New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
Reporting marks	NKP
Locale	New York to Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO
Dates of operation	1881 – 1964
Track gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters	Cleveland, Ohio

The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (AAR reporting mark NKP), abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Its primary connections included Buffalo, New York, Chicago, Illinois, Cleveland, Ohio, Indianapolis, Indiana, St. Louis, Missouri and Toledo, Ohio. New York, Chicago & St. ... Reporting marks on two CP Rail covered hoppers passing Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, June 20, 2004. ... State nickname: The Empire State Official languages English Capital Albany Largest city New York City Governor George Pataki (R) Senators Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Clinton (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 13. ... ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... Rail gauge is the distance between two rails of a railroad. ... A foot (plural: feet) is a non-SI unit of distance or length, measuring around a third of a metre. ... Mid-19th century tool for converting between different standards of the inch An inch is an Imperial and U.S. customary unit of length. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... ... Categories: Organization stubs | Rail transport | Industry trade groups ... Reporting marks on two CP Rail covered hoppers passing Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, June 20, 2004. ... State nickname: The Empire State Official languages English Capital Albany Largest city New York City Governor George Pataki (R) Senators Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Clinton (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 13. ... State nickname: The Keystone State Official languages None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Governor Ed Rendell (D) Senators Arlen Specter (R) Rick Santorum (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 2. ... State nickname: The Buckeye State Official languages None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Governor Bob Taft (R) Senators Mike DeWine (R) George V. Voinovich (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 34th 116,096 km² 8. ... State nickname: The Hoosier State Official languages English Capital Indianapolis Largest city Indianapolis Governor Mitch Daniels (R) Senators Richard Lugar (R) Evan Bayh (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 38th 94,321 km² 1. ... State nickname: Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State Other U.S. States Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) Senators Richard Durbin (D) Barack Obama (D) Official language(s) English Area 149,998 km² (25th)  - Land 143,968 km²  - Water 6,030 km² (4. ... Nickname: City of Good Neighbors Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: Buffalo, NY Location Location of Buffalo in New York State Government County Erie County Mayor Anthony M. Masiello Geographical characteristics Area 136. ... ... ... Nickname: Circle City, Indy, Naptown Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: http://www. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... City nickname: The Glass City Location Location in the state of Ohio Government County Lucas Mayor Jack Ford (D) Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 217. ...

The Nickel Plate Railroad was constructed in 1881 along the South Shore of the Great Lakes connecting Buffalo, New York and Chicago, Illinois to compete with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. In 1964, the Nickel Plate Road and several other mid-western carriers were merged into Norfolk and Western Railway and the Nickel Plate Road was no more. The N&W was formed to be a more competitive and successful system serving 14 states and the Canadian province of Ontario on more than 7,000 miles (11,000 km) of railroad. The profitable N&W was itself combined with the Southern Railway, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) in 1982. 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... Nickname: City of Good Neighbors Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: Buffalo, NY Location Location of Buffalo in New York State Government County Erie County Mayor Anthony M. Masiello Geographical characteristics Area 136. ... ... The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... Norfolk and Western Railway - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English, French (in some areas) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 106 24 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 4th 1... The Southern Railway (AAR designation SOU) was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined since the 1830s. ... Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

History

Background

The 25 years after the Civil War more than doubled the existing American railroad track miles, changing the face of America forever. American railroads allowed products made in the East to be shipped to the expanding West less expensively than previously. This allowed for an economy of scale - larger, more efficient factories. The agricultural heartland of America was no longer confined to a market of single day's trip by wagon. Railroad and railroad construction became one of the largest industries during that era. By 1881, one out of 32 people in the United States was either employed by a railroad or engaged in railroad construction. A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Starting about 1877, two great railroad developers, William H. Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, began competing for the railroad traffic along the south shore of the Great Lakes. By 1878 William Vanderbilt had a monopoly on rail traffic between Buffalo, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; and Chicago, Illinois, because he owned the only railroad between those cities - the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. In addition, he was the richest man in America at that time. By 1881 Jay Gould controlled about 15% of all U.S. railroad mileage, most of it west of the Mississippi River and he was considered the most ruthless financial operator in America. Gould's major railroad east of the Mississippi River was the 3350 mile (5400 km) Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway (Wabash). The Wabash mainline ran from St. Louis, Missouri to Toledo, Ohio where it was forced to deliver its railroad traffic to William H. Vanderbilt's Lake Shore Railroad for deliver to the eastern United States. 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was a businessman and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. ... my nametag hurts ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Nickname: City of Good Neighbors Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: Buffalo, NY Location Location of Buffalo in New York State Government County Erie County Mayor Anthony M. Masiello Geographical characteristics Area 136. ... ... City nickname: The Motor City, Motown Official website: http://www. ... ... The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ... This page is about the river in the United States; there is also a Canadian Mississippi River (Ontario). ... 1886 map The Wabash Railway (AAR reporting mark WAB) was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... City nickname: The Glass City Location Location in the state of Ohio Government County Lucas Mayor Jack Ford (D) Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 217. ...

