Illinois Northern Railroad

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Illinois Northern Railroad
20000930 04 Illinois Northern RR at former Panhandle Xing (7357410620).jpg
Abandoned Illinois Northern track at former Panhandle Xing
Overview
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois, USA
Reporting markIN
Dates of operation1901–1975
SuccessorSanta Fe Railroad
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Track length16.07 miles (25.86 km) (1930)

The Illinois Northern Railroad (reporting mark IN) was an industrial switching railroad serving Chicago's southwest side. From their yard at 26th St. and Western Ave. the line went southwest to the Santa Fe (now BNSF) Railway's Corwith Yard, connecting with most major area railroads and serving on-line customers on the way. They also leased and switched track east of their yard. Incorporated in 1901, it was merged into the Santa Fe Railway in 1975.

History[]

The Illinois Northern Railroad was incorporated in 1901 by the McCormick Reaper Company (merged into the new International Harvester Co. in 1902). It was used primarily to switch their McCormick Plant and later Tractor Factory. This let them control any traffic that served the factories.[1][2]

After 1945 International Harvester started moving production from the two old factories to other locations and sold the Illinois Northern to four railroads. The Santa Fe bought a controlling 51%, 25% was bought by the Burlington, and the New York Central Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad each bought 12%.[3]

On February 16, 1975 the Illinois Northern was merged into the Santa Fe.[4]

In 2000 the Central Illinois Railroad was incorporated to operate the Illinois Northern route and some BNSF track east, in 2010 they went out of business and the BNSF resumed operating the line until it was closed.

Trackage[]

Illinois Northern track at 26th Street and Sacramento Avenue in Chicago

The main line ran west along the south side of 26th St., sometimes elevated, from Western Ave. to Sacramento Ave., where it turned southwest. At Central Park Ave. and 32nd St. the line turned south, crossed the Chicago Sanitary Canal on a swing bridge, and then into the Santa Fe's Corwith Yard. This section was leased from the Santa Fe Railroad.[5][6][7]}[8][9]

A yard with a freight house and engine servicing facilities was at the southwest corner of Western Ave. and 26th St. Immediately west, across a major north-south rail corridor, was the 26th St. switch yard. Connections to the north-south corridor were made here. Later the International Harvester Tractor Factory was built south of this yard. [10][11]

There were a number of on-line businesses on the diagonal section between Sacramento Ave. and Central Park Ave. Then the north and south section made connections with several main rail lines from the north end of their 33rd St. switch yard. Then the line crossed the Chicago Sanitary Canal on a twin-track through-truss swinging bridge. South of the bridge the line made connections with two railroads and then entered the Corwith Yard.[12][13][14][7][15]

The McCormick Works, the primary reason the railroad was incorporated, was just east of the service yard on the southeast corner of Western Ave. and Blue Island Ave. (a diagonal street which ends at 26th St. and Western Ave.). The McCormick complex had both mainline and switching tracks. The Illinois Northern leased a short distance of main and yard track northeast along Blue Island Ave. between Western Ave. and Hoyne Ave. from the Burlington Railroad (now BNSF Railway).[16][17][12]

East of Hoyne Ave. the Illinois Northern had trackage rights on the Burlington line along Blue Island Ave. to Lincoln (now Wolcott) Ave.[18]

As of 2020 no track between Western Ave. and the Sanitary Canal remained but some of the former Burlington tracks along Blue Island Ave. may still be in service.

Equipment[]

As a switching line the Illinois Northern never owned a road locomotive. In 1910 they owned six steam switching locomotives of the 0-6-0 type. In 1950 and 1951 they bought six Alco S4 B-B diesel locomotives, #29-#34. After being merged into the Santa Fe in 1975 Santa Fe (then BNSF) locomotives were used.[13]

In 1910 The Illinois Northern owned forty-eight revenue cars, thirty box cars and eighteen gondolas. In 1930 they owned sixty-two revenue cars. In 1971 they only owned three cabooses and two service cars.[7][13][14]

References[]

  1. ^ "Chicago line is incorporated, New Incorporations". Chicago Tribune. May 18, 1901. p. 13.
  2. ^ Interstate Commerce Commission Reports Vol. 29, Valuation Reports. US Government Printing Office. 1930. pp. 230–231. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "ICC authorizes railroad sale by Harvester". Chicago Tribune. January 5, 1950. pp. Section 3 page 5.
  4. ^ Letter to General Counsel, Illinois Northern Railway (sic). US Railroad Retirement Board. July 21, 1975.
  5. ^ The Official Railway Equipment Register. Railway Equipment and Publications Co. June 1910. p. 462. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  6. ^ ICC Vol. 29 (1930), p. 223 and map.
  7. ^ a b c Equipment Register (1971), pp. 512.
  8. ^ Englewood Quadrangle Illinois (Cook County) (PDF). US Geological Survey. 1929. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  9. ^ Englewood Quadrangle Illinois-Cook Co (PDF). US Geological Survey. 1980. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Sanborn Map. 1923. p. Vol. 12S Sheet 132.
  11. ^ Smoke Abatement and Electrification of railway terminals in Chicago. Rand McNally & Co. 1915. p. 350. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Smoke Abatement Report (1915), pp. 356.
  13. ^ a b c Equipment Register (1910), p. 462.
  14. ^ a b ICC Vol. 29 (1930), pp. 238.
  15. ^ Holth, Nathan (2012). Chicago's Bridges. Shire. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-74781103-9.
  16. ^ ICC Vol. 29 (1930), pp. 223, 236–237.
  17. ^ Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Sanborn Map. 1923. p. Vol. 8S Sheet 126.
  18. ^ ICC Vol. 29 (1930), pp. 223, 237.
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