KCSfan wrote: In pre-merger times many major US RR's had only cities in their corporate names; e.g., Spokane, Portland & Seattle. What were the three biggest roads in order of route miles that fit this category and actually served (unlike the St. Louis - San Francisco) all the cities in their names?
Second is Chicago Burlington & Quincy - Definitely served all those towns and while its main line was not as long as others with Pacific in the name.
Last place would be the Louisville & Wadley? 10 miles between the two. These days Louisville is no longer connected and they only have 2 miles of track.
Sorry about the Milwaukee Road guys but the Pacific in its name, Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific, rules it out.
The third longest road was the Soo, Minneapolis St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie. Since Carl was the first to correctly name all three roads he gets the cigar and is up to ask the next question.
Mark
OK; I'll stick to Chicago, since everybody knows a lot about it .
On the City's northwest side (east and a little bit south of O'Hare), there's a street, Forest Preserve Drive, that runs from southwest to northeast, cutting across the otherwise orderly grid of Chicago streets. Most people don't know it, but this was once a railroad--and one of the big guys! I've seen maps showing this line, yet can't confirm that it was actually built. My first knowledge of this line was from a map in a large study proposing electrification of main lines in Chicago, back in the early part of the Twentieth Century. Assuming that it existed:
1. Whose line was it?
2. From where to where did it run? (The street itself doesn't extend to either end-point, and both end-points are still well-known rail junctions.)
Hint: The northern half of Chicago was dominated, historically, by three railroads: C&NW, MILW, and Soo Line. The railroad owning this line was not one of those three.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
CShaveRR wrote: OK; I'll stick to Chicago, since everybody knows a lot about it .On the City's northwest side (east and a little bit south of O'Hare), there's a street, Forest Preserve Drive, that runs from southwest to northeast, cutting across the otherwise orderly grid of Chicago streets. Most people don't know it, but this was once a railroad--and one of the big guys! I've seen maps showing this line, yet can't confirm that it was actually built. My first knowledge of this line was from a map in a large study proposing electrification of main lines in Chicago, back in the early part of the Twentieth Century. Assuming that it existed:1. Whose line was it?2. From where to where did it run? (The street itself doesn't extend to either end-point, and both end-points are still well-known rail junctions.)Hint: The northern half of Chicago was dominated, historically, by three railroads: C&NW, MILW, and Soo Line. The railroad owning this line was not one of those three.
WAG time! It was a branch of the Chicago Great Western that ran from Rondout to Aurora. Wrong on all counts?? - a.s.
KCSfan wrote: Sorry about the Milwaukee Road guys but the Pacific in its name, Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific, rules it out.Mark
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
al-in-chgo wrote:WAG time! It was a branch of the Chicago Great Western that ran from Rondout to Aurora. Wrong on all counts?? - a.s.
Nice try, Al! Think local affiliate of a major eastern railroad.
CShaveRR wrote: al-in-chgo wrote:WAG time! It was a branch of the Chicago Great Western that ran from Rondout to Aurora. Wrong on all counts?? - a.s.Nice try, Al! Think local affiliate of a major eastern railroad.
Well I know locally it linked Mayfair to Evanstan, and that it was built between 1876 and 1895.
Ok finally found a map dated 1879 that calls it the "Indiana Bxxxx Line". xxx being unreadable. Belt? maybe
Ok here we go. EJ&E. Elgin, Joliet and Eastern. On the bigger scheme of things appears to still be in business linking Waukegan, Illinois, to Gary, Indiana.
CShaveRR wrote: Nice try, Al! Think local affiliate of a major eastern railroad.
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
With this hint two possibilites come to mind. Either an extension of the IHB from Manheim to Bensenville or the B&OCTRR from Franklin Park to Bensenville.
Murphy Siding wrote: KCSfan wrote: Sorry about the Milwaukee Road guys but the Pacific in its name, Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific, rules it out.Mark Wasn't the *& Pacific* added around 1906? Before that, wouldn't it have been the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rairoad?
You're right Murphy it was formerly the Chicago MIlwaukee & St. Paul. Like you I thought the Pacific was added when the Pacific Coast Extension was completed in 1906-7. I searched Google trying to confirm this. The only reference I could find stated that it was "reorganized in 1927 into the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company" but that source didn't say if it CM&StP up to that time.
KCSfan wrote: CShaveRR wrote: al-in-chgo wrote:WAG time! It was a branch of the Chicago Great Western that ran from Rondout to Aurora. Wrong on all counts?? - a.s. Nice try, Al! Think local affiliate of a major eastern railroad.With this hint two possibilites come to mind. Either an extension of the IHB from Manheim to Bensenville or the B&OCTRR from Franklin Park to Bensenville.Mark
CShaveRR wrote: al-in-chgo wrote:WAG time! It was a branch of the Chicago Great Western that ran from Rondout to Aurora. Wrong on all counts?? - a.s. Nice try, Al! Think local affiliate of a major eastern railroad.
Right railroad (B&OCT), one right end-point (Franklin Park), but you're going in the wrong direction. Forest Preserve Drive goes northeast from the Franklin Park area. Zeph has also given you a fantastic hint.
CShaveRR wrote: Right railroad (B&OCT), one right end-point (Franklin Park), but you're going in the wrong direction. Forest Preserve Drive goes northeast from the Franklin Park area. Zeph has also given you a fantastic hint.