Jay Gould and William Vanderbilt together oversaw all east-west rail traffic in the mid-west. The owners (the Seney Syndicate) of a 350-mile (560 km) railroad, the Lake Erie and Western Railroad, were interested in tapping new sources of revenue. The stage was set for the creation of the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad. During 1879 and 1880 the Seney Syndicate linked together several short railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to form the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. ... The Lake Erie & Western Railroad was a railroad that operated in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. ...

Early Years

The Seney Syndicate met at Seney's New York bank and organized the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company on 3 February 1881. The original proposal for the NYC&St.L was a 340-mile (550 km) railroad west from Cleveland, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois with a 325-mile (525 km) branch to St. Louis, Missouri. During 1879 and 1880 the Seney Syndicate linked together several short railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to form the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. ... State nickname: The Empire State Official languages English Capital Albany Largest city New York City Governor George Pataki (R) Senators Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Clinton (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 13. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ...

On 13 April 1881 the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company bought the Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago Railway, a railroad that been surveyed from the west side of Cleveland, Ohio to Buffalo, New York running parallel to Vanderbilt's Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. 13 April is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago Railway (BC&C) was incorporated in the states of New York and Pennsylvania in October 1880 by the New York bankers Clark, Post, and Martin. ... William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was a businessman and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. ... The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ...

The idea of an east-west railroad across northern Ohio was very popular with the people of Ohio. They wanted to break the high freight rates charged by Jay Gould and William Henry Vanderbilt. No one was less popular in Ohio than William Vanderbilt since the 29 December 1876 collapse of Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway's Ashtabula River trestle, where 64 people had been injured and 92 were killed or died later from injuries. State nickname: The Buckeye State Official languages None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Governor Bob Taft (R) Senators Mike DeWine (R) George V. Voinovich (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 34th 116,096 km² 8. ... my nametag hurts ... William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was a businessman and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. ... December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster, also called the Ashtabula Horror, was the worst train disaster in America up to that point occurred in Ohio on 29 December 1876, 7:28 p. ...

Another reason for the popularity of the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway was the positive economic impact on cities that any new railroad went through at that time. During a newspaper war to attract the New York, Chicago and St. Louis the Norwalk, Ohio Chronicle Newspaper referred to the New York, Chicago and St. Louis as "... double-track nickel-plated railroad." The New York, Chicago and St. Louis adopted the nickname and it became better known as the Nickel Plate Road. Norwalk is a city located in Huron County, Ohio. ... Categories: Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Missouri railroads | New York railroads | Ohio railroads | Pennsylvania railroads ...

It was decided to start building along the surveyed route between Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York rather than build the branch to St. Louis, Missouri. Five hundred days later the Nickel Plate's 513-mile (825 km) single-track mainline from Buffalo, New York to Chicago, Illinois was complete. The railroad was estimated to require 90,000 long tons (80,000 metric tons) of steel rails, each weighing sixty pounds per yard (30 kg/m) and 1.5 million oak crossties. Additionally, the railroad required forty-nine major bridges. It was characterized by long sections of straight track, mild grades and impressive bridges. The Nickel Plate ran its first trains over the entire system on 16 October 1882. October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

During construction, Vanderbilt and Gould had watched with great interest. If either of them could acquire the Nickel Plate, they could end the threat to their railroads. If the Nickel Plate remained independent it would be able to create a substantial dent in both entrepreneurs' railroad earnings.

Vanderbilt tried to lower the value of the Nickel Plate by organizing a campaign to smear its reputation before a train ever ran on its tracks. If Vanderbilt was successful he could scare the Seney Syndicate into selling to him or drive the railroad company into bankruptcy. However, Vanderbilt's plan came with two important risks. If he slandered the line he risked chasing the Seney Syndicate into an alliance with Gould. The other risk was that his plan to smear the Nickel Plate's reputation might fail and it could quickly grow. Vanderbilt claimed the road was being built with substandard materials and it would use unsafe practices once completed. He succeeded in creating long-standing rumors about the line, but failed to devalue the company or scare the investors. During 1879 and 1880 the Seney Syndicate linked together several short railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to form the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. ...

The cost of construction was higher than expected and the Seney Syndicate began to negotiate with Gould to purchase the railroad, but unlike Vanderbilt, Gould lacked the capital. Frustrated at the failing talks, Gould broke off negotiations and gave up on his attempt to break Vanderbilt.

