I haven't been able to find anything out regarding the expense involved, but I will keep looking. Here's a link that will tell you something about the rail service to Rock Island at that time. Folks used to ride the train to a major depot and then find other means to get to the outlying communities. Rock Island, Galesburg and Peoria were the closest major depots to New Boston which is in Mercer County, a bit past Aledo, Illinois. For the most part farming communities with low populations even now.

http://www.qconline.com/progress98/places/132.htm

And here's a map to show you where Mercer County is in relation to the Quad Cities...(which includes, Rock Island, Moline, East Moline and Davenport Iowa)


http://www.outfitters.com/illinois/mercer/state_map_mercer.h...

And here' s another map showing where New Boston is located within Mercer County...


http://www.outfitters.com/illinois/mercer/com_map_mercer.htm...

Township Map:

http://www.outfitters.com/illinois/mercer/twpmap_mercer.html

And here's another map to show just where these lines ran through Illinois at that time. One must remember that just because they drove the last spike in about 1869 didn't mean all roads were connected yet. :) There still was a bit of a commute from the station to your destination. :) I can remember my folks saying they had to go much as 180 miles at one time just to get to a major airport, or to Galesburg to just get a train to Chicago. So travelin' meant travelin' in those days. :)

http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/1850/maps/inde...