Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway

{{Short description|Defunct Class I railroad serving the outer Chicago suburbs}} {{Infobox rail | name = Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway | logo = EJ&E.jpg | system_map = Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway system map (2008).svg | map_caption = EJ&E (red) and [[Canadian National Railway]] (blue) as of 2008 | image = EJE 665 at West Chicago, IL on December 14, 1987 (22815087326).jpg | caption = EJE 665, an [[EMD SD38-2]], at [[West Chicago]] on December 14, 1987 | headquarters = [[Gary, Indiana]] | marks = EJE | locale = [[Illinois]] and [[Indiana]] | start_year = January 1, 1889 | end_year = January 1, 2013 | predecessor_line = Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railway<br>Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company of Illinois | successor_line = [[Canadian National Railway]], [[Wisconsin Central Ltd.]] | gauge = {{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}} | length = {{convert|164|mi}} }}

The '''Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway''' {{Reporting mark|EJE}} was a [[Class II railroad]], making a roughly circular path between [[Waukegan, Illinois]] and [[Gary, Indiana]]. The railroad served as a link between [[Class I railroad]]s traveling to and from [[Chicago]], although it operated almost entirely within the city's suburbs, only entering Chicago where it served the [[U.S. Steel]] [[South Works]] on the shores of Lake Michigan. Nicknames for the railroad included "'''The J'''", EJ&E and "'''The Chicago Outer Belt Line'''". At the end of 1970, the EJ&E operated 164 miles of track and carried 848 million ton-miles of revenue freight in that year alone.

On September 26, 2007, the [[Canadian National Railway]] announced that it planned to purchase a majority of the EJ&E, leaving a portion of the line in Indiana to be reorganized as the [[Gary Railway]]. The purchase was approved on December 24, 2008, by the [[Surface Transportation Board|U.S. Surface Transportation Board]], and the deal was consummated effective February 1, 2009.<ref>[https://www.ctvnews.ca/cn-closes-deal-on-elgin-joliet-and-eastern-railway-1.366115 CN closes deal on Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway | CTV News] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204094436/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090201/cn_deal_090102/20090201?hub=Canada&s_name= |date=February 4, 2009 }}</ref> In the years immediately following the merger, the railroad existed as a subsidiary of Canadian National, and EJ&E locomotives that had been repainted into CN colors were sub-lettered for the EJ&E.

On December 31, 2012, Canadian National announced that the merger of the EJ&E into [[Wisconsin Central Ltd.]] (another railroad subsidiary of CN) had been completed, and would take effect the following day. On January 1, 2013, the EJ&E effectively ceased to exist, 124 years to the day it was founded.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130115235136/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1094461/cn-completes-intra-corporate-merger-of-elgin-joliet-and-eastern-into-wisconsin-central-subsidiary CN | CN completes intra-corporate merger of Elgin, Joliet and Eastern into Wisconsin Central subsidiary]</ref>

==History== [[File:Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway hopper (1913) (14758040862).jpg|thumbnail|left|Hopper car from the Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway]] The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern was created when several local railroads in Illinois and Indiana merged throughout the end of the 19th century. The systems that would make up the EJ&E included the Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railway (which dates back to 1884) and Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway ''Company of Illinois''. The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern ''Railway'' began operations on December 4, 1888, through the merger of these two systems.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} After the creation of the modern-day EJ&E, the railroad expanded by purchasing several smaller lines including the Waukegan & Southwestern Railway; Gardner, Coal City & Northern Railway; Western Indiana Railroad; and the Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}}

The EJ&E moved to serve industries in the [[Hammond, Indiana|Hammond]]-[[East Chicago, Indiana|East Chicago]]-[[Whiting, Indiana|Whiting]] industrial district by acquiring trackage rights in 1894. Construction of the present line to [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]], Whiting and [[South Chicago, Illinois|South Chicago]] was initiated in 1899 by the ''Griffith and Northern Railway''. Connections with the ''Chicago, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway'' and the ''Western Indiana Railway'' further penetrated the district, although the EJ&E subsequently acquired both lines. In 1898 the EJ&E merged with four other non-railway companies to form '''Federal Steel Company'''. In 1901, [[United States Steel Corporation]] was formed from a merger that included Federal Steel, and U.S. Steel thereby acquired the railroad.

