By - John P. Kolberg
Visit the ICG’s Sparta District with its manifest freights, coal trains, and a local all sharing 149 miles of single track main traversing a territory rife with sags and hogbacks – part of which was known as the Badlands. It’s the story of "old head" railroading, the comic book plant, a big hill (in both directions), coal mines, and much more – all in Southern Illinois!