Symbols
Over its years, the Elgin and Chicago Subdivisions have had quite the turn around.
Over the years, the Elgin and Chicago Subdivisions have had quite the turnaround, starting with the Chicago & Pacific Railroad. From 1873-1880, until the Milwaukee Road purchased them, the C&P operated trains and built the tracks we know today. There was one freight train each way between Chicago and Byron, where the line terminated until 1880 when the Milwaukee Road purchased the C&P.
From the railroad’s inception in 1880, the Milwaukee Road went through numerous changes in the trains that it ran. From 1880 to 1974, the Milwaukee Road ran a set schedule of freight trains from Chicago to various areas across the country, utilizing the D&I’s trackage. MILW 61, 63, 65, 69, 71, 73, 75, 81 and 91 were westbound freights that would run from Chicago to Savanna with varying destinations in Illinois and Iowa. Return trains were 62, 64, 66, 68, 72, 74, and 76 from Savanna back to Chicago. Locals were also on the line such as 164, 168, 175, 186, 187, 188, 193 and 194, and small scale locals such as 365 and 366.
In 1974, the Milwaukee Road would fully revamp their symbols running on the D&I’s First and Second Subdivision. Rather than run multiple trains to the same route, many trains were combined, although some duplicates still remained. They also now had set routes and only 1, or sometimes 2 dedicated trains to run that route, MILW 106/107 was a manifest pair between Bensenville and Savanna. MILW 220/221 and 222/223 were two manifest pairs between Council Bluffs and Bensenville. MILW 231 was a westbound only manifest that ran from Bensenville to Kansas City, with a return of MILW 230 only going to Savanna. MILW 250/251 and 252/253 were two manifest pairs between Milwaukee and Kansas City, with a D&I corridor between Kittredge and Savanna. One of the longest of the manifest pairs was MILW 260/261 between Sioux Falls and Bensenville. Lastly, there was manifest pairs MILW 412/413 and 414/415 between Milwaukee and Savanna using D&I trackage between Savanna and Kittredge.
There was also the revamp of local service in 1974. MILW 132/133, also known as the Spaulding Patrol, would run between Elgin and Bensenville. MILW 134/135, also known as the Elgin Patrol, would run between Elgin and Davis Junction. And finally, MILW 136/137, also known as the Davis Junction Patrol, would run between Forreston and Davis Junction on the D&I with trackage ending all the way as far as DeKalb.
After SOO Line’s acquisition of the MILW in 1986, intermodal traffic would be slowly growing for all railroads across America. Because of this, new symbols were created for these intermodal trains, and there would turn out to be a handful for the Midwest division. However, for the Elgin and D&I Subs, there would only be one each way as needed respectively. These symbols would be 216/217, which would originate in Bensenville, Illinois or in Kansas City in Armourdale Yard (via SSW) or vice versa.
During this time, manifests would have to work more locations, especially trains that ran on the Elgin and Chicago Sub’s. SOO 220, the only as needed manifest on the Elgin/D&I Sub that originated in Bensenville, IL and would terminate at Kansas City via the Union Pacific. SOO 220 would also work Nahant Yard - Davenport, IA and Muscatine, IA. The return train SOO 221, however, would be daily and would work Ottumwa, IA, Muscatine, IA and Nahant Yard - Davenport, IA. SOO 224/225, which are daily trains that originated in Bensenville, IL and would terminate in Kansas City or vice versa, and would work Nahant Yard - Davenport, IA, and for 225, it would work Clinton, IA. SOO 226/227, which would originate at Bensenville, IL, would terminate in Kansas City, MO via the Armourdale Yard (SSW) or vice versa. However, only 226 would have work, that being Nahant Yard - Davenport, IA. SOO 227 would not have work on the return journey to Bensenville. The final two manifests that were daily on the Elgin/Chicago Subs would be SOO 228/229. These two would be completely work trains. 228 would work Savanna, IL, Sabula Jct, IA, Nahant Yard - Davenport, IA, and Liberty, MO. 229 would work Savanna, IL, Sabula Jct, IA, Nahant Yard - Davenport, IA, and Liberty, MO. These two trains would originate in Bensenville, IL and terminate in Kansas City, MO or vice versa. In 2001, areas east of Elgin would see SOO operations consolidated into CP, therefore symbols became CP symbols going forward.