The railroad's passenger services began with the start of operations in January 1889.<ref name="sanders" />{{rp|246}} The railroad stopped operating passenger ''trains'' in 1907,<ref>p.14 Jaenicke, Paul W & Eisenbrandt, Ralph. ''Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway'' 2007 Arcadia Publishing</ref> but continued [[mixed train]] service until 1909. During those two years, passengers rode in the [[caboose]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ejearchive.com/page_faq.html#123 |title=Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Archive{{dash}}FAQ |access-date=2008-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310060242/http://www.ejearchive.com/page_faq.html#123 |archive-date=2009-03-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The EJ&E underwent [[dieselization]] relatively early. In 1937, the railroad acquired its first diesel-electric locomotive, an [[EMC SW]] switcher, which was designated EJ&E #200.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster200.html |title=Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Archive{{dash}}Diesel Locomotive Roster: 200 |access-date=2012-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409064135/http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster200.html |archive-date=2012-04-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Over the next 12 years, the entire steam fleet was replaced with first generation diesels. The first road diesel, [[Baldwin DT-6-6-2000]] #100, was delivered to the railroad in May 1946.<ref>[http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster100.html]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref> The final steam movement occurred in late May 1949, led by a [[2-8-2|Mikado 2-8-2]], EJ&E #740. The locomotive was sold to the scrapper that September.<ref>Joliet Herald-News Sunday June 5, 1949</ref> Another 2-8-2, #765, which had been sold to the [[Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway]] in 1948, is the railway's only surviving steam locomotive. It was donated to Gary, Indiana in 1962 and has been on static display in Lakefront Park, next to [[I-90]] and the [[South Shore Line]]'s Gary station ever since. The [[Illinois Railway Museum]] attempted to purchase the engine in the early 1980s, but Gary refused this offer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cs.trains.com/ctr/b/mileposts/archive/2020/10/16/ej-amp-e-765-another-forgotten-park-engine.aspx|title=EJ&E 765: Another forgotten park engine{{dash}}Classic Trains Magazine{{dash}}Railroad History, Vintage Train Videos, Steam Locomotives, Forums|access-date=2022-03-26|archive-date=2021-01-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114081203/http://cs.trains.com/ctr/b/mileposts/archive/2020/10/16/ej-amp-e-765-another-forgotten-park-engine.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1988, United States Steel and the [[Blackstone Group]] formed '''Transtar Inc.''' to serve as a shareholder of the EJ&E and several other affiliated railroads and companies. In March 2001, the Blackstone Group ended their ownership interest in Transtar, resulting in it becoming a fully owned subsidiary of United States Steel.

On May 16, 2006, the EJ&E was the recipient of the 2005 Bronze [[E. H. Harriman Award]] for employee safety in group C (line-haul railroads with less than 4 million employee hours per year).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application;JSESSIONID_nscorp=E0D2wDZLZ8t844Gn6WZDlSVqmCEM2UEJtEicpNZ1tBcpy4wFlISk!-1862265230?origin=content.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=NS+News&contentId=english/nscorp/news/whats_new/whats_new/news051606.html |title=Railroads Set Another Employee Safety Record in 2005 |author=Association of American Railroads (reprinted by Norfolk Southern Railway) |date=2006-05-16 |access-date=2006-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213232521/http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application%3BJSESSIONID_nscorp%3DE0D2wDZLZ8t844Gn6WZDlSVqmCEM2UEJtEicpNZ1tBcpy4wFlISk%21-1862265230?origin=content.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=NS+News&contentId=english%2Fnscorp%2Fnews%2Fwhats_new%2Fwhats_new%2Fnews051606.html |archive-date=2007-02-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Canadian National/Gary Railway=== [[File:EJE Yellow SW1200.PNG|thumbnail|EJ&E #303, an [[EMD SW1200]] locomotive, repainted in [[Gary Railway]] colors in March 2008.]] In 2004 Canadian National had acquired two railroads, the [[Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad]] and the [[Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad]], that had also previously been owned by Transtar, but that at the time CN acquired them were owned by Great Lakes Transportation, LLC, a Blackstone Group subsidiary created when USS became the sole owner of Transtar). The purchase agreement was officially announced on September 26; CN would purchase the majority of the line. The purchase was initially expected to close in mid-2008, valued at [[United States dollar|$]]300 million.

