Chicago, Peoria and St facts for kids
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The Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railroad (CP&StL) was a railroad company in the U.S. state of Illinois. It operated a main line that connected Pekin (close to Peoria) and Madison (near St. Louis), with a key stop in Springfield.
In the 1920s, the company's property was sold because it couldn't pay its debts. The northern part of the line, from Springfield to Pekin, is now part of the Illinois and Midland Railroad. Most of the rest of the line was no longer used, except for a small section near St. Louis, which is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway.
Contents
History of the Railroad
Early Beginnings: Illinois River Railroad
The very first company that led to the CP&StL was the Illinois River Railroad. It was started in February 1853 to build a rail line from Jacksonville north to La Salle, following the Illinois River valley.
This line opened from Virginia to Pekin in 1859. By May 1864, the company's property was sold because it couldn't pay its debts. A new company, the Peoria, Pekin and Jacksonville Railroad, bought it. This new company also bought a line from Pekin to Peoria in May 1868. In 1869, they extended the railroad southwest to Jacksonville, connecting with the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway. The section between Pekin and Peoria was later sold in 1880 to the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway, which helped manage train traffic in those cities.
Springfield and Northwestern Railroad
Another important line began in March 1869 as the Springfield and Northwestern Railroad. Its goal was to build a line from Springfield north to Rock Island. By December 1874, it was finished from Springfield to Havana. From Havana, trains used the Peoria, Pekin and Jacksonville Railroad's tracks to reach Peoria.
At first, this line was leased to the Indianapolis, Bloomington and Western Railway. But this agreement ended in 1875. The company was then reorganized in May 1878 as the Springfield and Northwestern Railway.
Forming the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railway
In 1881, both the Jacksonville-Pekin and Springfield-Havana lines were sold to a new company called the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railway. This company was a part of the Jacksonville Southeastern Railway.
The Jacksonville Southeastern Railway already had a main line from Jacksonville southeast to Centralia, passing through Litchfield. Soon, this group of railroads, known as the "Jacksonville Southeastern Line", grew even more. They leased the St. Louis and Chicago Railway (which ran from Springfield to Litchfield) in September 1890. They also built a new line from Litchfield southwest to Madison (near East St. Louis).
The connection to East St. Louis was finished in November 1890. In December, the company started a special passenger service with Pullman cars. This service, in partnership with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, offered direct trips between Chicago and St. Louis.
Changes and Reorganizations
The railroad system faced problems and broke apart in 1893. The Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railway was put under separate management. Its lease of the St. Louis and Chicago line ended in December 1895. That line then became part of the new St. Louis, Peoria and Northern Railway.
This left the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railway with its original lines from Pekin to Jacksonville and Springfield, and a separate line between Litchfield and Madison. Since it couldn't use the direct line from Springfield to Litchfield, the CP&StL made agreements to use other railroads' tracks. It used the St. Louis, Chicago and St. Paul Railroad to Waverly and then the Jacksonville Southeastern to Litchfield. Later, the CP&StL bought the St. Louis, Chicago and St. Paul Railroad to connect to St. Louis and sold off the Litchfield-Madison line.
The St. Louis, Chicago and St. Paul Railroad, also known as the "Bluff Line," started in November 1880. It was built from Springfield to the Mississippi River near Grafton. This line was finished in 1882, connecting Bates (west of Springfield) through Jerseyville to Dow. From Dow, it went down the bluffs to Elsah and followed the riverbank to Grafton.
The Final Years
Even with these changes, the company continued to have money problems. The final company to use the name, the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railroad, was formed in December 1909. It took over the property of the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis Railway of Illinois in January 1913.
The railroad operated until November 1924. At that time, its property was sold off in parts because the company couldn't pay its debts. Four different companies bought sections of the railroad:
- The Alton and Eastern Railroad bought the line from Granite City to Grafton. This part is now owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway.
- The Chicago, Springfield and St. Louis Railway bought the line from Lockhaven to Springfield. This section was later abandoned.
- The Springfield, Havana and Peoria Railroad bought the line from Springfield to Pekin. This part is now known as the Illinois and Midland Railroad.
- The Jacksonville and Havana Railroad bought the line from Jacksonville to Havana. This section was also later abandoned.
