Chicago Union Station Company
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Union Station Company owns Chicago
's Union Station
and the approach tracks. It was originally owned equally by four companies - the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway
and Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
(two Pennsylvania Railroad
subsidiaries), the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
(Burlington Route), and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
(Milwaukee Road) - and is now owned fully by Amtrak
.
on the same spot. On May 7, 1915 the company was renamed to the Chicago Union Station Company. The station was opened May 16, 1925, with viaduct
construction for cross streets lasting into 1927.
The connection with the PFW&C was at the south end of the CUS trackage at the Roosevelt Road
crossing. The north end of CUS trackage is at the curve near Kinzie Street, west of which the PCC&StL and CM&StP shared trackage to a split at Western Avenue
. At the Roosevelt Road crossing, the tracks of the CB&Q split to the west, turning west just after crossing under the St. Charles Air Line Railroad
. A fifth line - the Chicago and Alton Railroad - merged with the PFW&C line at Alton Junction
and used Union Station, admitted on September 18, 1915.
The last Pennsylvania Railroad
train into the north side of Union Station (via the PCC&StL) ran April 23, 1927; after then all PRR passenger service ran out the south side and the PFW&C, using the South Chicago and Southern Railroad to reach the PCC&StL.
Buildings were gradually built over the sunken approach tracks using leased air rights
.
A new connection at Englewood Station
was completed October 15, 1971, allowing trains on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
to run over the PFW&C to Union Station instead of to LaSalle Street Station. This was never used by passenger trains, as the dying Rock Island decided to continue using LaSalle, and Metra
's Rock Island District
commuter trains still use that same route.
The CM&StP became the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
in 1928, and their approach trackage, shared with the PCC&StL, has since been acquired by Metra
. The CB&Q and its approach is now part of the BNSF Railway
, and the PFW&C trackage is now owned by Norfolk Southern (transferred from Conrail in 1998). The CUS itself is now wholly owned by Amtrak
. Amtrak also owns former PFW&C trackage from Roosevelt Road south to Alton Junction
(21st Street), including their 14th Street Maintenance Facility.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
and the approach tracks. It was originally owned equally by four companies - the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway
The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway was a major part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system, extending the PRR west from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania via Fort Wayne, Indiana to Chicago, Illinois...
and Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, commonly called the Pan Handle Route , was a railroad forming part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its common name came from its main line west from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania across the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia...
(two Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
subsidiaries), the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
(Burlington Route), and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
(Milwaukee Road) - and is now owned fully by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
.
History
The Union Station Company was incorporated July 3, 1913 and organized November 19, 1913 to replace the old union stationUnion station
A union station is the term used for a train station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them...
on the same spot. On May 7, 1915 the company was renamed to the Chicago Union Station Company. The station was opened May 16, 1925, with viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
construction for cross streets lasting into 1927.
The connection with the PFW&C was at the south end of the CUS trackage at the Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road
Roosevelt Road is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. It is 1200 South in the city's street numbering system, but only one mile south of Madison Street...
crossing. The north end of CUS trackage is at the curve near Kinzie Street, west of which the PCC&StL and CM&StP shared trackage to a split at Western Avenue
Western Avenue (Chicago)
Western Avenue is the longest continuous street within the city of Chicago at in length. Western Avenue extends south as a continuous road to the Dixie Highway at Sibley Boulevard in Dixmoor, giving the road a total length of . However, Western Avenue extends intermittently through the...
. At the Roosevelt Road crossing, the tracks of the CB&Q split to the west, turning west just after crossing under the St. Charles Air Line Railroad
St. Charles Air Line Railroad
The St. Charles Air Line is a jointly-owned rail line located in Chicago, Illinois. It is owned by the BNSF Railway , Union Pacific Railroad , and Canadian National Railway ....
. A fifth line - the Chicago and Alton Railroad - merged with the PFW&C line at Alton Junction
Alton Junction
The Alton Junction, more commonly known as the 21st Street Crossing, is a historically significant rail location in Chicago, Illinois. The junction can be found just east of Canal Street and north of Cermak Road near Chicago's Chinatown...
and used Union Station, admitted on September 18, 1915.
The last Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
train into the north side of Union Station (via the PCC&StL) ran April 23, 1927; after then all PRR passenger service ran out the south side and the PFW&C, using the South Chicago and Southern Railroad to reach the PCC&StL.
Buildings were gradually built over the sunken approach tracks using leased air rights
Air rights
Air rights are a type of development right in real estate, referring to the empty space above a property. Generally speaking, owning or renting land or a building gives one the right to use and develop the air rights....
.
A new connection at Englewood Station
Englewood Station (Chicago)
Englewood Station or Englewood Union Station in Chicago, Illinois' south side Englewood neighborhood was a crucial junction and passenger depot for three railroads - the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, the New York Central Railroad, and the Pennsylvania Railroad - although it was for the...
was completed October 15, 1971, allowing trains on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
to run over the PFW&C to Union Station instead of to LaSalle Street Station. This was never used by passenger trains, as the dying Rock Island decided to continue using LaSalle, and Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
's Rock Island District
Rock Island District
The Rock Island District is a commuter rail line operated by Metra from Chicago, Illinois, United States, southwest to Joliet. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the Rock Island District line are printed in "Rocket Red"...
commuter trains still use that same route.
The CM&StP became the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
in 1928, and their approach trackage, shared with the PCC&StL, has since been acquired by Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
. The CB&Q and its approach is now part of the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, and the PFW&C trackage is now owned by Norfolk Southern (transferred from Conrail in 1998). The CUS itself is now wholly owned by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
. Amtrak also owns former PFW&C trackage from Roosevelt Road south to Alton Junction
Alton Junction
The Alton Junction, more commonly known as the 21st Street Crossing, is a historically significant rail location in Chicago, Illinois. The junction can be found just east of Canal Street and north of Cermak Road near Chicago's Chinatown...
(21st Street), including their 14th Street Maintenance Facility.