Going into the 1990’s, Canadian Pacific had officially signed to buyout SOO Line and its assets. However, it didn’t take long for CP to sell some of its assets. For the Elgin/Chicago Sub it was sold off to the I&M Rail Link (IMRL) in 1997 and began running their own trains on the ex-SOO and MILW trackage.
In the 1990’s, after the huge influx of intermodal traffic came the trailer on flatcar (TOFC) era. IMRL 111/112 would be additions to traffic on the Elgin/Chicago Sub. These trains would originate in Bensenville, IL and would terminate in Kansas City, MO or vice versa.
IMRL also began local work in 1997 with local job 920 running across the line from Davis Junction to Pingree Grove, IL.
Manifest traffic would also continue, although not as many. IMRL 261, would be a one-way train, which originated in Bensenville, IL and would terminate in Kansas City, MO. However, unlike in the SOO era, there would be manifests taken and delivered to Chicago’s Belt Railway of Chicago (BRC) yard. IMRL 263/264 would originate in Chicago BRC Yard, IL, to Nahant - Davenport, IA.
As needed grain loads became more common in the IMRL era with IMRL 380 originating in Blue Island, IL, to Mason City, IA and 381 would be vice versa. Other as needed grain would be originated in Chicago BRC Yard, IL, to Mason City, IA or vice versa. IMRL 384/386 were loaded from Mason City, IA, to Chicago BRC, IL meanwhile IMRL 385/387 were grain empties heading back to Mason City, IA via the Elgin/Chicago Sub.
Other trains on the Elgin/Chicago Sub at this time were one off trains such as coal and autoracks. IMRL 278, an as needed eastbound autorack, which originated in Kansas City, IA and would terminate at Gibson, IN via the Indiana Harbor Belt (IHB) would take the Elgin/Chicago Sub’s into one of the largest autorack facilities in the country. Another one off train would be IMRL 785, a coal train that would originate in Bensenville, IL and terminate in Cedar Rapids, IA ADM plant.
After the IMRL ceased operations in 2002, all traffic was handed over to the newly formed Iowa, Chicago, and Eastern Railroad, or IC&E. This newly formed railroad operated all different types of trains, however TOFC and any intermodal traffic ceased to exist for the next 20 years. Symbols also were now lettered as opposed to being numbered.
ICE took over IMRL’s operations of local trains and made their own. L920 and L923, the Davis Junction Turn, which ran to the CP in Bensenville as needed and worked local businesses up to Pingree Grove, IL.
Intermodal traffic was replaced by an uptick in manifest traffic. ICE MMCBE and MBEMC were as needed manifest between Mason City, IA and Bensenville, IL, which sometimes interchanged traffic to the CP on the east side of Bensenville. ICE MMCCC /MCCMC, were daily manifest from the BRC in Chicago to Mason City, IA and vice versa. ICE MNACC/MCCNA were daily manifests between Nahant, IA and the BRC in Chicago and vice versa. ICE MSVBE and MBESV were daily manifests that ran between Bensenville, IL and Savanna, IL and vice versa. Finally, there was ICE MHUCC and MCCHU from the BRC in Chicago to Huron, SD on the DME, which was ICE’s sister trackage.
Similarly to the IMRL era, grain trains became a much more common commodity, while still as needed, on the Elgin/Chicago subs during this time period. ICE GMCCC/GHUCC were as needed grain loads from Mason City, IA and Huron, SD, which was on the DME, to BRC in Chicago for interchange to other railroads such as NS, CSX, and others. Grain empties ICE GCCMC/GCCHU were the return trains back to the many grain and farm fields of Iowa, Minnesota, or South Dakota.
Jointly at these grain facilities was also ethanol plants, so ethanol tank trains began to run on the line as well. ICE EHTCC, ECSCC, EHUCC, EMNCC, EAUCC, and ENSCC, were all loaded ethanol trains heading to the BRC in Chicago from various destinations across Iowa and South Dakota. Hartley, Charles City, Mona, and Nora Springs, IA, and Huron/Aurora, SD on the DME. The counterpart empties were ICE ECCHT, ECCCS, ECCHU, ECCMN, ECCAU, and ECCNS.
