Norfolk Southern train 148 heads east past Illinois Terminal Railroad sleeper car 535 as it sits next to the Illinois Terminal Company Train Station in Harristown, Illinois on the NS Springfield-Hannibal District on July 21st. 2021.
A web search shows the car was built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1911 as an Interurban trailer car and was renovated into a sleeper in 1930 where it operated as a sleeper until 1941. The station was built in 1910 and currently houses Sanders Harristown Depot Antiques.
According to Wikipedia: The Illinois Terminal Railroad Company (reporting marks “ITC”), known as the Illinois Traction System until 1937, was a heavy duty interurban electric railroad with extensive passenger and freight business in central and southern Illinois from 1896 to 1956.
When Depression era Illinois Traction was in financial distress and had to reorganize, the Illinois Terminal name was adopted to reflect the line’s primary money-making role as a freight interchange link to major steam railroads at its terminal ends, Peoria, Danville, and St. Louis. Interurban passenger service slowly was reduced, ending in 1956.
Freight operation continued but was hobbled by tight street running in some towns requiring very sharp radius turns. In 1956, ITC was absorbed by a consortium of connecting railroads.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone, RAW, 4.5mm (24mm equivalent lens) f/2.8, 1/800, ISO 110.