Gerald,
Right on target. To the best of my knowledge C&NW (UP),
BNSF (CB&Q), and CN-IC (IC) still own and use it.
The C&NW line South from the Rockwell Connection and then
East to Halstead St was built to access the St Charles Air Line.
As time went by C&NW built the Wood Street potato sale area
and another produce terminal almost right across from the CB&Q's
Racine Ave team track. After the Wood Street traffic dried up they
converted it to an intermodal facility which was expanded when the
B&OCT abandoned their coach yard and engine facility at Robey St.
Now that area is called "Global 1".
To the best of my knowledge the MC continued to use Randolph St
station until the end of passenger service.
A lot of early Chicago railroad history pivots around the construction
and positioning of that line.
Russ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Virginia Edgar" <vje68@hotmail.com>
To: <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 01 July, 2003 07:21
Subject: [BRHSlist] re: St. Charles Air Line
>
> When in doubt, check with Dick Overton! Per "Burlington Route": In
> 1852 the IC obtained rights to build a spur from their lakefront line to the
> Chicago River. John Murray Forbes whose Michigan Central came into Chicago
> via the IC, appointed 3 of the Aurora Branch's top guns (Gale, Brooks & Van
> Norwick) to look into const. of a lift bridge over the river to connect with
> the Aurora Branch. However by 1855, neither the Galena & Chi. Union nor
> the Aurora Branch yet had connections to RR's entering Chicago from the S or
> E nor did the Aurora have its own terminal, other financial needs having
> intervened in the interim. So when the IC announced construction of its
> Randolph St. station (with hopes that the Galena & Aurora lines might join
> them as was the M.C.), they, acting on behalf of the other 3 RR', bought the
> necessary ROW and by May of 1856 had the line and lift bridge in place to
> connect with the Galena & Aurora roads. The Aurora immediately moved its
> terminal to Randolph (& remained there til 1881) and the connecting line was
> named the St. Charles Air Line. As for attempts to built from the W bank
> connection, Overton does not discuss as that was not part of the Q's future.
> Gerald
>
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