A glimpse into the past. "Old" Valmeyer, IL, was once a quaint small town two miles from the east bank of the mighty Mississippi River. In 1993, the Mississippi flooded its banks in one of the worst floods this region has seen in the modern age, and Valmeyer was hit hard. Most of the townspeople moved up onto the top of the bordering bluffs, but a few scattered buildings, cracked streets, and conspicuously located trees still stand as reminders of what was. Union Pacific's Chester Subdivision is about the only action that this town gets nowadays. Southbound frac sand train MALFWX 02, with unpatched SP 177 and a patched SP unit in charge, disturbs the loneliness of Old Valmeyer as it continues its journey to Texas. 18 years ago, due to SSW's trackage rights on this line before the UP-SP merger, it was common to see SP power roll through Valmeyer leading trains. Although the numbers of red and gray locomotives on the UP has faded over the years, it is still possible to see one on the point of a train...for now, at least.
