St. Louis, Peoria and North Western Railway
Encyclopedia
The St. Louis, Peoria and North Western Railway was a short-lived and nominally independent railroad of 114.6 miles in length. It extended from near Benld, Illinois
, its southern end, to Peoria, Illinois
at its northern end. It was constructed in 1911-1913 with $10.0 million in capital raised by the Chicago and North Western Railway
(C & NW) to haul coal
from Macoupin County
mines operated by the Superior Coal Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chicago and Northwestern.
.
The St. Louis, Peoria and North Western was not built as a passenger line and deliberately avoided population centers located on or close to its right-of-way. For example, the railroad's right-of-way never approached closer than 3.5 miles to the city center of Springfield, Illinois
, and did not provide passenger service to Springfield.
The six Macoupin coal mines served by the St. Louis, Peoria and Northwestern yielded an estimated 2.0 million tons of coal annually, almost all of which was burned by the Chicago and North Western in its steam railway operations. The C & NW's grain-belt
trunk lines did not serve any coal fields, and until 1914 the Chicago-based railroad had to purchase much of its coal from outside suppliers.
The dieselization of the Chicago and North Western reduced the Chicago-based railroad's need for an in-house coal supply. Passage, starting in 1963, of the of the Clean Air Acts
made Macoupin County coal redundant. Coal haulage declined on the Girard-Peoria line, and the branch line went out of use in the 1990s.
has been rededicated to rails-to-trails use. In July 2011, part of the right-of-way was reopened as the Sangamon Valley Trail
.
One of the abandoned Macoupin County coal mines operated by the Chicago and Northwestern as part of its St. Louis, Peoria and North Western operations has apparently caused mine subsidence, which has allegedly caused severe damage to an elementary school in Benld. As of August 2010 the school district has sued the Union Pacific, the corporate successor of the C & NW, for $22 million in damages.
Benld, Illinois
Benld is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,541 at the 2000 census. The name derives from founder Benjamin L. Dorsey ....
, its southern end, to Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
at its northern end. It was constructed in 1911-1913 with $10.0 million in capital raised by the Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
(C & NW) to haul coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from Macoupin County
Macoupin County, Illinois
Macoupin County is a county located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 47,765, which is a decrease of 2.6% from 49,019 in 2000. The county seat is Carlinville. Macoupin County is an outlying county of the Metro-East region...
mines operated by the Superior Coal Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Chicago and Northwestern.
History
Apparently for legal purposes, the Benld-Peoria railroad project was incorporated in 1911 as if it was an independent railroad. It was always an adjunct of the Chicago and North Western, and in December 1913 upon the St. Louis, Peoria and North Western's completion, the branch line was consolidated into the C & NW. The new branch line entered active service in 1914. After the consolidation of the former St. Louis, Peoria and North Western into the C & NW, the branch line was further extended southward to Worden, IllinoisWorden, Illinois
Worden is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 905 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Worden is located at ....
.
The St. Louis, Peoria and North Western was not built as a passenger line and deliberately avoided population centers located on or close to its right-of-way. For example, the railroad's right-of-way never approached closer than 3.5 miles to the city center of Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, and did not provide passenger service to Springfield.
The six Macoupin coal mines served by the St. Louis, Peoria and Northwestern yielded an estimated 2.0 million tons of coal annually, almost all of which was burned by the Chicago and North Western in its steam railway operations. The C & NW's grain-belt
Corn Belt
The Corn Belt is a region of the Midwestern United States where corn has, since the 1850s, been the predominant crop, replacing the native tall grasses. By 1950, 99% of the corn was grown from hybrids. Most corn is fed to livestock, especially hogs and poultry. In recent decades soybeans have...
trunk lines did not serve any coal fields, and until 1914 the Chicago-based railroad had to purchase much of its coal from outside suppliers.
The dieselization of the Chicago and North Western reduced the Chicago-based railroad's need for an in-house coal supply. Passage, starting in 1963, of the of the Clean Air Acts
Clean Air Act (United States)
The Clean Air Act is a United States federal law enacted by Congress, and signed by President Richard Nixon on December 31, 1970 to control air pollution on a national level. It requires the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and enforce regulations to protect the general public from...
made Macoupin County coal redundant. Coal haulage declined on the Girard-Peoria line, and the branch line went out of use in the 1990s.
Current events
That section of the roadbed located in Sangamon County, IllinoisSangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 197,465, which is an increase of 4.5% from 188,951 in 2000...
has been rededicated to rails-to-trails use. In July 2011, part of the right-of-way was reopened as the Sangamon Valley Trail
Sangamon Valley Trail
The Sangamon Valley Trail is a rail trail on the west side of Sangamon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Skirting Springfield, Illinois, it extends from Centennial Park, on Springfield's southwest side, to Stuart Park on the same city's northwest side...
.
One of the abandoned Macoupin County coal mines operated by the Chicago and Northwestern as part of its St. Louis, Peoria and North Western operations has apparently caused mine subsidence, which has allegedly caused severe damage to an elementary school in Benld. As of August 2010 the school district has sued the Union Pacific, the corporate successor of the C & NW, for $22 million in damages.