Railfan Guide - UP Mt Vernon Sub

For your viewing pleasure, ride along as I take a close look at the Union Pacific Mt. Vernon Subdivision through Southern Illinois.
As with all of my Railfan Guide series videos, I include as much information as I am able to get to help you understand the operations along the line, and plan your own railfan trip.
This line is not super busy. Footage was recorded between the summer of 2023 and May of 2024. There are approximately 12 trains a day that use this line, sometimes less, sometimes more.
A radio scanner comes in handy, especially near Salem yard. Trains will call the dispatcher to plan their arrival or departure, often including their train symbol in the exchange. The scanner frequency to monitor is 160.410mHz, or AAR channel 2020. Some yard communications takes place on 160.470mHz, AAR 2424.
Other than the Evansville Western (EVWR) interchange, Crosstie Treatment Plant, and Continental Tire plant, all of which are in Mt. Vernon, there aren't any customers anywhere else on the line.
Generally once a week the LSG54 local will make a side trip to Benton, then transfer over to the Marion Sub to switch the Crab Orchard and Egyptian (COER) in Marion.
Not all locations of the Mt. Vernon sub were able to be shown in this video. Other spots include: North end of Bush siding, Rend Lake causeway south of Ina, and Grimsby siding near Gorham.
Good spots to pace trains is IL Highway 149 between Murphysboro and De Soto, and between De Soto and Hurst, as well as IL Highway 37 between Ina and Mt. Vernon.
The sun favors southbound trains, except morning time in the summer, northbounds between Gorham and Benton. Common places to sit and wait for trains include Gorham, De Soto, Benton, Ina, Mt. Vernon, Kell, and Salem. However, I cannot guarantee whether any of these locations have loitering ordinances that are enforced. So do so at your own risk.
Any questions, please leave a comment! Don't forget to click that SUBSCRIBE button!

[@SouthernIllinoisRailfan]

I love a good railfan guide! Well done, Steven!

[@6005EnterTRAINment]

Nice video! I remember when it was a busy piece of railroad. Back then, you could go trackside in the afternoon/early evening and catch a half a dozen trains in a few hours. You forgot to mention my cameo at 5:28 to 5:37. 😂😂😂

[@HERRINRAILROADHERRINILLINOIS]

Very nice video Steven this is Zane I’m wanting too get a Safety Green Union Pacific Safety Vest Regular Size from the Mount Vernon Subdivision or any Union Pacific Subdivision at there Yard Office Maintenance Shop a Regular Size one I have Autism ADHD and OCD Anxiety and Depression and I’m 23 years old and I’m so obsessed with Union Pacific and Union Pacific Safety Vests

[@toddpilcher3804]

STOP! no former, modeler otbrail enthusiasts wants to see the same old stack train over and over and over again! We care about about history of the line, topography of the area, branch lines, locals and short lines in the area, HEP, DPU's if they have them. Not the same old stack train or manifest train that we can see over and over again in any state in America.

[@signalupproductions]

Thanks for the feedback. With all due respect, it is titled Railfan Guide, not History Guide. So the information contained naturally would be focused on the same old stack train that the majority of railfans want to see. For history of the line: former C&EI from Chicago to Joppa. Later the line became the Mopac Chicago Sub. Topography is easy. Mostly flat until Murphysboro, where the line drops down into the Mississippi river valley.