Illinois Central Electric Railway
Encyclopedia
The Illinois Central Electric Railway (ICE) was an interurban
line in Fulton County
in western Illinois
, west of Peoria
.
The company was founded on October 9, 1903. The line ran from Lewistown
north to Farmington
with a branch from Norris
to Fairview
. The line opened as follows:
The railroad lost the competition to the automobile and was abandoned on July 25, 1928.
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 in Fulton County
Fulton County, Illinois
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 37,069, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 38,250 in 2000. Its county seat is Lewistown. Canton is the largest city. Both cities are southwest of Peoria, and the county is considered...
in western Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, west of Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
.
The company was founded on October 9, 1903. The line ran from Lewistown
Lewistown, Illinois
Lewistown is a city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,522 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fulton County. Located in central Illinois, it is southwest of Peoria. It is the source of Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, who lived there...
north to Farmington
Farmington, Illinois
Farmington is a city in the northeast corner of Fulton County, Illinois, United States. It is north of Canton and Lewistown, west of Peoria and Bloomington, and east of Galesburg and Macomb. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. The public school system is Farmington Central Community Unit...
with a branch from Norris
Norris, Illinois
Norris is a village in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 194 at the 2000 census. This is a decrease from the 1990 population of 212.-Geography:Norris is located at ....
to Fairview
Fairview, Illinois
Fairview is a village in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 493 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Fairview is located at ....
. The line opened as follows:
- 1909 CantonCanton, IllinoisCanton is the largest city in Fulton County, Illinois in the United States. The population was 18,288 as of the 2000 Census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Area covers all of Fulton County; it is in turn part of the wider Peoria-Canton, IL Combined Statistical Area .-Geography:Canton is...
–BreretonBrereton, IllinoisBrereton is an unincorporated community in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. Brereton is located on Illinois Route 78 north of Canton....
–Norris - 1910 Norris–Fairview
- 1911 Norris–Gilchrist–Maplewood–Farmington
- 1912 Lewistown–BryantBryant, IllinoisBryant is a village in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 255 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bryant is located at ....
–St. David–DunfermlineDunfermline, IllinoisDunfermline is a village in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 300 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dunfermline is located at ....
–Canton
The railroad lost the competition to the automobile and was abandoned on July 25, 1928.