In accordance with its agreement with CN, Transtar retained some railroad infrastructure in Gary, Indiana; this infrastructure has been reorganized as the [[Gary Railway]] (“GRW”) to continue serving U.S. Steel's plants located there.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN2625746620070926| title=CN Railway to buy EJ&E line for $300 million| publisher=Reuters| date=2007-09-26| access-date=2007-09-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Canadian National Railway |url=http://cn.ca/about/media/news_releases/2007/3rd_quarter/en_News20070926.shtml |title=CN to acquire key operations of Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway for US$300 million |date=2007-09-26 |access-date=2007-09-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111195118/http://www.cn.ca/about/media/news_releases/2007/3rd_quarter/en_News20070926.shtml |archive-date=November 11, 2007 }}</ref>

On September 10, 2007, [[Crain's Chicago Business]] reported that the [[Canadian National Railway]] was in talks to purchase the EJ&E.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?article_id=28393&bt=Canadian+National&arc=n&searchType=| title=Rail deal offers city a remedy| publisher=Crain's Chicago Business| date=2007-09-10| access-date=2007-09-14| author=Tita, Bob}}{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref> Canadian National planned to use the EJ&E to route through trains around Chicago, where they had been facing lengthy delays because of congestion in the busy rail hub. In fact, the closing did not take place until January 31, 2009 (effective February 1, 2009), following regulatory approval of the purchase by the Surface Transportation Board on December 24, 2008.<ref>{{cite press release| url=http://www.stb.dot.gov/__85256593004F576F.nsf/0/37278E04696F2177852575290058EDF0?OpenDocument| title=SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD APPROVES CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY'S ACQUISITION OF ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN RAILWAY| publisher=United States Surface Transportation Board| date=December 24, 2008| access-date=January 4, 2009| archive-date=March 9, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309044349/http://www.stb.dot.gov/__85256593004F576F.nsf/0/37278E04696F2177852575290058EDF0?OpenDocument| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/americasDealsNews/idUKTRE4BN45C20081224| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227001759/http://uk.reuters.com/article/americasDealsNews/idUKTRE4BN45C20081224| url-status=dead| archive-date=December 27, 2008| title=Regulators OK CN deal for EJ&E, with conditions| work=Reuters UK| author=Dowd, Allan| date=December 24, 2008| access-date=January 4, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.financialpost.com/news/story.html?id=1115975| title=Canadian National Railway gets its wish, but pays for it| work=Financial Post| author=Sturgeon, Jamie| date=December 26, 2008| access-date=January 4, 2009}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

On Tuesday, March 10, 2009, the first two Canadian National trains debuted on the Elgin, Joliet, & Eastern, with initial plans to run six trains per day on the lines.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/mar/10/local/chi-cn-railroad-10-mar10| title=Canadian National Railway trains to debut on Elgin, Joliet & Eastern line Tuesday| publisher=Chicago Tribune| date=March 10, 2009| access-date=March 20, 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref> The CN subsequently did major upgrading of the physical plant, and in particular of several major interchange points. In 2024 it was reported that about a third of all CN trains originated, terminated or ran through Chicago. Most of the latter skirted the Windy City's congestion by zipping around on the EJ&E.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Stephens|first=Bill|title=CANADIAN NATIONAL'S CHICAGO ADVANTAGE|pages=22–31|issue=January 2024|volume=84|url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-january-2024/|magazine=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]]|publisher=[[Kalmbach Media]]}}</ref>

