Chicago and Southern Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Chicago and Southern Railroad built a rail line in northeastern Illinois
, extending south from Chicago
to Thornton. It now mainly forms part of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
, while the north end has been operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
, the Illinois Northern Railway, and most recently the Central Illinois Railroad
.
, which used it as its access to Chicago. (Prior to 1876 the CD&V had entered Chicago via trackage rights
over the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway from Dolton, several miles north of Thornton, where the CD&V ended.) The Chicago and Southern headed northwest from Thornton, crossing the Illinois Central Railroad
at Harvey, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
at Blue Island, and the Chicago and Alton Railroad at Corwith before curving east along 26th Street, crossing the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway and ending just west of Western Avenue at a junction with the Lumber District of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
. The narrow-gauge Chicago, Millington and Western Railway briefly used the portion on 26th Street.
The CD&V was reorganized in 1877 as the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
, and on July 31, 1878 the Chicago and Southern was sold at foreclosure to representatives of the Grand Trunk Railway
, which reorganized it as the Chicago and State Line Railway. In the next two years, the Grand Trunk completed a line between Port Huron, Michigan
and Chicago, consolidating its components on April 6, 1880 to form new subsidiary Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway. To provide improved access to Chicago, the Grand Trunk Junction Railway
was incorporated in 1880 and opened in 1881, branching off the old line at Elsdon and following 49th Street east past the Union Stock Yards
to the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
, a terminal railroad
that was later controlled jointly by the Grand Trunk Junction and four other railroads.
The Chicago and St. Louis Railway
opened a line between Pekin and Chicago on December 21, 1885, initially using the Chicago and Grand Trunk between Corwith and the end in 26th Street. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which had acquired the Chicago and St. Louis in December 1886 through subsidiary Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railway, bought the line between Elsdon and 26th Street on July 20, 1887. Santa Fe subsidiary Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago completed a more direct entrance to Chicago in 1888, and in 1902 the Illinois Northern Railway, controlled by the International Harvester Company, which owned a plant near 26th Street, leased the entire line except for short sections at the junctions at Corwith and Elsdon. The Santa Fe also retained its Corwith Yard between these junctions.
The Santa Fe eventually bought control of the Illinois Northern, and merged it in 1975. Successor Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway leased the line north of Corwith to new shortline Central Illinois Railroad
in 2000.
As for the line south of Elsdon, it remains owned and operated by the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
as part of its Elsdon Subdivision.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, extending south from Chicago
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...
to Thornton. It now mainly forms part of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway , constituting the majority of CN's Chicago Division ....
, while the north end has been operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
, the Illinois Northern Railway, and most recently the Central Illinois Railroad
Central Illinois Railroad
The Central Illinois Railroad is a shortline railroad in Illinois. The switching and terminal railroad operates trackage near Peoria, Illinois...
.
History
The Chicago and Southern Railroad was incorporated on April 7, 1874, and was opened in 1876 under lease to the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes RailroadChicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad
The Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad was a railroad established in 1865 that served various communities along the eastern border of Illinois...
, which used it as its access to Chicago. (Prior to 1876 the CD&V had entered Chicago via trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway from Dolton, several miles north of Thornton, where the CD&V ended.) The Chicago and Southern headed northwest from Thornton, crossing the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
at Harvey, 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:...
at Blue Island, and the Chicago and Alton Railroad at Corwith before curving east along 26th Street, crossing the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway and ending just west of Western Avenue at a junction with the Lumber District of 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,...
. The narrow-gauge Chicago, Millington and Western Railway briefly used the portion on 26th Street.
The CD&V was reorganized in 1877 as the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, and Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and stayed relatively strong throughout the Great Depression and two World Wars before being purchased by the Missouri Pacific...
, and on July 31, 1878 the Chicago and Southern was sold at foreclosure to representatives of the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
, which reorganized it as the Chicago and State Line Railway. In the next two years, the Grand Trunk completed a line between Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
and Chicago, consolidating its components on April 6, 1880 to form new subsidiary Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway. To provide improved access to Chicago, the Grand Trunk Junction Railway
Grand Trunk Junction Railway
The Grand Trunk Junction Railway was a subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway that built a connecting line along 49th Street in Chicago, Illinois. The company was incorporated on June 11, 1880, and opened on August 29, 1881 under lease to the Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway...
was incorporated in 1880 and opened in 1881, branching off the old line at Elsdon and following 49th Street east past the Union Stock Yards
Union Stock Yards
The Union Stock Yard & Transit Co., or The Yards, was the meat packing district in Chicago for over a century starting in 1865. The district was operated by a group of railroad companies that acquired swampland, and turned it to a centralized processing area...
to the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
The Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad was the owner of Dearborn Station in Chicago and the trackage leading to it. It was owned equally by five of the railroads using it to reach the terminal, and kept those companies from needing their own lines into the city...
, a terminal railroad
Terminal Railroad
Terminal Railroad or Terminal Railway may refer to:*Terminal railroad, a railroad that operates a terminal facility*Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks*Terminal Railway of Buffalo, predecessor of the New York Central Railroad...
that was later controlled jointly by the Grand Trunk Junction and four other railroads.
The Chicago and St. Louis Railway
Chicago and St. Louis Railway
The Chicago and St. Louis Railway was a predecessor of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway that owned a line between Chicago and Pekin, Illinois...
opened a line between Pekin and Chicago on December 21, 1885, initially using the Chicago and Grand Trunk between Corwith and the end in 26th Street. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which had acquired the Chicago and St. Louis in December 1886 through subsidiary Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railway, bought the line between Elsdon and 26th Street on July 20, 1887. Santa Fe subsidiary Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago completed a more direct entrance to Chicago in 1888, and in 1902 the Illinois Northern Railway, controlled by the International Harvester Company, which owned a plant near 26th Street, leased the entire line except for short sections at the junctions at Corwith and Elsdon. The Santa Fe also retained its Corwith Yard between these junctions.
The Santa Fe eventually bought control of the Illinois Northern, and merged it in 1975. Successor Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway leased the line north of Corwith to new shortline Central Illinois Railroad
Central Illinois Railroad
The Central Illinois Railroad is a shortline railroad in Illinois. The switching and terminal railroad operates trackage near Peoria, Illinois...
in 2000.
As for the line south of Elsdon, it remains owned and operated by the Grand Trunk Western Railroad
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
The Grand Trunk Western Railroad is an important subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway , constituting the majority of CN's Chicago Division ....
as part of its Elsdon Subdivision.