Finally, a couple as needed commodities that would run rarely on the line was coal and potash, not the most common thing anyone would see at any given time, and usually they were reroutes because typical coal routes were either full or blocked due to severe weather. ICE CROCC, CMCCC, CSNCC or CASCC coal empty reroutes to the BRC from Austin, MN, Rochester, MN, Mason City, IA, and Spencer, IA, with ICE CCCRO, CCCMC, CCCSN, and CCCAS being the counterpart loads. And for the potash it was one set of ICE PHTCC and PCCHT as needed.
In 2008, Canadian Pacific acquired the IC&E and completely changed how operations were ran. Not only were the symbols changed back to numbers, but operations were suppressed over time to make larger trains and cut down on the numerous smaller manifests that were on the line.
Local service continued operations on the Elgin and Chicago subs. From 2001-2023, CP would conduct local service to businesses near and around their Bensenville Yard up to about Elgin, IL, where IMRL/ICE locals would take over until 2008. CP G35, the Spaulding patrol, was one of the most noteworthy locals until 2019, when it was abolished. From 2008-2019, CP G47 would work between Healy and Bensenville, before being expanded west to Elgin after G35 was abolished. West of Elgin, CP would launch local LDS/LDS2, the Davis Turn, in continuation of ICE operations from 2008-2014, later known as B66 from Bensenville Yard to Davis Junction, IL or Janesville, WI from 2014-2022.
From 2008-2014, CP would still use the smaller scale manifests until they could formally combine them. CP 272/273, which lasted until 2013 before being combined into 472/473, CP 470/471, former 276/277 to Huron, SD and back, CP 478/479 to Mason City, IA and back, and CP 588/589, which would later combine into 472/473.
Grain trains would still run as needed such as CP 362/363 from the BRC to Huron, SD on the DME and vice versa. CP 368 was a one way grain load from Mason City, IA to the BRC in Chicago. Ethanol trains also ran in numerous pairs. CP 605/606, CP 610/611, CP 622/623, CP 626/627, CP 636/637, and CP 656/657 were all loaded ethanol trains heading to the BRC in Chicago from various destinations across Iowa and South Dakota. Hartley, Charles City, Mona, and Nora Springs, IA, and Huron/Aurora, SD on the DME, and vice versa.
Coal and potash would see a decline and change in routing after the CP acquisition, but when they did run, it was as CP 692/693, potash to Hartley, IA and back, CP 882/883, CP 886/887, and CP 894/895, coal empty reroutes to the BRC from Austin, MN, Rochester, MN, Mason City, IA, and Spencer, IA, and the loads were vice versa.
From 2014-2022, CP would condense numerous trains to make trips less and lower the amount of crews needed at one time, and many of the trains normally routed via the Elgin/Chicago subs were rerouted via Wisconsin. CP 472/473 became the only manifest now on the line from Bensenville, IL to Nahant Yard in Davenport, IA and back.
Grain trains would rarely run on this line, or if they did it was night. CP 380/381, CP 386/387, were grain trains from various destinations in Iowa and Minnesota to Bensenville and vice versa. In addition to grain trains, ethanol and a new commodity, frac sand, began running on the line. CP 650/651, ethanol from Albany, NY to various destinations in Iowa. CP 680/681, both ethanol and sand from various plants in Iowa to the NS at Calumet Yard and beyond to various destinations on the NS. And CP 686/687, ethanol from various plants in Iowa to various destinations on the CSX.
In 2022, CP decided to do an entire revamp of their symbols in preparation for the upcoming merger with Kansas City Southern in 2023. Trains that would run on the line were as follows. CP 252/253, replacing 472/473. CP 340/341, CP 346/347, replacing 380/381 and 386/387. CP 540/541 replacing 680/681, CP 546/547, replacing 686/687, and CP 640/641 replacing CP 680/681’s sand version. After the CP symbol change, local jobs B66 became K66, and G47 became I47.