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern era

In early 1881, Vanderbilt could have had the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (or Nickel Plate) for one million dollars. He realized if he allowed Jay Gould to gain control of the Nickel Plate his monopoly on rail traffic from Toledo, Ohio - east would be broken. He decided he would do anything to keep the Nickel Plate out of Gould's hands. 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 – December 8, 1885) was a businessman and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family. ... my nametag hurts ... City nickname: The Glass City Location Location in the state of Ohio Government County Lucas Mayor Jack Ford (D) Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 217. ...

On 25 October 1882 (a few days after the first trains ran) the Seney Syndicate sold the Nickel Plate to Vanderbilt for 7.2 million dollars. Vanderbilt transferred it to his Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. However, Vanderbilt had a problem: he could not run the business into the ground or it would fall into receivership and someone else would buy it. He could not close the Nickel Plate either because it cost a fortune to buy. So, the Nickel Plate Road did business, but just enough to keep it solvent. By the advent of the 1920s the Nickel Plate was an obscure line that earned its keep through the transfer of freight from other rail connections. During the same period Vanderbilt's Lake Shore and Michigan Southern prospered and expanded. October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 67 days remaining. ... 1882 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... During 1879 and 1880 the Seney Syndicate linked together several short railroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to form the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. ... The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ...

Vanderbilt kept most of the rail traffic on his Lake Shore and Michigan Southern. Fewer trains on the Nickel Plate meant that they could move faster, so that is the railroad traffic they went after. By 1888 the Nickel Plate had been dubbed "The Meat Express Line." Observers at Fort Wayne, Indiana reported six long meat trains every night and a couple of fruit trains during the day. 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Nickname: The Summit City Motto: {{{motto}}} Official website: City of Fort Wayne Location Location in the state of Indiana Government County Allen Mayor Graham Richard (D) Geographical characteristics Area 127 km² Land 126. ...

Vanderbilt consolidated many of his railroads into the New York Central Railroad. In 1915 Vanderbilt was found to be in violation of the federal antitrust laws because the New York Central had a controlling interest in the Nickel Plate. Over time the Nickel Plate had been reduced as a serious threat to competing lines and in return for operating concessions and access to certain stations, the New York Central sold the Nickel Plate to the Van Sweringen brothers of Cleveland, Ohio. 1918 map The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting mark NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the North-Eastern United States. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Oris Paxton (born. ... ...

The Van Sweringen era

Oris Paxton Van Sweringen and his younger brother Mantis James Van Sweringen were real estate developers who constructed a rapid transit from their development at Shaker Heights, Ohio to downtown Cleveland. As early as 1909 the Van Sweringen brothers proposed a stub-end terminal on Public Square in downtown Cleveland. The Cleveland interurbans and traction companies were in favor of the new terminal and right-of-ways leading to it. Oris Paxton (b. ... Mantis James Van Sweringen was born on July 8, 1881 near Wooster, Ohio. ... Shaker Heights is a city located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. ... ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Oris Paxton (born. ...

The Nickel Plate was the key. It transversed Cleveland from east to west, had a high level crossing of the Cuyahoga River Valley, and it was adjacent to the proposed terminal. The Nickel Plate also provided natural route to the proposed terminal for the Van Sweringen's rapid transit and the other traction lines. Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio. ...

Between 1890 and 1913 Cleveland had a four fold increase in population. Cleveland wanted to clean up the city and started many civic projects. Cleveland wanted to consolidate all of its railroad stations. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, Pennsylvania Railroad, and Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad shared a crowded lakefront Union Station. The Erie Railroad, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Nickel Plate Road, and Lake Erie and Western Railroad all occupied separate stations on the north bluff of the Cuyahoga River, just south of downtown. The city also encouraged the railroads to build grade separation throughout the city. The Nickel Plate started a grade separation project on the East Side of Cleveland in 1909 and finished in 1913. Cleveland approved a bond issue in 1910 to "depress" the Nickel Plate through the most congested part of the West Side. 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1913 (MCMXIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ... 1911 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad existing 1846–1968, after which it merged into Penn Central Transportation. ... Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. ... The Erie Railroad (AAR reporting mark ERIE) was a railroad that operated in New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, connecting New York City with Lake Erie, and extending west to Cleveland, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. ... 1876 map The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) is one of the oldest railroads in the United States, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland west to the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia and Parkersburg, West Virginia. ... The Lake Erie & Western Railroad was a railroad that operated in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1913 (MCMXIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway was controlled by the New York Central Railroad's Alfred H. Smith, a close friend of the Van Sweringens. He had guided the Van Sweringens and even financed their rapid transit to Shaker Heights. The Attorney General of the United States advised the New York Central that its control of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern and the Nickel Plate was in violation of the Federal antitrust laws in late 1915. Alfred Smith called his friends, the Van Sweringens on 1 February 1916 and offered them the Nickel Plate. They bought it for 8.5 million dollars on 13 April 1916. They only put up a little over half a million dollars but they controlled 75% of Nickel Plate's voting stock. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ... 1918 map The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting mark NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the North-Eastern United States. ... 1918 map The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting mark NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the North-Eastern United States. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... 13 April is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ...

