE	0
LAT/LONG	39.841378, -88.975058
CODES	FIPS State Code: 17 FIPS County Code: 115 US Census Tract: 001600 US Census Block: 2009