Elgin and Belvidere Electric Company
Encyclopedia
The Elgin and Belvidere Electric Company (operational from 1907-1930) was a 36-mile (58 km) interurban
line that connected Belvidere, Illinois
and Elgin, Illinois
. It was the central link in the interurban network connecting Freeport
, Rockford
, Elgin and Chicago
which included the Rockford and Interurban Railway to the west and the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Railway to the east.
acquired the railroad after it went into financial
difficulties during construction in 1906. His company, The Arnold Company, designed and built the power generating
stations and the overhead structure for the railway, and had largely been paid in railway securities
. Arnold used the railroad as a proving ground for pioneering designs; the first automatic substation was on the line at Union
and the railroad was one of a handful to use gasoline generators to generate electric power. Its rolling stock
consisted of standard wooden interurban cars which typically ran in short one- to three-car trains on hourly intervals. Arnold himself was heavily involved in the line's construction and management, and at one point operated the cars himself during a strike.
of about 2% in its best years. On March 9, 1930, the railroad ceased operations due to competition from the parallel Chicago and North Western Railway
and from the automobile. For a time the railroad sat moribund, with the cars stored at the shops in Marengo
, until Arnold scrap
ped the line himself in the mid to late 1930s.
acquired 7 miles (11.3 km) of the abandoned right of way
through a delinquent tax sale east of Union, Illinois
in 1956. The museum currently operates trains over this section of the line during the summer as part of its demonstration railroad.
The exterior of the interurban rail station at 202 E. State Street in Cherry Valley remains basically intact, and is now home to the administrative offices of the Cherry Valley Fire Protection District.
Conservation District opened the first phase of the Huntley-Union-Marengo (H.U.M.) trail along the former right-of-way from Union, Illinois
to Marengo, Illinois
. The trail is eventually planned to connect to Huntley, Illinois
as well, following the former rail right-of-way where possible.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
line that connected Belvidere, Illinois
Belvidere, Illinois
Belvidere is a city in Boone County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,585 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Boone County. Belvidere is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and Elgin, Illinois
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
. It was the central link in the interurban network connecting Freeport
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
, Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, Elgin and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
which included the Rockford and Interurban Railway to the west and the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Railway to the east.
History
Bion J. ArnoldBion J. Arnold
thumb|Bion Joseph Arnold is remembered as "father of the third rail", a pioneer in electrical engineering, and an urban mass transportation expert who helped design New York's Interborough Rapid Transit subway system. After the IRT opened in 1904, the subway proved to be more popular than...
acquired the railroad after it went into financial
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
difficulties during construction in 1906. His company, The Arnold Company, designed and built the power generating
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
stations and the overhead structure for the railway, and had largely been paid in railway securities
Security (finance)
A security is generally a fungible, negotiable financial instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into:* debt securities ,* equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and,...
. Arnold used the railroad as a proving ground for pioneering designs; the first automatic substation was on the line at Union
Union, Illinois
Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census, up from 576 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Union is located at ....
and the railroad was one of a handful to use gasoline generators to generate electric power. Its rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
consisted of standard wooden interurban cars which typically ran in short one- to three-car trains on hourly intervals. Arnold himself was heavily involved in the line's construction and management, and at one point operated the cars himself during a strike.
Closing
The railroad was never particularly profitable, with a rate of returnRate of return
In finance, rate of return , also known as return on investment , rate of profit or sometimes just return, is the ratio of money gained or lost on an investment relative to the amount of money invested. The amount of money gained or lost may be referred to as interest, profit/loss, gain/loss, or...
of about 2% in its best years. On March 9, 1930, the railroad ceased operations due to competition from the parallel Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
and from the automobile. For a time the railroad sat moribund, with the cars stored at the shops in Marengo
Marengo, Illinois
Marengo is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,355 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Marengo is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Major Streets:...
, until Arnold scrap
Scrap
Scrap is a term used to describe recyclable and other materials left over from every manner of product consumption, such as parts of vehicles, building supplies, and surplus materials. Unlike waste, scrap has significant monetary value...
ped the line himself in the mid to late 1930s.
Preservation
The Illinois Railway MuseumIllinois Railway Museum
The Illinois Railway Museum is the largest railroad museum in the United States and is located in Union, Illinois, northwest of Chicago...
acquired 7 miles (11.3 km) of the abandoned right of way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
through a delinquent tax sale east of Union, Illinois
Union, Illinois
Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census, up from 576 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Union is located at ....
in 1956. The museum currently operates trains over this section of the line during the summer as part of its demonstration railroad.
The exterior of the interurban rail station at 202 E. State Street in Cherry Valley remains basically intact, and is now home to the administrative offices of the Cherry Valley Fire Protection District.
Huntley-Union Marengo Trail
In 2006, the McHenryMcHenry County, Illinois
McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 308,760, which is an increase of 18.7% from 260,077 in 2000. Its county seat is Woodstock. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest county, in...
Conservation District opened the first phase of the Huntley-Union-Marengo (H.U.M.) trail along the former right-of-way from Union, Illinois
Union, Illinois
Union is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 580 at the 2010 census, up from 576 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Union is located at ....
to Marengo, Illinois
Marengo, Illinois
Marengo is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,355 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Marengo is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Major Streets:...
. The trail is eventually planned to connect to Huntley, Illinois
Huntley, Illinois
Huntley is a rapidly-growing village in McHenry and Kane Counties, Illinois. In 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the village's population to be 22,923. As of the 2000 Census, the village had a mere 5,730 people, meaning the village's population has more than tripled in eight years...
as well, following the former rail right-of-way where possible.