Indianapolis Union Railway
Encyclopedia
The Indianapolis Union Railway Company , is a terminal railroad
operating in Indianapolis, Indiana
. It was organized on May 31, 1850, as the Union Track Railway Company by the presidents of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company (M&I), the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company (TH&R), and the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad
Company (I&B) for the purposes of establishing and operating joint terminal facilities in Indiana
's capitol city. The name of the company was changed to its present one on August 12, 1853. The next month, on September 20, Indianapolis Union Station opened its doors, becoming the very first union railroad station
in the world. Since 1999, the company has been owned and operated by CSX.
On August 12, 1853, the company renamed itself the Indianapolis Union Railway Company, a moniker it has kept ever since in spite of the ever-changing names of its various owning lines.
On September 20, 1883, a new joint ownership, lease, and operations agreement was reached and entered into by the participating railroads. This date also marked the 30th anniversary of the opening of Indianapolis' original Union Station.
On March 14, 1884, the property of Union Station and 1.11 miles of main line track were conveyed to the Indianapolis Union Railway by deed. This included 0.87 miles that had been jointly constructed by the three founding lines, and an additional 0.24 miles from the P&I. That same day, all properties that had been used but not deeded under a November 19, 1872 agreement were ceded by joint deed to the IU by the following companies: the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company (successor to the M&I), the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Rail Road Company (successor to the TH&R), the Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company (C&StL), and the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway Company (CIStL&C).
In 1885, on March 2, the Indiana General Assembly
passed legislation allowing for the incorporation
of union railroad companies. The Indianapolis Union Railway was so accepted as such under that act a few days later, on March 25.
By late 1886, the IU had outgrown its facilities. In November of that year, work began on additional facilities that would be completed by 1888. These included a rearranged and enlarged track system, renewed and additional retaining walls, new bridges, a new head house, office building and train shed, and a below-grade crossing for street railway and pedestrian use at Illinois Street. The head house of Indianapolis Union Station which resulted form this project is the same one still standing today in the 21st Century.
As of December 31, 1927, the following companies were part of the 1883 joint agreement (as amended) that made up the Indianapolis Union Railway:
By 1935, the corporate structure of the Indianapolis Union Railroad Company had changed. It was still an Indiana corporation, but ownership of its stock was divided between just two railroads, with the PCC&StL (PRR) holding 60% of the stock and the CCC&StL (NYC) holding the remaining 40%. The other railroads operating in Indianapolis at the time no longer had any equity stake, but continued to pay rent to the IU for their joint use of the company's facilities. At this time, the IU owned Indianapolis' Union Station (and its appurtenances) along with 1.769 miles of main line trackage.
merged with the New York Central to form Penn Central Railroad (PC) in 1968, 100% control of the Indianapolis Union Railway passed to the new entity. Upon Penn Central's bankruptcy in 1970, and subsequent reorganization into Conrail (CR) by 1976, control of the IU had passed once again. Finally, when Conrail was broken up and sold in 1998, the Indianapolis Union Railway became a part of CSX Transportation, which began operating it the next year. This is somewhat ironic, in that CSX is the successor to the B&O, one of the lines that gave up partial interest in the IU during the Great Depression
of the 1930s.
Terminal Railroad
Terminal Railroad or Terminal Railway may refer to:*Terminal railroad, a railroad that operates a terminal facility*Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks*Terminal Railway of Buffalo, predecessor of the New York Central Railroad...
operating in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. It was organized on May 31, 1850, as the Union Track Railway Company by the presidents of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company (M&I), the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company (TH&R), and the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad
Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad
The Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad was formed in 1848 as a successor to the Pendleton and Indianapolis Railroad. It eventually became the Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad, which in turn was succeeded by the Bellefontaine Railway in 1864, the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and...
Company (I&B) for the purposes of establishing and operating joint terminal facilities in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
's capitol city. The name of the company was changed to its present one on August 12, 1853. The next month, on September 20, Indianapolis Union Station opened its doors, becoming the very first union railroad station
Union station
A union station is the term used for a train station where tracks and facilities are shared by two or more railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently between them...
in the world. Since 1999, the company has been owned and operated by CSX.
