Under Construction

Illinois Trolley Lines

We have a full page on the Fox River Valley line.

Bloomington & Normal Ry. & Light Co.

8, work car, was rebuilt from a city car.

Bloomington Pontiac & Joliet Electric Ry.

201 "Dwight" was built by American Car Co in 1904.  It was scrapped in 1925.

Bluff City Electric Street Ry.

4 was built by Brill Car Co in 1898.  It became Chicago & Milwaukee Electric Ry 4 in 1898 and later was used as a work car.

Central Electric Railfans Association

 We have a picture of their private car.

The line was apparently begun in 1901 in steam service as AD&R, In 1906 passenger service was operated with gas cars and went under bankrupt in 1908 and closed. In 1909 it was reorganized as CA&D and electrified in 1910. There 3 passenger cars and 2 freight motors. They also had 2 steam locomotives which were retired after 1911 when all electric was operated. The line was in receivership in 1913 until 1917 and again from 1918 until 1923. Operation was closed on January 31, 1923.

8 was built by Kuhlman in 1907 and sold shortly.

21 was built by American Car in 1910 and retired in 1923.

22 was built by American Car in 1910 and retired in 1923.

24 was built by American Car in 1910. It was taken by Elgin & Belvidere to replace their 205 after the CA&D had wrecked it. It apparently was never used by E&B and scrapped in the late 1930s.

302 was a weed killer.

Chicago Aurora & Elgin

 Index

 They owned a street car and you can find the complete story under North Shore Line 350 Series Cars.

Chicago Harvard & Geneva Lake Ry.

 I have a full page on this line.

Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee

 Index.

 I have a full page on this line.

Index.

Index.

This company operated out of St. Louis on the Eads Bridge into East St. Louis and then fanned out on four main routes. It was formed in 1892 and took over the various independent lines in the area. In 1896 the line over the Eads Bridge was built. In 1897 a freight line to Belleville was built and in 1898 a parallel passenger line opened. A branch from it at Edgemont was opened to Collinsville in 1899. A more direct line to Collinsville from East St. Louis opened in 1901 and the line was extended to Edwardsville in 1902. In `1903 a line was built from Edgemont to Lebanon using the former B&O trackage between O'Fallon and Lebanon. In 1905 the line from East St Louis to Alton was opened and the same year there was a connection built between Mitchell and Edwardsville. Freight service, as well as frequent passenger service was provided. In 1922 it was dominated by the North American Company which also owned the Illinois Traction and the two systems came under common control. But by this time the system was on a downward trend and disintegration began. The Alton line was sold to the IT as part of their re-organization into Illinois Terminal. It was operated until 1953 by them except for the Mitchell-Edwardsville line which was abandoned in 1932. The Lebanon line was abandoned in 1928 and part of the line to O'Fallon was taken over by the IT for steam freight service. Also in 1928 the line between Edgemont and Caseyville was abandoned. Collinsville to Edwardsville was also abandoned in 1928. The remaining trackage was abandoned in 1932 except for the freight line to Belleville which had been operating as the St. Louis & Belleville Electric. It was purchased by Union Electric Co and operated until after World War II when they sold it to Peabody Coal and it was operated as the Peabody Short Line and dieselized. In 1961 the line was purchased by the Illinois Central.

19 was part of the Alton line.

01 was a freight motor.

We have a full page on this line.

This was another of those lines which never should have been built, but which lasted unusually long.

The name indicates the original plan of the promoters, to link the Fox and Illinois Rivers. But the line only succeeded in connecting Yorkville, on the Aurora Elgin & Fox River Electric Ry, and Morris, on the Chicago & Illinois Valley Ry. These lines also connected via the Aurora Plainfield & Joliet which served a more developed area.

The line was built in 1911 and was equipped with 2 combines and 1 freight motor. They were built by McGuire-Cummings and look as if they were inspired by the Illinois Traction System.

On February 3, 1931, passenger service ended. The cars remained until 1933 when they were scrapped. Freight motor 7 was equipped with a gas engine and the line continued under the ownership of the five grain elevators on the line. On February 20, 1938, total abandonment was authorized, but the final run was made on October 21, 1938.

Here are photos of the two passenger cars. They were MU equipped, but there was little chance for both of them to have to be operated as a train.

The freight motor found additional life when it was sold to the Colorado & Southeastern RR which was later renamed Colorado Railroad.

I have a full page on the electrified Chicago suburban service.

We have a full page on this operation.

Index.

Joliet Plainfield & Aurora RR

Joliet & Southern Traction Co.

Joliet & Eastern Traction Co.

Aurora Plainfield & Joliet Ry.

 I have a page on this group of lines which were under common ownership for 7 years.

Lee County Central Electric Ry.

 I have a full page on this trolley line turned short line.

Lightweight cars which went to Oklahoma.

I have a full page on this abandoned steam and trolley operated railroad.

100, S2M, was built by Alco and converted to straight electric operation.

There is further information on the Illinois Industrial Railroad page.

This narrow gauge locomotive was preserved in the front yard of a former employee.

WebWork by rinity echnology Co.

AMDG

7/11/2008

Memorial of Saint Benedict

Choose Life

The God of glory thunders.

In His temple they all cry "Glory".

Psalm 29:9