The Gregarious Railfan
Centralia, IL   62801 (population, 13,031)                

GPS: N 38.52751, W 89.13590 (Amtrak Station)   Google map   

Scanner: CN: 161.190 [72], NS: 160.950 [56], BNSF: 161.100 [66] (I believe Amtrak uses the CN frequency)

Railroads:  Canadian National Central Division, Centralia Sub; BNSF Springfield Division, Beardstown Sub; Norfolk
Southern Kentucky Division, South Sub  

Description: Centralia, IL is located in Southwestern Illinois. CN, BNSF, NS, and Amtrak all travel through downtown
on three tracks with good viewing at many of the grade crossings. The Amtrak Station there is perhaps as comfortable
place to watch trains from the station parking lot as any.  

Approximate # trains per 24 hours: 30+ including Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, Saluki, and Illini (all daily NB &
SB)

Nearby RR stuff: The Centralia Museum at 240 S. Locust has a bit of Railroad stuff. N 38.52524, W 89.13507  
Mt Vernon 25 Miles to the south has a busy junction where the UP crosses the NS at grade ; and Odin, IL 7 mile NE
where CSX and CN mains cross at grade.

Local Fast Food: Mostly concentrated on West Broadway (N 38.52959, W 89.14881)

Ice Cream: Dairy Queen south on Poplar St. (N 38.52296, W 89.13409)

Local Pub and grub: Centralia House $$$ just north of the Amtrak Station and across the street.

Lodging: America’s Best Value (N 38.52884, W 89.13262)  Railfan Motels.com or 20 miles south on I-64 at Mt
Vernon

Trip Advisor,
Centralia, IL   
Google Map annotated
Links
Pictures   Google images
Stack train through Centralia
Water Tower across the street
from the Centralia Amtrak Station
Centralia Amtrak Station