Doug... Nice shot of BD Junction and 181. Yours truly helped install this CP (Control Point) way back in 1987 (or thereabouts) and it's hard to believe it's been that long ago! When the signal gang arrived, The Brooklyn District was still double track all the way from Decatur to Granite City. Our gang was witness to a work train that started right there at BD and slowly worked southward ripping up and loading the rails of the old northbound main. Once the rail was gone, the old ties were removed, the roadbed smoothed and a new switch panel was installed and tied-in to what was left of the old north bound main into Decatur. It was equally interesting and sobering for me to witness this historic event because I knew it marked the end of an old Wabash era. Incidentally, the name "BD Junction" has an interesting history that most people probably don't know. The story is told that a mean old Bull Dog once lived in the old house that stood directly north of this location and he loved to chase trains and automobiles! I can only imagine how the dog met its waterloo, but he was gone by the time we arrived to install the CP. All the "old-heads" referred to the nearby crossing as "Bull Dog Crossing" and so everyone agreed that "BD Junction" would be a fitting name for the new CP. I have often wondered how many other railroad junctions and locations have been named over something as simple as this? Thanks for sharing this photo and all the memories it stirred up for me!
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