Shortlines of Chicago Historical Society
Historical Shortline Railroads of Chicagoland
A - B
Aurora Elgin & Fox
River - Became part of RELIC (Fox Valley trolley museum)
Bridgeport & South Chicago
- absorbed by Chicago Terminal Transfer
Burlington South Chicago
Terminal - Purchased by Chicago & Western Indiana
C
Calumet Hammond & Southeastern -
Absorbed by Chicago Short Line
Calumet Western - Purchased by Chicago Rail Link
Central Wisconsin - Operations taken over by Wisconsin
& Calumet
Chicago & Calumet River - industrial line -
abandoned
Chicago & Calumet Terminal - Merged into Chicago
Terminal Transfer
Chicago & Illinois Eastern - Proposed
Chicago & Illinois Western - Merged into Illinois
Central
Chicago & Indiana - Went out of business
Chicago & Waldheim - operated before 1880
Chicago & West Ridge - track taken over by
C&NW
Chicago & Western - (1880-1885)
Chicago & Western Indiana - Purchased by Missouri
Pacific
Chicago Attica & Southern - Abandoned
Chicago Aurora & Elgin electric line - Abandoned
Chicago Central - Purchased by Chicago Terminal
Transfer
Chicago Freeport & St Paul - Proposed
Chicago Hammond & Western - Merged into Chicago
Junction
Chicago Junction - Purchased by Chicago River
& Indiana
Chicago Lake Geneva & Pacific - never built
Chicago Lake Shore & Eastern - absorbed by Elgin
Joliet & Eastern
Chicago Madison & Northern - Merged into Illinois
Central
Chicago Madison & Northern - Operations taken
over by Wisconsin & Southern
Chicago Millington & Western (1870-1879) Narrow
gauge (3 foot)
Chicago Missouri & Western - Regional Line -
Bankrupt - sold to Southern Pacific and Gateway Western
Chicago
North Shore & Milwaukee - electric line - abandoned
Chicago Palatine & Wauconda - abandoned
Chciago Produce Terminal
Chicago River & Indiana - Merged into Conrail
Chicago Short Line -
Purchased by South Chicago & Indiana Harbor
Chicago Terminal Transfer - Purchased by Baltimore
& Ohio Chicago Terminal
Chicago Terminal Co - Proposed
Chicago Tunnel - Narrow gauge (2 foot) - abandoned
Chicago Union Station - Purchased by Amtrak
Chicago West Pullman & Southern - Merged into Chicago
Rail Link
Comrail International
Industrial Line
D - E - F - G - H
Dot Rail Services - sold to Rail Services
Group
East Chicago Belt - became Indiana Harbor Belt
Elgin Joliet & Western - Owned by Elgin
Joliet & Eastern
Elkhorn & Walworth - Operations taken over by Wisconsin
& Calumet
Erie Western - Operations taken over by Chicago
& Indiana
Freeport & El Paso - Proposed - Outlying
Gateway Western - Regional Line - Purchased by Kansas
City Southern
Hammond Belt Line - (1910-1929) abandoned
Hanover - Abandon - Outlying
I - J - K - L - M
I & M Rail Link - Regional Line -
Purchased by Iowa Chicago & Eastern
Illinois & Rock River - Proposed - Outlying
Illinois Midland -
abandoned
Illinois Northern -
absorbed by AT&SF (BNSF)
Illinois Railnet - sold
to Illinois Railways
Illinois Terminal - This was a proposed line that
would have done the local switching on the lines of UP (ex-C&NW)
and CPrail (ex-soo, ex-CMST&P) in Chicago. Not to be confused with
the Illinois Terminal that was absorbed by the N&W
Indian Hill & Iron Range - industrial line - abandoned
Indiana Interstate
Iowa Chicago & Eastern
Purchased by Canadian Pacific
Joliet & Valparaiso - Proposed
Joliet Junction
Operations discontinued 1997 - becoming bike trail
Joliet Union Depot
La Salle & Bureau County - Name changed to Chicago
Rail Link
Lyons Belt Line
Midlothian & Blue Island - abandoned
Morris Terminal Rwy - Owned / absorbed by CRI&P
N - O - P - Q - R - S
New Jersery Indiana & Illinois - Merged
into Norfolk & Western - Outlying
North American Industrial Rwy
North Chicago Switch Rwy
North Shore & Western - electric line - abandoned
Palatine Lake Zurich & Wauconda - Reorganize as
Chicago Palatine & Wauconda
Plymouth Short Line
Pullman - Purchased by Chicago Rock Island &
Pacific
SPCSL Corporation - Paper Road - owned by Southern
Pacific- Merged into Union Pacific
T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z
Tippecanoe
Union Stock Yards & Transit - Part of Chicago
Junction
Wisconsin & Calumet - Purchased by Wisconsin
& Southern
Wisconsin Chicago Link Wholley owned subsidary
of Wisconsin Central RR
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