Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad |
Map of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad from a 1936 public timetable folder |
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| Headquarters | Wheaton, Illinois |
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| Locale | Chicago, Illinois and western suburbs |
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| Dates of operation | 1902–1959 |
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| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
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| × = stations not served by CA&E |
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| Aurora |
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Elgin |
| Illinois Avenue |
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National Street |
| Aurora Avenue |
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Collingbourne |
| Church Road |
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Renwick |
| Poss Road |
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Clintonville |
| Batavia |
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St. Charles Road |
| Glenwood Park |
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Wayne |
| Hart Road |
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Smith Road |
| Radant Road |
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St. Andrews |
| Wagner Road |
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Prince Crossing |
| State Road |
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Geneva Road |
| Bilter Road |
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St. Charles |
CA&E Batavia branch |
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Geneva |
| Batavia Junction |
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Good Templar Park |
| Diehl Road |
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Kirk Road |
| Ferry Road |
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Kautz Road |
| Williams Road |
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Kress Road |
| Warrenville |
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West Chicago |
| East Warrenville |
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High Lake |
| Gary Road |
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Fannette |
| Weisbrook Road |
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Winfield Road |
| Plamondon |
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CA&E Geneva branch |
| Chicago Golf Club |
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Geneva Junction |
| Emory |
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Jewell Road |
| Chicago Avenue |
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Wesley Street |
CA&E Aurora branch |
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CA&E Elgin branch |
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Wheaton |
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College Avenue |
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Glen Ellyn |
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Taylor Avenue |
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Glen Oak |
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Green Valley |
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Lombard |
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Stewart Avenue |
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Westmore |
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Ardmore Avenue |
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Villa Park |
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Spring Road |
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York Street–Elmhurst |
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Poplar Avenue |
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Stratford Hills |
| Mount Carmel |
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Berkeley |
| Oak Ridge |
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Wolf Road |
| Harrison Street |
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Garden Home |
CA&E Mount Carmel branch |
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Bellwood |
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× |
25th Avenue |
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× |
17th Avenue |
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× |
11th Avenue |
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× |
5th Avenue |
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× |
Hannah |
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× |
Harlem |
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Home |
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Oak Park |
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× |
Gunderson |
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Lombard |
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× |
Austin |
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Central |
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Laramie |
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× |
Cicero |
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Kilbourn |
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× |
Tripp |
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Pulaski |
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× |
Garfield Park |
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× |
St. Louis |
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Kedzie |
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× |
Sacramento |
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California |
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Western |
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Hoyne |
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× |
Ogden |
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Marshfield |
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× |
Laflin |
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× |
Racine |
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× |
Halsted |
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Canal |
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Wells Street Terminal |
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The Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad (CA&E), known colloquially as the "Roarin' Elgin" or the "Great Third Rail", was an interurban railroad that operated passenger and freight service on its line between Chicago and Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, and Elgin, Illinois. The railroad also operated a small branch to Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Hillside and owned a branch line to Westchester.
Wounded by the increased use of automobiles after World War II, the CA&E abruptly ended passenger service in 1957. Freight service was suspended in 1959, and the railroad was officially abandoned in 1961. Most of the right-of-way has since been converted to the Illinois Prairie Path rail trail.