In November 2020, as part of celebrations for the 25th anniversary of CN's privatization, the company unveiled a series of locomotives repainted in the schemes of its predecessor and/or subsidiary railroads. [[GE Evolution Series|GE ET44AC]] #3023, which was repainted in the orange livery of EJ&E, along with the logos of that company.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schweitzer |first=Rene |date=November 17, 2020 |title=CN celebrates 25th anniversary of privatization, unveils heritage locomotives |language=en-US |work=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]] |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/cn-celebrates-25th-anniversary-of-privatization-unveils-heritage-locomotives/ |access-date=2025-02-04}}</ref>

==Motive power==

===All-time diesel roster=== The EJ&E's all time diesel roster consisted of:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster.html |title=Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Archive{{dash}}Diesel Locomotive Roster: 100 |access-date=2008-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310060237/http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster.html |archive-date=2009-03-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Image ! Locomotive Model ! Quantity ! Road Numbers ! Notes |- | |[[Alco HH660]] |4 |209–212 | |- | |[[Alco HH900]] |1 |402 | |- | |[[ALCO RS-2|Alco RS-2]] |10 |800–809 |Locomotive #801 was eventually sold to [[Hylsamex]], and as of 2012 was still operating. Believed to be the oldest operating diesel locomotive in [[Mexico]]. |- | |[[Alco S-1]] |5 |213–217 | |- | |[[Alco S-2]] |12 |451–462 | |- | |[[Baldwin DR-4-4-1500]] |2 A–B sets |700A, 700B, 701A, 701B |"Sharknose" body |- | |[[Baldwin DRS-6-6-1500]] |2 |500–501 | |- |[[File:Four Roger Puta Photos of EJ&E Power (27415208826).jpg|200px]] |[[Baldwin DT-6-6-2000]] |27 |100–126 |Locomotive #100 was a unique prototype. All were sold and scrapped by 1974 replaced by the EMD SD38-2 fleet. |- | |[[Baldwin VO660]] |3 |270–272 | |- | |[[Baldwin VO1000]] |10 |475–484 | |- |[[File:EJ&E 703.JPG|200px]] |'''[[EMD GP38-2]]''' |5 |700–704 |Sold to the [[Birmingham Southern Railroad]] in 1987. In 1996, locomotive #703 was repurchased and assigned to Waukegan, IL. |- | |[[EMD SD9]] |15 |600–614 | |- | |'''[[EMD SD18]]''' |5 |615, 616, 818, 851, 852 |#818 upgraded to SD18U. |- | |'''[[EMD SD9|EMD SD9M]]''' |8 |802, 804, 809, 811, 813–815, 820 |Ex-Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range. Rebuilt from EMD SD9s in 1990. |- |[[File:EJE Engine Trio.PNG|200px]] |'''[[EMD SD38]]''' |6 |650–655 | 650 sold to CITI rail as of 2011,654 sold to [[Hartwell Railroad]] as of 2012, 651–653,655 sold to DM&IR in 1992/3 |- |[[Image:EJ&E SD38.png|200px]] |'''[[EMD SD38-2]]''' |21 |656–675, |All still active under Canadian National Ownership, 658,664,666,668,670 Re-painted to CN colors |- | |[[EMC NC]] |1 |402 | |- | |[[EMC NW1]] |2 |400, 401 | |- | |'''[[EMD NW2|EMC/EMD NW2]]''' |52 |403–443, 408, 446–452, 450, 455, 458 |There were two separate EMD NW2 locomotives designated #450, though not at the same time. One EJE 450 is possessed by Gary Railway but out of service in US Steel Gary Works. |- | |[[EMD SW]] |9 |200–208 |First diesel locomotives on the EJ&E. |- | |[[EMD SW1]] |30 |220–249 | |- | |[[EMD SW1000]] |1 |459 | |- |[[Image:EJE 446 EMD SW1001.jpg|200px]] |'''[[EMD SW1001]]''' |3 |444–446 |444 and 445 to LTEX 444–445. 446 to CN 446 |- |[[File:EJ&E SW1200.PNG|200px]] |'''[[EMD SW1200]]''' |23 |300–307, 310–324 |EJ&E #315 was involved in an accident in 2000 and was subsequently scrapped in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster300.html |title=Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Archive{{dash}}Diesel Locomotive Roster: 300 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409065018/http://www.ejearchive.com/page_dieselroster300.html |archive-date=2012-04-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 300–305, 307 to Gary Railway. 306 to LTEX 306. 310-324 from Burlington Northern. |- | |[[EMD SW8]] |1 |457 | |- | |[[EMD SW9]] |2 |454, 456 | |- | |[[EMD SW900]] |1 |453 | |- | |'''[[EMD SW1500]]''' |1 |460 | |- | |[[EMD TR4]] |1 |308/309 |Rebuilt from a UP [[cow–calf]] set; calf made into a cow unit |}

