Nickel Plate Road

New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1881
Defunct	1964
Fate	Merged into Norfolk and Western Railway
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Midwestern United States (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri)
Key people	John J. Bernet (president)
Products	Freight and passenger rail transport

The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, operated from 1881 until 1964, serving major Midwestern states such as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Its principal terminals included Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Toledo.

Established in 1881 along the southern shore of the Great Lakes to connect Buffalo with Chicago, the Nickel Plate Road directly competed with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. By 1960, NKP controlled 2,170 miles of track spanning 4,009 miles of rail (excluding 25 miles belonging to Lorain & West Virginia), producing freight revenue amounting to 9.758 billion net ton-miles and 41 million passenger-miles.

In 1964, NKP was consolidated with several other Midwestern railroads into the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), creating a more extensive system covering 14 states and Ontario with over 7,000 miles of track. This merger set the foundation for the 1982 union of N&W with Southern Railway to establish Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS), a significant entity in American freight rail transportation.

Background

During the quarter-century following the American Civil War, railway mileage in the United States more than doubled. This expansion facilitated efficient transportation of goods from eastern regions to western markets, promoting economies of scale and larger industrial operations. By 1881, approximately one out of every thirty-two Americans was employed in railroad operations or construction.

Starting in 1877, railroad tycoons William H. Vanderbilt and Jay Gould vied for control over traffic along the southern Great Lakes shore. By 1878, Vanderbilt had monopolized rail transport between Buffalo, New York, Cleveland, Ohio, Detroit, and Chicago through his Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway and had become the wealthiest individual in America. Gould owned about 15% of U.S. railroad mileage by 1881, primarily west of the Mississippi River, with his principal eastern route being the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway, linking St. Louis, Missouri to Toledo, Ohio. This line relied on Vanderbilt's Lake Shore Railroad for eastern connections.

Together, Vanderbilt and Gould controlled much of the east–west rail traffic across the Midwest. The Seney Syndicate, proprietors of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad, sought additional revenue streams—leading to the creation of the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad.

Early years

On February 3, 1881, the Seney Syndicate under banker George I. Seney established the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company with plans for a westward line from Cleveland to Chicago accompanied by a branch extending to St. Louis.

By April 13 that year, it acquired the Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago Railway—a route surveyed parallel to Vanderbilt’s Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway between Cleveland’s west side and Buffalo.

Support for an east–west railroad in Ohio grew as a means to challenge exorbitant freight rates imposed by Gould and Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt’s reputation suffered following the fatal 1876 collapse of the Lake Shore Ashtabula River trestle.

The railroad’s economic influence enhanced cities along its path; local press praised it as a "... double-track, nickel-plated railroad," which inspired its enduring nickname—the Nickel Plate Road.

Construction prioritized the Cleveland-Buffalo segment over the St. Louis branch. Within approximately 500 days, a single-track mainline stretching from Buffalo to Chicago was completed using roughly 90,000 long tons of steel rails weighing 60 pounds per yard (30 kg/m), 1.5 million oak crossties, and incorporating 49 major bridges. The route was notable for its straight alignments, gentle grades, and substantial bridgework. The inaugural trains commenced operation on October 16, 1882.

Both Vanderbilt and Gould closely observed construction progress; acquiring control over the Nickel Plate would either safeguard their interests or eliminate competition.

Before service began, Vanderbilt initiated efforts to damage the Nickel Plate’s reputation by alleging inferior materials and unsafe construction practices—tactics aimed at forcing a sale or bankruptcy. Despite circulating rumors, investor confidence remained strong.

Unexpectedly high construction expenses compelled the Seney Syndicate to enter negotiations with Gould for a potential sale; however, Gould lacked adequate funds to complete the purchase and subsequently withdrew from negotiations, abandoning attempts to challenge Vanderbilt via this acquisition.

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern period

In early 1881, Vanderbilt came close to purchasing the Nickel Plate for $1 million (equivalent to $ today) to block Gould from disrupting his rail dominance east of Toledo, Ohio. Shortly after the initial trains began operation, on October 25, 1882, the Seney Syndicate sold the Nickel Plate to Vanderbilt for $7.2 million ($ today), which he then integrated into his Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway.

Vanderbilt kept the Nickel Plate running just enough to ensure it remained financially viable, steering clear of shutdown or receivership. By the 1920s, the line had become relatively obscure, mainly moving freight transferred from other railroads, whereas the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern thrived and grew. Vanderbilt prioritized traffic on his primary route; as a result, fewer trains ran on the Nickel Plate, enabling quicker service. This earned it the moniker "The Meat Express Line" by 1888 due to its substantial shipments of meat and fruit.

Through consolidations, Vanderbilt merged numerous railroads into the New York Central Railroad, diminishing the Nickel Plate's role as a rival. Unlike most railroads that relied on a single main repair facility, the Nickel Plate operated several "back shops" of comparable size located at Stony Island Yard (Chicago), Frankfort (Indiana), Conneaut, and Bellevue (Ohio). By the 1920s, its principal facilities were concentrated in Fort Wayne (Indiana), Conneaut, Bellevue, and Stony Island.

The Van Sweringen ownership

The next owners of the Nickel Plate were Cleveland real estate developers and rapid transit pioneers Oris Paxton and Mantis James Van Sweringen. Since 1909, they had envisioned a downtown Cleveland terminal on Public Square that would unify multiple railroads and support their Shaker Heights rapid transit system. The Nickel Plate was integral due to its east-west corridor through Cleveland, its crossing of the Cuyahoga River Valley, and its proximity to the planned terminal site.

