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Story Subject Category: Railroads
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What if we could hop on electric train that could take us home even if we lived in rural Champaign County? Or we could ride that train into town to do grocery shopping? ... Is this a glimpse of the future?… No, it is a look back to the days of the Illinois traction system. This electric train system connected central Illinois with the Midwest. We were lucky to have Illinois Traction Historian Dale Jenkins to tell us the history of the transportation system that was also responsible for bringing electricity to many rural communities. Ian Mitchell produced this story because he had tales of the inter-urban as he was growing up in Tolono. His grandmother is featured in the segment. ... written by Alison Davis Wood
Segment duration: 07:28
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Producer: Ian Mitchell
This segment is filed in these categories: Historical Landmarks • History • Illinois Culture/History • Railroads • Champaign County
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Ray McIntyre was a man of few words. His whole world was his collection of miniature trains that he proudly displayed in his own museum. But none of it would have been possible without the help of volunteers from the Piatt County Museum. They took care of Ray for thirty years. They would take him to do his grocery shopping, do his laundry and most importantly pick him up every day of the year and take him to his museum. There Ray would spend the day being the boss of Rayville. This charming museum caught the eye of former WILL producer Matt Docter. Matt worked extremely hard on this story using unique camera angles to take the viewer inside the Rayville train layout. He also worked hard coaxing an interview out Mr. McIntyre. Matt and his twin brother Jason are also musicians, so they played and recorded music for the story. Now that Ray has passed, we hope this segment is a fitting tribute to a man who really loved trains. Rayville has closed and now it is the location of Prairie Fire Glass Studio. Soon the Rayville collection will be on display at the new Piatt County Museum. Matt Docter has since moved to Los Angeles and has a successful band call The Lift (http://www.theliftstation.com). He has also appeared in several films, ads and TV shows.
Segment duration: 10:08
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Antiques/Collectibles • Hobbies • Railroads
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The Monticello Railway Museum is another reason I love living here in central Illinois. How amazing that a group of volunteers has resurrected railroading one train at a time. The volunteers here are tireless in their efforts to keep the museum going and in their love of trains. When we shot the story in 1997, we saw how much work it took to run a mini railroad ... laying track, mowing the track, restoring engines and cars and entertaining school groups from around the area. But the payoff is great. Where else can grown-ups fulfill their dreams of being a train conductor or engineer? When I’ve visited the place with my own kids it is incredible to see their eyes light up as a train enters the station. There is a mad scramble as all the kids try to get a seat in the caboose ... but every car is a great experience. Volunteers at the museum are still acquiring new cars and engines and returning them to mint condition. For the past 15 years they have been working on a former Southern Railroad engine that had to be completely rebuilt. It is set to debut on the tracks the summer of 2007. Tim Hartin and I got to fulfill one of our fantasies as filmmakers while we were taping this story. We set a shot at one of the museum line’s cross streets in Monticello. Then we got to cue the train to go in front of our camera so that we could get the perfect shot ... we felt like Steven Spielberg! Over the years this story continues to be one of our most popular and we are very proud to pay this tribute to this incredible place.
Segment duration: 08:08
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Producer: Alison Davis Wood
This segment is filed in these categories: Illinois Culture/History • Railroads • Travel • Monticello
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Since 1975, Kenny Davis has laid 2300 feet of track, including bridges and tunnels, for small scale railroads at his house in Decatur. He welcomes help from friends to keep up his layout, and once a year, invites them for a party to celebrate railroading.
Segment duration: 03:06
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Producer: Lillie Buck
Chief Camera - Segment: Ian Mitchell
This segment is filed in these categories: Antiques/Collectibles • Arts/Culture • Hobbies • Illinois Culture/History • Railroads
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Segment duration: 05:12
Producer: Alison Davis Wood
Chief Camera - Segment: Tim Hartin
This segment is filed in these categories: Illinois Culture/History • Railroads
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Prairie Fire recalls the era when much of central Illinois was connected by the inter-urban railway, an electric rail system that also helped bring electricity to small towns and rural areas.
The program includes interviews with several people in Monticello who remember riding the inter-urban, which used overhead power lines and large trolley cars.
Although only traces remain of central Illinois’ inter-urban, many people still fondly recall the system, developed in the 1890’s by Champaign resident W.B. McKinley of Illinois Power and Light. It carried freight and passengers from Danville to Peoria and from St. Louis to Kankakee. Prairie Fire associate producer Ian Mitchell visits McKinley’s headquarters in Champaign, the hub of operations for the railway, and substations still standing in Fithian, Bondville and Bement.
Segment duration: 07:34
Producer: Ian Mitchell
This segment is filed in these categories: Historical Landmarks • History • Illinois Culture/History • Railroads • Travel
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