Baltimore and Ohio and Chicago Railroad
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Chicago Railway (Ohio and Indiana companies) |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Defunct | 1949 |
| Successor | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Ohio, Indiana, Illinois |
| Parent | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
The Baltimore and Ohio and Chicago Railroad (B&O&C) functioned as a subsidiary of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), controlling the rail line connecting Willard, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois.
History
In 1869, the B&O entered into a lease agreement for the Sandusky, Mansfield and Newark Railroad (SM&N), which operated a route from Newark northward to Sandusky along the shore of Lake Erie. To establish a direct connection to Chicago, the B&O formed the Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Chicago Railway through separate incorporations in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois during 1872 and 1873. Following rapid surveying efforts, construction commenced between Chicago Junction—later renamed Willard in honor of B&O president Daniel Willard—and Chicago. Service began on November 23, 1874, with operations leased to the B&O, which initially relied on trackage rights over the Illinois Central Railroad (IC) for travel north of Brookdale into Chicago. On December 27, 1876, the companies in Ohio and Indiana consolidated to form the Baltimore and Ohio and Chicago Railroad; simultaneously, the Illinois entity was renamed to reflect this unification.
The opening of the Akron and Chicago Junction Railroad on August 1, 1891, under lease to B&O&C, extended the line eastward from Chicago Junction to Akron, where it linked with B&O affiliate Pittsburgh and Western Railway. This development established a continuous rail corridor between Chicago and Pittsburgh, further connecting to Baltimore via the broader B&O network. The completion of the Baltimore and Ohio Connecting Railroad on October 8, 1892, enhanced access to Chicago terminals by utilizing trackage rights over the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway from South Chicago to Brainerd and over the Chicago and Northern Pacific Railroad into downtown Chicago. Although B&O&C eventually ceased direct use of the IC line, it maintained a junction at South Chicago Railroad. The Illinois portion was merged into the combined Ohio and Indiana company, and in 1949, all assets of B&O&C were acquired outright by B&O.
The track segment stretching from Brookdale to just southeast of the Calumet River in South Chicago has since been abandoned. Present-day operations near the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal employ trackage rights over the Norfolk Southern Railway's Chicago Line. Eastward from Pine Junction in Gary, however, this line continues as a principal route for B&O’s successor entity, CSX Transportation. It is designated under several subdivisions: Willard Subdivision (Willard-Deshler), Garrett Subdivision (Deshler-Willow Creek), Barr Subdivision (Willow Creek-Pine Junction), and Lake Subdivision (Pine Junction-South Chicago).