Between 1890 and 1913, Cleveland's population increased fourfold, fueling civic initiatives to consolidate railroad stations and upgrade infrastructure. The city promoted grade separation projects; by 1913, the Nickel Plate completed an East Side grade separation and began lowering tracks on the West Side following a bond approval in 1910.

Alfred Holland Smith of New York Central controlled Lake Shore and Michigan Southern and was an ally of the Van Sweringens. Due to federal antitrust pressures in 1915, New York Central had to relinquish control of the Nickel Plate. On February 1, 1916, Smith offered the railroad to the Van Sweringens, who acquired it for $8.5 million ($ today) on April 13. They invested slightly over $500,000 ($ today) but managed to secure 75% of voting shares through operating agreements.

The Van Sweringens did not plan to operate the railroad themselves; Smith assigned John J. Bernet—a New York Central vice-president—and an experienced team to oversee management. Their objective was for the Nickel Plate to produce enough profits to pay off $6.5 million in notes owed to New York Central while preserving operational autonomy from their former parent company.

John Bernet’s leadership

During John Bernet's tenure as president, the Nickel Plate experienced substantial growth. In 1922, it acquired the Lake Erie and Western Railroad, extending service to Sandusky, Ohio and Peoria, Illinois. Later that same year, it purchased the Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad ("Clover Leaf Route"), gaining access to the St. Louis region and Toledo’s port facilities.

Bernet doubled both freight tonnage and average speeds while reducing fuel usage by half before departing in 1926. Returning in 1933, he commissioned fifteen 2-8-4 "Berkshire" locomotives that became emblematic of the Nickel Plate line. He maintained his presidency until his passing in 1935.

On December 29, 1937, control of the Nickel Plate passed to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. During this era, Frank Allen Brown served as assistant superintendent from 1937 through 1944.

World War II and the Postwar Period

Throughout World War II, the Nickel Plate contributed to the war effort by commissioning an additional 55 Berkshire locomotives.

In 1947, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway relinquished its control by divesting its remaining shares. That same year, the Nickel Plate unveiled 11 ALCO PA diesel-electric units, known as "Bluebirds," marking its first locomotives painted in colors other than black since the early 20th century.

The railroad acquired its final Berkshire locomotive, #779, in 1949; this was also the last steam engine produced by Lima Locomotive Works. On December 1 of that year, it began leasing the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.

By 1960, the Nickel Plate had fully phased out steam engines, completing its shift to diesel-powered locomotion.

Passenger Operations

The Nickel Plate operated a number of overnight long-distance trains, each bearing different names depending on travel direction. These services connected through Lackawanna Station in Buffalo to continue onward to Hoboken, New Jersey.

No. 5 City of Chicago (westbound) / No. 6 City of Cleveland (eastbound) (route: Chicago-Cleveland-Buffalo)
No. 7 Westerner (westbound) / No. 8 New Yorker (eastbound) (route: Chicago-Cleveland-Buffalo)
No. 9 Blue Arrow (westbound) / No. 10 Blue Dart (eastbound) (route: St. Louis-Muncie-Cleveland)

Integration with N&W and Formation of Norfolk Southern

Following World War II, declines in rail traffic caused by highway and Interstate development placed pressure on smaller railroads like the Nickel Plate Road. On October 16, 1964, it merged with the financially strong Norfolk and Western (N&W), alongside the Wabash and several other smaller lines.

N&W had previously absorbed the Virginian Railway in 1959 and expanded further through acquisitions such as the Nickel Plate and Wabash, ultimately establishing a competitive network covering 14 states plus a Canadian province with more than of track.

In 1982, N&W merged with the Southern Railway, resulting in the creation of the Norfolk Southern, a leading rail operator in the eastern United States.

Chicago Terminals

By 1897, the Nickel Plate obtained trackage rights over the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway from Grand Crossing to its terminal located on LS&MS’s east side near LaSalle Street Station, just north of what is now Roosevelt Road. By 1928, LaSalle Station was fully utilized for all Chicago operations.

Origin of the "Nickel Plate" Nickname

In a 1954 speech delivered to the Newcomen Society of the United States in Erie, Pennsylvania, Lynne L. White, former president of the Nickel Plate, recounted how the railroad’s nickname originated:

Northern Ohio was already served by four railroads, leading to intense competition among cities vying for inclusion along the line’s path. Local communities raised public funds to secure rights-of-way, frequently sending delegations to the railroad’s Cleveland offices to influence routing decisions. Amid these contests, "The Nickel Plate Road" emerged as the most popular moniker for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad.

The phrase "Nickel Plate" first appeared in an 1881 article from Norwalk, Ohio’s Chronicle, which described a survey for a "great New York and St. Louis double track, nickel plated railroad." The newspaper later used "nickel plated" to highlight the project’s promising outlook and strong financial support while advocating for routing through Norwalk rather than Bellevue.

In recognition of his role in coining the term, F.R. Loomis—owner and editor of the Norwalk Chronicle—was honored in 1882 with Complimentary Pass No. 1 by the Nickel Plate.

Although Norwalk coined the name, Bellevue ultimately secured the railroad’s route.

Continuing this legacy, HGR Industrial Surplus—the current occupant of the former General Motors Fisher Auto Body facility in Euclid, Ohio along the Nickel Plate Road corridor—dedicated its site as "Nickel Plate Station" on October 1, 2015.

Heritage unit

On March 28, 2012, Norfolk Southern introduced NS 8100, a GE ES44AC locomotive adorned in the classic diesel livery of the Nickel Plate Road. This locomotive marked the third in a series of twenty designed to pay tribute to Norfolk Southern's historical predecessors.

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