I'm torn between Morton Grove, Park Ridge, Skokie, Evanston and maybe even DesPlaines. Since I have to pick one, I'll say Evanston.
KCSfan wrote: Murphy Siding wrote: KCSfan wrote: Sorry about the Milwaukee Road guys but the Pacific in its name, Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific, rules it out.Mark Wasn't the *& Pacific* added around 1906? Before that, wouldn't it have been the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rairoad?You're right Murphy it was formerly the Chicago MIlwaukee & St. Paul. Like you I thought the Pacific was added when the Pacific Coast Extension was completed in 1906-7. I searched Google trying to confirm this. The only reference I could find stated that it was "reorganized in 1927 into the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company" but that source didn't say if it CM&StP up to that time. Mark
The "Pacific" was added after the 1927 reorganization. Before that, CM&StP was the name, the nickname was "The St. Paul Road." The western portions I believe were constructed by the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound. IIRC, one (or more) of the tunnel portals out west had CM&PS initials.
Jeff
KCSfan wrote: CShaveRR wrote: Right railroad (B&OCT), one right end-point (Franklin Park), but you're going in the wrong direction. Forest Preserve Drive goes northeast from the Franklin Park area. Zeph has also given you a fantastic hint. I'm torn between Morton Grove, Park Ridge, Skokie, Evanston and maybe even DesPlaines. Since I have to pick one, I'll say Evanston.Mark
No to all of those, Mark. In the original question, it was pointed out that this end-point was still a well-known junction. It's in the city of Chicago. Since I can't remember the precise details myself (that electrification study is kept in the rare-book room at the Chicago Public Library, and you have to go through security of sorts to look at it), I'll settle for either of two junctions that are pretty close to each other.
Another hint--there may be a tie-in to another thread recently showing up on the Forum.
CShaveRR wrote: KCSfan wrote: CShaveRR wrote: Right railroad (B&OCT), one right end-point (Franklin Park), but you're going in the wrong direction. Forest Preserve Drive goes northeast from the Franklin Park area. Zeph has also given you a fantastic hint. I'm torn between Morton Grove, Park Ridge, Skokie, Evanston and maybe even DesPlaines. Since I have to pick one, I'll say Evanston.MarkNo to all of those, Mark. In the original question, it was pointed out that this end-point was still a well-known junction. It's in the city of Chicago. Since I can't remember the precise details myself (that electrification study is kept in the rare-book room at the Chicago Public Library, and you have to go through security of sorts to look at it), I'll settle for either of two junctions that are pretty close to each other.Another hint--there may be a tie-in to another thread recently showing up on the Forum.
Nobody's guessed Deval yet, and that's all there is. But the Canadian line runs generally south and north more than southwest - northwest, so I'm not at all sure. - a. s.
CShaveRR wrote:No, Al, Deval isn't in Chicago.
Quite right. Sorry!
Carl,
Having grown up in far south Chicagoland and later living in Naperville I was never very familiar with the details of the rail routes runinng north and northwest of the city. I believe there was, and maybe still is, a major junction in or at Mayfair which I am pretty sure is within the Chicago city limits and is northeast of Franklin Park. So I'll make Mayfair my final answer.
The time frame for this question is the early 1950's. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 23 RR's whose passenger trains crossed over the Mississippi River. Exclude the UP whose trains I'd consider as belonging to another road when they crossed the river on the last leg of their route to Chicago. Name as many of these 23 roads as you can.
I came up with 24 and they are the following
1 IC 2 CB&Q 3 GN 4 NP 5 C&NW 6 CGW 7 CRI&P 8 CMSTP&P 9 NYC 10 PRR 11 B&O 12 SOU
13 L&N 14 WAB 15 StLSW 16 SP (T&NO) 17 GM&O 18 MP (T&P) 19 Cotton Belt 20 AT&SF
21 SOO 22 IT 23 KCS 24 NKP 25 N&W
Al - in - Stockton
I thought it was time for an easier question but didn't think this one would be all that easy for you guys. Michael, by NW I assumed you meant the CNW and not the Norfolk and Western. You were the first to name the majority of the roads so for that reason and also since I don't think you've had a chance to ask a history question before I'll declare you the winner.
Al, you completed the list but a couple of minor corrections are in order. The N&W shouldn't be included since it didn't gain a Miss River crossing until the 1960's when it absorbed the Wabash and NKP. Also the MoPac and the T&P were separate operating entities during the 1950's and both had their own trains that crossed the Miss so they should be listed separately. Michael, the same holds true for the SSW and the SP.
I purposely excluded the Southern because I thought its passenger service into St. Louis may have been discontinued prior to 1950. I know for a fact that by mid-1954 it didn't run west of Louisville. I also thought of the C&EI but think it discontinued service between Chicago and St. Louis prior to 1950.
Does this mean it's time for a new and possibly easier question? - a.s.
I can't give you individual locomotive numbers but think there's one each painted in the colors of the MoPac, MKT, CNW, SP and D&RGW making a total of five units. There may be a sixth painted in the livery of the WP but I'm not sure of that.
Did someone mention M&StL in the Miss River Crossings? Or am I just getting blind in my old age?
Yes we are on time but this is yesterdays train
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