Chicago and Western Indiana Belt Railway

Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Railroad
Founded	June 5, 1879 (1879-06-05)
Fate	Became a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation
Headquarters	Chicago , United States
Area served	Chicago metropolitan area
Parent	Union Pacific Corporation (since 1994)

The Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad held ownership of Dearborn Station in Chicago along with the associated access tracks. Jointly controlled by five railroads that utilized the terminal, it removed the necessity for individual city lines. Following the closure of Dearborn Station in 1971 and the shutdown of the Calumet steel mills in 1985, the railroad experienced a gradual decline until it became a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corporation in 1994.

History

Incorporated on June 5, 1879, the C&WI commenced operations in May 1880 with a line stretching from Dolton—the junction where the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad merged with the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway—northward to Dearborn Station near the Chicago Loop. This line connected vital railroads at key points such as Kensington and Alton Junction, enabling seamless integration with principal carriers.

Initial collaborations included links to the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway, Chicago and Grand Trunk Railway, and Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad, all of which were early lessees. In 1882, the Chicago and Western Indiana Belt Railway joined forces with the South Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad through a merger into C&WI, broadening its network with branches extending to Cragin, South Chicago, and Hammond. These expansions forged connections with additional railroads like the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway (Monon) and Erie Railroad, whose companies also acquired stakes in C&WI, culminating in five principal owners.

The Belt Railway of Chicago leased branches leading to Cragin and South Chicago in 1883 while obtaining trackage rights over C&WI’s main line. C&WI maintained operation of its main route from Dearborn Station southward to 87th Street before diverging toward Dolton and Hammond.

C&WI operated an extensive system of interlocking towers along its routes, featuring prominent installations such as 12th Street, 15th Street, 21st Street, Ford Street (59th), 74th Street, Pullman Junction, Main Line Drawbridge, and State Line tower—the largest mechanical interlocking facility in North America. Operational procedures mandated trains to halt at crossings equipped with gates and signals; switchtenders were stationed at critical locations including Dearborn Station and Pullman Junction.

Passenger commuter service between Chicago and Dolton ceased on July 26, 1963. Despite this reduction in service, C&WI continued to provide terminal switching for remaining railroads using Dearborn Station until its eventual shutdown.

After Dearborn Station (1971–1994)

The closure of Dearborn Station occurred in 1971 when Amtrak centralized long-distance passenger operations at Chicago Union Station. By May 1976, all rails had been removed except for the headhouse structure, which was later repurposed into commercial facilities and an urban park. The former C&WI line running from Alton Junction southward to the Norfolk Southern Railway junction at 74th Street is currently owned by Metra and serves their SouthWest Service, which succeeded the Wabash and later Norfolk and Western Railroad commuter trains. This service was rerouted from Dearborn Station annex to Union Station in 1976 via a connection at Alton Junction.

Centralized traffic control was introduced in 1973, consolidating multiple tower operations under a single dispatcher based at the 47th Street tower after relocating from Dearborn. The C&WI maintained its own police force with officers certified by the Illinois Department of Law Enforcement. Notably, C&WI was among the pioneers in fully converting to diesel locomotives by the late 1940s.

Ownership of various line segments evolved: from 80th Street to Dolton, tracks are controlled by Union Pacific Railroad, including former Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad sections south of Dolton. Norfolk Southern owns and operates the Main Line segment between 81st and 110th Street and shifted former NKP main tracks onto old C&WI right-of-way near Ford Motor Company's Mixing Center. Other portions have been abandoned except for short segments utilized by Chicago Rail Link and the Belt Railway of Chicago, now under BRC control.

External resources

• Database of Railroad History
• Michael W. Blaszak, Belt Railway of Chicago: Revival from Decline, Trains July 1993
• Railroads in Illinois, 1901
• Chicago Historical Society Shortlines – History of C&WI
• Correspondence of the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company at The Newberry