Carbondale, Illinois, is a college town. It has also been a railroad town, at least to some extent, since its inception. Once a hub from whence branch lines radiated, the town has gone from a freight hub to a passenger hub. Since the days when the Illinois Central Railroad was in the business of operating passenger trains, Carbondale has been the point of origin and termination of trains geared toward the student trade. This continues today under Amtrak. View more on the Along The Rails blog and photo copyright Mary Rae McPherson.