Re: [CBQ] Northern Cross Railroad

["Bud Linroth" <wcman8@gmail.com>]

The original Northern Cross line as contained in the state of Illinois Internal improvement plan of 1837 called for the main trunk line to run from Galena to Mendota and hence  to Bloomington, Decatur Vandalia to Cairo.  Two lateral lines were proposed, the Northern Cross line from Quincy to the Indiana state line near Danville via Camp point, Clayton, Meredosia, Springfield, and Decatur. The other lateral line was called the Southern Cross and would run from Alton to Mt Carmel via Salem.

Mr. J. W. Brooks and Mr. James F. Joy were representatives of the Aurora Branch Railroad and urged the Illinois Legislature to add an amendment to allow the Northern Cross to connect with the Central Military Tract Railroad at Galesburg.  This act was passed by the Illinois Legislature on June 21, 1852 and the new route was established which would become part of the CB&Q.

Early on, the portion which later became the Wabash started with a completed section between Meredosia and Morgan in 1838.  By 1842, service started between Meredosia and Springfield and by 1856 the line was completed between Springfield and the Indiana state line.  Mr Nicholas Ridgely bought the completed section of the line from the State of Illinois in 1847 and changed the name of the line to the Sangamon and Morgan Railroad. In 1853 this railroad became part of the Great Western Railroad and the Quincy and Toledo Railroad was formed to complete the section between Quincy and Meredosia.in 1858, the failed Quincy and Toledo was re-organized as the Toledo and Wabash Railway.

This is all explained on pages 4 to 8 of the "History of the CB&Q Quincy Branch" book.   Bud Linroth

On Thu, May 28, 2020 at 2:43 AM Rupert Gamlen <gamlenz@hotmail.com> wrote:

Stephen

There were two railroad companies with the same name but not operating at the same time.

The CB&Q's company was Northern Cross Railroad Company, incorporated in 1849.  According to Wikipedia, the Wabash' company of the same name started operations in 1838, and was operated by the State of Illinois for the first 10 years. In 1847 the company was sold and became the  Sangamon and Morgan Railroad, and was later acquired and operated by the Wabash.

So two years elapsed between the first company changing it name and the birth of the Burlington's company.

Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ


-----Original Message-----
From: CBQ@groups.io <CBQ@groups.io> On Behalf Of Stephen Levine via groups.io
Sent: Thursday, 28 May 2020 7:01 pm
To: CBQ@groups.io
Subject: [CBQ] Northern Cross Railroad


Can someone clear up some confusion I have.  Histories of the CB&Q state that the portion of the Railway between Galesburg and Quincy incorporated what was the Northern Cross Railroad of Illinois.  Yet histories of the Wabash Railway also cite its origins in the Northern Cross Railroad.  Furthermore, the Wikipedia article on the Northern Cross states it became part of the Wabash and makes no mention of the Q.  Can someone resolve this discrepancy? It has always puzzled me.

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