In place of our: Those Were The Days” presentation this month here is another “back in the days” Let’s go back some 70 years. The local train that switched cars at the industries in Chana, Oregon & Mt. Morris was affectionately referred to as the “Dinky”. This photo is looking northwest at the Dinky sitting in front of the depot in Oregon. The water spout used to refill the steam locomotives tender is seen just behind the train. In the lower foreground is the livestock pens. The pens were located just west of the 2nd St. crossing, on the south side of the yard, near Quaker Oats. At one time cattle, hogs, sheep, even chickens were primarily shipped by rail. The pens were used to stage local stock being loaded onto rail cars to go to slaughter or sent to distant feed lots for finishing. Additionally there were strict rules about the amount of time stock could spend on a car. Generally, livestock had to be unloaded and fed and watered every 28 hours. Occasionally the pens in Oregon were used for this if a shipment couldn’t make it to it’s destination, which was usually Chicago, in time.
Photo from the Burling Route Historical Society collection