Early history (1850-1900)
The Union Track Railway Company was organized on May 31, 1850. Later that year, 1.60 miles of main line track were turned over to the company; 0.64 miles from the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad Company (P&I) and 0.96 miles that had been jointly constructed by the three founding lines (the M&I, the TH&R, and the I&B). On November 25, 1852, the company's directors adopted a resolution by which other railroads might be admitted into the group. The Indiana Central Railway Company (IndC) and the Lawrenceburg and Upper Mississippi Railroad Company (L&UM) were so included shortly thereafter.On August 12, 1853, the company renamed itself the Indianapolis Union Railway Company, a moniker it has kept ever since in spite of the ever-changing names of its various owning lines.
On September 20, 1883, a new joint ownership, lease, and operations agreement was reached and entered into by the participating railroads. This date also marked the 30th anniversary of the opening of Indianapolis' original Union Station.
On March 14, 1884, the property of Union Station and 1.11 miles of main line track were conveyed to the Indianapolis Union Railway by deed. This included 0.87 miles that had been jointly constructed by the three founding lines, and an additional 0.24 miles from the P&I. That same day, all properties that had been used but not deeded under a November 19, 1872 agreement were ceded by joint deed to the IU by the following companies: the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company (successor to the M&I), the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Rail Road Company (successor to the TH&R), the Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company (C&StL), and the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway Company (CIStL&C).
In 1885, on March 2, the Indiana General Assembly
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...
passed legislation allowing for the incorporation
Incorporation
Incorporation may refer to:* Incorporation , the creation of a corporation* Incorporation of a place, creation of municipal corporation such as a city or county...
of union railroad companies. The Indianapolis Union Railway was so accepted as such under that act a few days later, on March 25.
By late 1886, the IU had outgrown its facilities. In November of that year, work began on additional facilities that would be completed by 1888. These included a rearranged and enlarged track system, renewed and additional retaining walls, new bridges, a new head house, office building and train shed, and a below-grade crossing for street railway and pedestrian use at Illinois Street. The head house of Indianapolis Union Station which resulted form this project is the same one still standing today in the 21st Century.
Into the 20th century (1900-1950)
From July 1, 1915 through the end of 1922, another large construction project was undertaken to elevate the tracks over 18 feet via earthen embankments, retaining walls, and bridges. The 1888 tunnel at Illinois Street was replaced with a level undercrossing, as were 11 former at-grade street crossings. The 1888 head house and office buildings were retained and remodeled. The train shed was replaced with a new one along the now-elevated tracks, while baggage, mail, and express buildings were all replaced. Station facilities at street level, including a new baggage tunnel under one street, were built under the new train shed.As of December 31, 1927, the following companies were part of the 1883 joint agreement (as amended) that made up the Indianapolis Union Railway:
- Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania RailroadThe Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR), through the operations of their Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company (PCC&StL) - Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis RailwayCleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis RailwayThe Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, also known as the Big Four Railroad and commonly abbreviated CCC&StL, was a railroad company in the Midwestern United States....
Company (CCC&StL), also known as the Big Four; controlled by the New York CentralNew York Central RailroadThe New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
(NYC) - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O), through the operations of their Chicago, Indianapolis and Western Railway Company (CI&W)
- Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville RailwayMonon RailroadThe Monon Railroad , also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway from 1897–1956, operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana...
Company (CI&L), better known as the Monon Line (MON) - New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company (NYC&StL), better known as the Nickel Plate Road (NKP)
- Illinois Central RailroadIllinois Central RailroadThe Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
Company (IC)
By 1935, the corporate structure of the Indianapolis Union Railroad Company had changed. It was still an Indiana corporation, but ownership of its stock was divided between just two railroads, with the PCC&StL (PRR) holding 60% of the stock and the CCC&StL (NYC) holding the remaining 40%. The other railroads operating in Indianapolis at the time no longer had any equity stake, but continued to pay rent to the IU for their joint use of the company's facilities. At this time, the IU owned Indianapolis' Union Station (and its appurtenances) along with 1.769 miles of main line trackage.
Late 20th century(1950-2000) to present day
When the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
merged with the New York Central to form Penn Central Railroad (PC) in 1968, 100% control of the Indianapolis Union Railway passed to the new entity. Upon Penn Central's bankruptcy in 1970, and subsequent reorganization into Conrail (CR) by 1976, control of the IU had passed once again. Finally, when Conrail was broken up and sold in 1998, the Indianapolis Union Railway became a part of CSX Transportation, which began operating it the next year. This is somewhat ironic, in that CSX is the successor to the B&O, one of the lines that gave up partial interest in the IU during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s.