In 2023, the proposal of the merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern passed and with that became a new era for the Elgin and Chicago Subdivisions. Once the merger went into effect, 252/253 would lose their work orders at Pingree Grove, IL. This would mean that these trains would have a straight shot to Savanna, IL for work there and eventually complete its journey in Nahant yard in Davenport, IA. However, in late 2024, CPKC had reversed the symbols to 252/253 and to have it go to Kansas City, MO. The return to regular manifest traffic from Bensenville to Kansas City has returned as of now and now 252 (Bensenville Origin) will finally return to Kansas City after 22 years of not going further than Nahant-Davenport, IA. Same goes for 253 (Kansas City Origin), for the first time since 2002 a manifest has left Kansas City bound for Bensenville.
There was also room for new intermodal service on the line, with at the time CP conducting experiments with intermodal traffic returning to the line after a twenty year hiatus, that symbol being 183. However, once the merger had passed, CPKC had implemented a new intermodal service from Bensenville, IL, to San Luis Potosi, MX and vice versa. These new trains would be CPKC MMX-180 and MMX-181 (Midwest Mexico Express). CPKC plans to implement more intermodal traffic in the future, with routes from Bensenville, IL to Wylie, TX to the new intermodal/autorack facility near Dallas. Another new addition coming in the next couple years is one going from Toronto, ON, to Mexico City, MX And the last one that will be implemented will be going from Bensenville, IL to Lazaro Cardenas, Mich., MX and vice versa.
With 252 and 253 not having to work Pingree Grove, this would mean that the line would be opened up more often and allow for unit trains to return to the Elgin and Chicago Subs. Grain traffic has slowly increased through 2024. CPKC 356 (loaded) coming from Milwaukee, WI or Fall River, WI and would terminate at Kansas City, MO. CPKC 357 (empties) would be the reverse train going back to either Milwaukee or Fall River. This would mean that sand and ethanol trains would be able to take the Marquette Sub and move east via the Chicago Sub, removing congestion off the C&M/Milwaukee Subs. Once trains are in Bensenville, most take the BRC transfer and move south away from Franklin Park. Ethanol trains would include CPKC 528 (loaded) coming from Marquette, IA to Albany, NY, with a local crew bringing it from their respective ethanol plants in Iowa or Minnesota to Marquette. and 529 (empties), coming from Albany, NY to Marquette, IA and a local crew will take it to their respective ethanol plants in Iowa and Minnesota from Marquette. This would be CPKC’s own ethanol service (as needed) without having to transfer through its journey. CPKC 540 and 541, which is shared with Norfolk Southern, comes from Bensenville, IL and goes to Marquette, IA, and a local crew will take it to their respective ethanol plants. CPKC 546 and 547, which is shared with CSX, comes from Bensenville, IL and goes to Marquette, IA, and a local crew will take it to their respective ethanol plants. Sand trains include CPKC 640 (loads) and 641 (empties), coming from Dubuque, IA and going to Bensenville, IL to be sent to Norfolk Southern via the BRC. There is also a rare as needed CPKC 642, which is sand loads from Pattison Sand in Clayton, IA routed via Dubuque, IA to Bensenville, IL and then sent via IHB to the Chicago, Fort Wayne, and Eastern to the Wheeling and Lake Erie in Ohio, which then takes the sand to transloading facilities in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. In December 2024, CPKC introduced a brand new series to the Chicago and Elgin Subs. CPKC 461 and 462, empty and loaded military trains between Oshkosh, WI and various army and military installments across the country, such as Camp Shelby, MS and Fort Carson, CO.
As far as local traffic, the only local that still runs daily on the Chicago Sub is CPKC K66 and K68, which goes from Savanna, IL all the way east to Pingree Grove serving customers across the Chicago Sub with lumber and bulk loads. Farther east, there are former businesses by Bartlett, IL and Itasca, IL no longer served. I47, now the only local job on the Elgin Subdivision, only tackles business tracks in Itasca’s industrial district as well as Schaumburg’s small business park, just west of the station. I47 also delivers and picks up empties at the Daily Herald, located in Schaumburg, on a branch that spurs off from the mainline across from the local airport on the northside of Irving Park Rd, served in years past by G35 and the Spaulding Patrol until 2019.
