Dave's Depots - Chicago & Alton - Alton, Illinois

This edition of Dave's Depots takes us to Alton, Illinois, just up the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Alton, in its heyday was quite the industrial center, and rated no less than two C&A depots. One depot, Alton Union Station was located in downtown Alton, near the depot used by the Illinois Terminal Alton cars. To access this depot, the C&A and later the GM&O had to navigate in-street trackage just north of the depot, and a rather steep grade as the railroad climbed out of the Mississippi River Valley. Later, the C&A built the "high line" which skirted the east side of town, which eliminated the street trackage and the steep climb. The street trackage was later abandoned. With the high line, came this depot. It is still in very good condition and is used by Amtrak's Lincoln Service and the Texas Eagle.