Chicago and St. Louis Railway
Encyclopedia
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
. More than half of the line is now part of the BNSF Railway
's Southern Transcon
.
chartered the Chicago and Plainfield Railroad on February 24, 1859 to build a railroad from Chicago via Lyons, Plainfield, and Lisbon or Newark to Ottawa. In 1867, the General Assembly authorized a branch into Peoria County, and in 1869 it was renamed twice with expanded powers: first on March 29 to Chicago, Plainfield and Pekin Railroad, with the power to build on any route from Chicago via Plainfield to Pekin, and then on April 19 to Chicago, Pekin and Southwestern Railroad (CP&SW), with only Chicago and Pekin named as intermediate points. The road's first construction contract was dated August 21, 1869, and on January 6, 1873 it was opened from Streator to Pekin, except for about 6 miles (9.7 km) of trackage rights
on the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway between Eureka (Streator Junction) and Washington (Pekin Junction). In 1875 the CP&SW bought an unfinished grade between Streator and the Mazon River
at Gorman from the Chicago and Illinois River Railroad
(C&IR), which it opened for operation on May 21, 1876, along with trackage rights into Joliet on the C&IR. The CP&SW was also known as the "Hinckley road" after president Francis E. Hinckley.
The CP&SW was sold at foreclosure on May 31, 1881 to Hinckley and reorganized on May 15, 1882 as the Chicago, St. Louis and Western Railroad. Another reorganization in March 1885 produced the Chicago and St. Louis Railway, which on December 21, 1885 opened an extension beyond the Mazon River, paralleling the old C&IR to Joliet and continuing on to Corwith in Chicago, from where it had trackage rights over the Chicago and Southern Railroad
. Finally, in December 1886, new Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
subsidiary Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railway, bought the line as part of a project to extend the Santa Fe from Kansas City to Chicago, which, including the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago from Corwith to near downtown Chicago, was completed on July 1, 1888. The new main line left the old Chicago and St. Louis at Ancona
, making the Ancona-Pekin segment a branch line, the Santa Fe's only one in Illinois outside Chicago.
The Santa Fe and Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR) jointly acquired control of the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad (TP&W), successor to the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway, in 1960, and in January 1981 the Santa Fe bought the PRR's 50% share from successor Penn Central Corporation, merging it on December 3, 1983. The TP&W branched off the Santa Fe's Chicago line at Lomax, Illinois
and headed east through Peoria (just north of Pekin) to Logansport, Indiana
, and so this acquisition allowed the Santa Fe to abandon most of its Pekin Branch. However, the Santa Fe soon had second thoughts about the TP&W merger, and in February 1989 a new independent Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
acquired the old TP&W, as well a short remnant of the Pekin Branch between Crandall and Morton. The rest of the old line, between Corwith and Ancona, is now part of successor BNSF Railway
's Chillicothe Subdivision.
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...
that owned a line between 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...
and Pekin, Illinois
Pekin, Illinois
Pekin is a the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River, Pekin is also the largest city of Tazewell County, and a key part of the Peoria metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population is 34,094. A small portion of the city limits extends...
. More than half of the line 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...
's Southern Transcon
Southern Transcon
The Southern Transcon is a main line of the BNSF Railway between Southern California and Chicago, Illinois. Completed in 1908 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, when it opened the Belen Cutoff in New Mexico and bypassed the steep grades of Raton Pass, it now serves as a mostly...
.
History
The Illinois General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
chartered the Chicago and Plainfield Railroad on February 24, 1859 to build a railroad from Chicago via Lyons, Plainfield, and Lisbon or Newark to Ottawa. In 1867, the General Assembly authorized a branch into Peoria County, and in 1869 it was renamed twice with expanded powers: first on March 29 to Chicago, Plainfield and Pekin Railroad, with the power to build on any route from Chicago via Plainfield to Pekin, and then on April 19 to Chicago, Pekin and Southwestern Railroad (CP&SW), with only Chicago and Pekin named as intermediate points. The road's first construction contract was dated August 21, 1869, and on January 6, 1873 it was opened from Streator to Pekin, except for about 6 miles (9.7 km) of 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....
on the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway between Eureka (Streator Junction) and Washington (Pekin Junction). In 1875 the CP&SW bought an unfinished grade between Streator and the Mazon River
Mazon River
The Mazon River or "Mazon Creek", is a tributary of the Illinois River in the United States. The confluence is near Morris, Illinois.The Mazon River is associated with the Mazon Creek fossils of the Francis Creek Shale, which are also exposed in strip mines and quarries near the River...
at Gorman from the Chicago and Illinois River Railroad
Chicago and Illinois River Railroad
The Chicago and Illinois River Railroad was a predecessor of the Alton Railroad that built a line from Joliet southwest through Coal City, Illinois, to the Mazon River...
(C&IR), which it opened for operation on May 21, 1876, along with trackage rights into Joliet on the C&IR. The CP&SW was also known as the "Hinckley road" after president Francis E. Hinckley.
The CP&SW was sold at foreclosure on May 31, 1881 to Hinckley and reorganized on May 15, 1882 as the Chicago, St. Louis and Western Railroad. Another reorganization in March 1885 produced the Chicago and St. Louis Railway, which on December 21, 1885 opened an extension beyond the Mazon River, paralleling the old C&IR to Joliet and continuing on to Corwith in Chicago, from where it had trackage rights over the Chicago and Southern Railroad
Chicago and Southern Railroad
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,...
. Finally, in December 1886, new 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...
subsidiary Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railway, bought the line as part of a project to extend the Santa Fe from Kansas City to Chicago, which, including the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago from Corwith to near downtown Chicago, was completed on July 1, 1888. The new main line left the old Chicago and St. Louis at Ancona
Ancona, Illinois
Ancona is an unincorporated community in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. Ancona is located along a railroad line south-southwest of Streator. Ancona has a post office with ZIP code 61311. It formerly served the Santa Fe Railway at Ancona Station. It is part of the geographic region...
, making the Ancona-Pekin segment a branch line, the Santa Fe's only one in Illinois outside Chicago.
The Santa Fe and 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....
(PRR) jointly acquired control of the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad (TP&W), successor to the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw Railway, in 1960, and in January 1981 the Santa Fe bought the PRR's 50% share from successor Penn Central Corporation, merging it on December 3, 1983. The TP&W branched off the Santa Fe's Chicago line at Lomax, Illinois
Lomax, Illinois
Lomax is a village in Henderson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 477 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Lomax is located at ....
and headed east through Peoria (just north of Pekin) to Logansport, Indiana
Logansport, Indiana
Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...
, and so this acquisition allowed the Santa Fe to abandon most of its Pekin Branch. However, the Santa Fe soon had second thoughts about the TP&W merger, and in February 1989 a new independent Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Mapleton, Illinois, through Peoria across Illinois to Logansport, Indiana, and includes a branch line between Logansport to Winamac, Indiana...
acquired the old TP&W, as well a short remnant of the Pekin Branch between Crandall and Morton. The rest of the old line, between Corwith and Ancona, is now part of successor 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...
's Chillicothe Subdivision.