Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway
Encyclopedia
The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, also known as the Big Four Railroad and commonly abbreviated CCC&StL, was a railroad company in the Midwestern United States
.
Its primary routes were located in Illinois
, Indiana
, Michigan
, and Ohio
.
, the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway
and the Indianapolis and St. Louis Railway. The following year, the company gained control of the former Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway (through the foreclosed Ohio, Indiana and Western Railway and through an operating agreement with the Peoria and Eastern Railway
).
In 1906, the Big Four was acquired by the New York Central Railroad
, which operated it as a separate entity until 1922. The Big Four's lines were later incorporated into Penn Central in 1968 with the merger of New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad
. Penn Central declared bankruptcy
in 1970, and in 1976 many of Big Four's lines were included in the government-sponsored Conrail
. Conrail was privatized in 1987 and in 1997 was jointly acquired by CSX
and Norfolk Southern
.
, in the Chesapeake Building at 105 S. Meridian Street
. The building was constructed for the railroad in 1929 and was also known as the Big Four Building. In 2007 this multi-story structure became a Hampton Inn
hotel.
Nearby, on the southwest corner of Pennsylvania and Georgia streets in the Wholesale District of downtown Indianapolis, a large building was built by the railroad to serve as one of its maintenance shops. Until the neighboring Conseco Fieldhouse
was constructed in the late 1990s, an elevated track crossed Pennsylvania Street into a partially open locomotive service bay, which itself remains visible along the south side of the second story of this still standing structure. During the Conrail era, most of the building was used mainly as office space; its successor, CSX, still uses a portion of this Georgia Street facility.
The railroad also once operated a terminal
at Bellefontaine, Ohio
which included the largest roundhouse
in use at that time between New York City
and St. Louis, Missouri
.
Conrail closed the Bellefontaine terminal in 1983, and its roundhouse was dismantled.
A large yard facility, known to this day as the Big Four Yards, is located in Avon, Indiana
along the line's tracks, now owned and operated by CSX.
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
.
Its primary routes were located in Illinois
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,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
History
The railroad was formed on June 30, 1889 by the merger of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis RailwayCleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway
The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway was formed from the merger of the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad with the Bellefontaine Railway in 1868...
, the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway
Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway
The Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway is a historic railroad in the United States.The CISL&C resulted from the 1880 corporate restructuring of the bankrupt Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette Railroad...
and the Indianapolis and St. Louis Railway. The following year, the company gained control of the former Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway (through the foreclosed Ohio, Indiana and Western Railway and through an operating agreement with the Peoria and Eastern Railway
Peoria and Eastern Railway
The Peoria and Eastern Railway was incorporated on February 21, 1890, for the purpose of constructing or acquiring a railway between Pekin, Illinois, and Indianapolis, Indiana. The following day, the company acquired such a railroad from Charles H...
).
In 1906, the Big Four was acquired by the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
, which operated it as a separate entity until 1922. The Big Four's lines were later incorporated into Penn Central in 1968 with the merger of New York Central and the 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....
. Penn Central declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1970, and in 1976 many of Big Four's lines were included in the government-sponsored Conrail
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
. Conrail was privatized in 1987 and in 1997 was jointly acquired by CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
and Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
Notable Facilities
The railroad was headquartered in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, in the Chesapeake Building at 105 S. Meridian Street
Meridian Street (Indianapolis)
Meridian Street is the primary north-south street in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.Meridian Street was formerly aligned with US 31 for much of its length in the city of Indianapolis, before being re-routed to a segment of Interstate 465. The street delineates east addresses from west...
. The building was constructed for the railroad in 1929 and was also known as the Big Four Building. In 2007 this multi-story structure became a Hampton Inn
Hampton Inn
'Hampton Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton are the names of a brand of hotels trademarked by Hilton Worldwide. Most Hampton hotels are independently owned and operated by franchisees, though a few are owned and/or managed by the Hilton Hotels Corporation...
hotel.
Nearby, on the southwest corner of Pennsylvania and Georgia streets in the Wholesale District of downtown Indianapolis, a large building was built by the railroad to serve as one of its maintenance shops. Until the neighboring Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
was constructed in the late 1990s, an elevated track crossed Pennsylvania Street into a partially open locomotive service bay, which itself remains visible along the south side of the second story of this still standing structure. During the Conrail era, most of the building was used mainly as office space; its successor, CSX, still uses a portion of this Georgia Street facility.
The railroad also once operated a terminal
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
at Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,069 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Bellefontaine Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003...
which included the largest roundhouse
Roundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
in use at that time between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
Conrail closed the Bellefontaine terminal in 1983, and its roundhouse was dismantled.
A large yard facility, known to this day as the Big Four Yards, is located in Avon, Indiana
Avon, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,248 people, 2,127 households, and 1,786 families residing in the town. The population density was 976.2 people per square mile . There were 2,240 housing units at an average density of 351.1 per square mile...
along the line's tracks, now owned and operated by CSX.
See also
- Melville E. IngallsMelville E. IngallsMelville Ezra Ingalls , commonly abbreviated M.E. Ingalls, was a Massachusetts state legislator who went on to become president of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad .-Career:...
— railroad president 1889–1905. - Purdue WreckPurdue WreckThe Purdue Wreck was a railroad train collision in Indianapolis, Indiana, on October 31, 1903, that killed 17 people, including 14 players on the Purdue University football team.Two special trains operated by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St...
— 1903 train collision
External links
- History of The Cleveland Cincinnati Chicago and St Louis Railway and its predecessors from the 1913 Annual Report of The New York Central Railroad System.
- Columbus, Ohio Railroads history page