HISTORIC PASSENGER TRAIN ROUTES

CENTRAL STATION

Main intercity passenger routes out of Chicago.

Links to "railfan timetable" information for present railroads, whether successor Amtrak service or freight only, along with information on abandoned routes. Also included are current or "classic" track diagrams.

Station was owned by Illinois Central, which operated most trains serving the station. Additional trains were operated by New York Central. Illinois Central eventually became part of CN.


Illinois Central

Passenger service continues under Amtrak. Trains now use Union Station.

Chicago-Kensington-Stuenkel - CN Chicago Subdivision
Stuenkel-Kankakee-Gilman-Champaign - CN Chicago Subdivision
Champaign-Centralia - CN Champaign Subdivision
Centralia-Cairo - CN Centralia Subdivision

New York Central (Michigan Central)

Trains used above Illinois Central route between Chicago and Kensington.

Passenger service discontinued via this route in 1957, after which trains began using New York Central's former Lake Shore & Michigan Southern route between La Salle Street Station and Porter. Much of this route in Indiana became part of Indiana Harbor Belt. Amtrak service to Detroit continues east of Porter, now using Union Station in Chicago.

Kensington-Calumet Park - IHB Kensington Line
Calumet Park-Hammond - IHB Main Line
Hammond-Porter - CSX Porter Subdivision
Porter-Kalamazoo - Amtrak Michigan Line
Kalamazoo-Detroit - Amtrak Michigan Line

New York Central (Cleveland Cincinnati Chicago & St. Louis)

Trains used above Illinois Central route between Chicago and Kankakee.

Passenger service discontinued by Amtrak via this route in 1973, due to deteriorated track conditions on what had become Penn Central Railroad. Much of that trackage was assumed by short line operator Kankakee Beaverton & Southern.

Kankakee-Templeton - Kankakee Beaverton & Southern
Templeton-Lafayette - Kankakee Beaverton & Southern
Lafayette-Altamont - NS Frankfort District
Altamont-Indianapolis - NYC Indiana Division (abandoned)
Indianapolis-Shelbyville - CSX Shelbyville Secondary Track
Shelbyville-Cincinnati - Central Railroad of Indiana

Illinois Central (Gilman-St. Louis)

Trains used above Illinois Central route between Chicago and Gilman.

Passenger service discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak.

Gilman-Springfield - CN Gilman Subdivision
Springfield-Glen Carbon - IC Springfield District (abandoned)
Glen Carbon-East St. Louis - UP Madison Subdivision
East St. Louis-St. Louis - TRRA Eads Subdivision (abandoned)

Illinois Central (Iowa Division)

Passenger service originally discontinued in 1971 with the creation of Amtrak. Between 1974 and 1981, Amtrak operated service to Dubuque, using the former Alton/Gulf Mobile & Ohio route between Union Station and Bridgeport

Chicago-Broadview - CN Freeport Subdivision
Broadview-Freeport - CN Freeport Subdivision
Freeport-Dubuque - CN Dubuque Subdivision


MAP OF PASSENGER TRAIN ROUTINGS