Locomotive designations in '''bold''' indicate that these models were on the roster at the time of the railroad's sale to the Canadian National Railway.

==Communities== The EJ&E connects the following cities and large towns: * [[Waukegan, Illinois]] * [[Libertyville, Illinois]] * [[Vernon Hills, Illinois]] * [[Lake Zurich, Illinois]] * [[Barrington, Illinois]] * [[Hoffman Estates, Illinois]] * [[Elgin, Illinois]] * [[West Chicago, Illinois]] * [[Aurora, Illinois]] * [[Plainfield, Illinois]] * [[Crest Hill, Illinois]] * [[Joliet, Illinois]] * [[Minooka, Illinois]] * [[Morris, Illinois]] * [[New Lenox, Illinois]] * [[Mokena, Illinois]] * [[Frankfort, Illinois]] * [[Richton Park, Illinois]] * [[Chicago Heights, Illinois]] * [[Park Forest, Illinois]] * [[Griffith, Indiana]] * [[Gary, Indiana]]

==See also== {{Portal|Railways}} * [[Belt Railway Company of Chicago]] * [[Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad]] * [[Gary Railway]]

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="sanders">{{Sanders-Indiana}}</ref> }}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090201110847/http://www.tstarinc.com/eje/ Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway] * [http://www.ejearchive.com/ Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Archive] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070923095248/http://www.dhke.com/schs/schs402.htm Shortlines of Chicago Historical Society: EJ&E history]

{{Regional railroads}} {{Former Class I|state=autocollapse}} {{Illinois railroads|state=autocollapse}} {{Indiana railroads|state=autocollapse}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elgin Joliet Eastern Railway}} [[Category:Regional railroads in the United States]] [[Category:Defunct Illinois railroads]] [[Category:Defunct Indiana railroads]] [[Category:Transportation in Gary, Indiana]] [[Category:Railroads in the Chicago metropolitan area]] [[Category:Grundy County, Illinois]] [[Category:Lake County, Indiana]] [[Category:1889 establishments in Illinois]] [[Category:Former Class I railroads in the United States]] [[Category:Railway companies established in 1889]] [[Category:Canadian National Railway]] [[Category:Defunct Wisconsin railroads]] [[Category:Transportation in Lake County, Illinois]] [[Category:Transportation in Will County, Illinois]] [[Category:Transportation in Cook County, Illinois]] [[Category:Transportation in DuPage County, Illinois]] [[Category:1889 establishments in Indiana]] [[Category:1898 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:2013 disestablishments in Illinois]]