The Van Sweringens had no intention of running the Nickel Plate. Alfred Smith was happy to give the Van Sweringens a vice-president of the New York Central, John Bernet, and some of his top men. Smith wanted to show that the Van Sweringens were not New York Central puppets, and the Nickel Plate needed to earn money to retire the $6.5 million in notes owed to the New York Central.

NKP president John Bernet era

The end of an era: merger with N&W, Norfolk Southern

As the financial situation of American railroading continued to decline after World War II, the Nickel Plate Road together with the Wabash and several smaller carriers merged with the profitable Norfolk and Western on October 16, 1964. Download high resolution version (547x717, 52 KB)Nickel Plate Railroad, 1957. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Ohio railroads ... Norfolk and Western Railway (AAR reporting mark: NW), a US class 1 railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ...

N&W had merged with long-time rival Virginian Railway in the Pocahontas coal region in 1959, and grew through the mergers with other rail carriers including the Nickel Plate and Wabash railroads with operations in adjacent areas of the eastern United States to form a more competitive and successful system serving 14 states and a province of Canada on more than 7,000 miles of road. The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class 1 railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ...

The profitable N&W was itself combined with the Southern Railway, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) in 1982. The Southern Railway (AAR designation SOU) was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined since the 1830s. ... Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ...

Chicago terminals

By 1897 the Nickel Plate had obtained trackage rights over the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway from Grand Crossing to its own terminal on the east side of the LS&MS line to LaSalle Street Station, just north of Roosevelt Road (12th Street). By 1928 it used LaSalle. 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... A union station or union terminal is a train station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them. ... The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a railroad that operated in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana from Buffalo to Chicago. ... 1902 view, before grade separation Greater Grand Crossing, one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the citys south side. ... The passenger depot of the New York, Chicago and St. ... LaSalle Street Station is a commuter rail terminal in downtown Chicago, Illinois, serving Metras Rock Island District. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Origin of the Nickel Plate nickname

The following is an excerpt from the book The Nickel Plate Road, A Short History of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis R.R. printed in 1954. The book is a record of an address given by Lynne L. White (a former president of the Nickel Plate) to the Newcomen Society of the United States, held in the ballroom of the Hotel Lawrence, Erie, Pa., November 11, 1954. Mr. White was guest of honor at this "1954 Lake Erie Dinner". The Newcomen Society of the United States is a publicly-supported, tax-exempt, educational foundation for the study and recognition of achievement in American business and the society it serves. It was founded in New York City in 1923 by L. F. Loree, then dean of American railroad presidents, together...

Through northern Ohio, already served by four railroads, location of the line developed intense rivalries among cities. Three routes were surveyed and communities along each proposed route vied in the raising of public subscriptions to donate rights-of-way. The road's general offices at Cleveland frequently were besieged by delegations hoping to bring about the routing of the line through their communities. During these inter-city rivalries was born the nickname for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis - The Nickel Plate Road - which rapidly became the name most commonly used.

Numerous legends have grown about when and how the name "Nickel Plate" was first applied. The accepted version is that it appeared first in an article in the Norwalk, Ohio, Chronicle of March 10, 1881. On that date the Chronicle reported the arrival of a party of engineers to make a survey for the "great New York and St. Louis double track, nickel plated railroad."

Later, while attempting to induce the company to build the line through Norwalk instead of Bellevue, Ohio, the Chronicle again referred to the road as "nickel plated" - a term regarded as indicative of the project's glittering prospects and substantial financial backing.

In 1882, the Nickel Plate recognized F.R. Loomis, owner and editor of the Norwalk Chronicle, as originator of the term and issued him Complimentary Pass No. 1.

Thus Norwalk named the road - but Bellevue finally got it.

See also

• Chagrin Falls and Southern Railroad, sometimes called the Silver Plate, and later a branch of the Nickel Plate to Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Chagrin Falls is a village located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. ...

External links

• The Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society

References

• Hampton, Taylor (2001). The Nickel Plate Road: The history of a great railroad, Circulation Publishing and Marketing. ISBN 1928551173.
• Holland, Kevin J. (1999). Berkshires of the Nickel Plate Road, TLC Publishing, Virginia. ISBN 1883089395.
• Rehor, John A. (1994). The Nickel Plate story, Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha, WI.
• Lynne L. White (1954) The Nickel Plate Road, A Short History of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis R.R. Newcomen Publication: Exton, Pennsylvania