Disused Stations of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin - AURORA BRANCH

[@danswolley9822]

I usually binge-watch something over the holidays. Came across your channel and as both a cyclist and rail fan, this was my 2022 binge! Bravo! I ride rail-trails with the same enthusiasm as you do, right down to reviewing 1930s arial photos before and after my rides. I’ve covered many (most) in IL, IA, IN.

[@BeHistoric]

Thank you for binge watching the entire series! Thanks too for commenting! Yes, there is so much to see along these old railways and modern trails - and you have to keep a sharp lookout, as many of the details can be easily overlooked. Thank you again!

[@thomasmackowiak]

Thank you for this interesting and historical view of the Aurora Branch of teh Chicago, Aurora & Elgin Railroad. I enjoy hearing your comments and the historical information that you have researched. The photos and maps and your depictions of what stops may have looked like are interesting.

[@BeHistoric]

Thank you for watching and supporting this series and our channel! Yes, we too felt that having pictures and renderings of the stations help to bring them back to life. We realized early on that simply pointing at a bush or tree or rock and saying - that's where the station was - might not be helpful to most people. Glad you are enjoying the series!

[@jackvelut1427]

These videos of the CA&E are awesome!

[@BeHistoric]

Thank you! Glad you like them!

[@gmaneis]

Excellent video! I get a sad feeling from them, though, because I remember some of those places and the electric motor roar of the trains and the clickety clack of them. Those were good years to be a kid in Wheaton. The station there was a beautiful brick building. Thanks for doing so much work to show these places.🙂

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment - and for watching our videos! We very much appreciate it! Indeed, it is very sad that such an electric train system is gone - with only a few pieces of infrastructure, and the Illinois Prairie Path of course - to remind us. Glad that we could be of help in helping you to remember those times.

[@patpeters9547]

Very interesting! I used to get on the train at the Plamondon station.

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for watching and commenting! That's very interesting regarding your personal experience with the Plamondon station. As we have very fewpictures of the Plamondon station (except from very early days of the railway), do you remember any details of the station? Wood structure? Gabled roof? Hip Roof? Approximate size? Was it similar to other CA&E stations?

[@DailyDoseOfInternet]

Great video thank you for making this

[@BeHistoric]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@billbellman959]

This tracing of the Aurora Branch is remarkable. I often ride the Prairie Path, especially the branches west of Wheaton since I live in Crystal Lake. I was really impressed with finding the terminal in Aurora as It's where I diverge off of the Fox Trail thru downtown Aurora and cross the new bike bridge. I lam very much a RR history person, too, and find the Fox River Valley to be rich in the culture and evolution of passenger rail transportation.

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for watching and glad that you enjoyed the video! Agreed that there is much history along the former railway to learn and enjoy.

[@billbellman959]

I have also a happy upgrade note to your video. A couple of weeks ago, Sept., 2022, I rode this segment and noticed asphalt pavement now from IL-25 in Aurora to Molitor Rd, about 3 miles, where it was once limestone screenings.. Of course this makes for easier climbing that 3 miles of 2 pct grade out of the Fox River Valley!

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for commenting and for the update! That's very good to hear. We never saw any issue with the limestone screened path along this stretch - but asphalt is nice improvement - except when it inevitably starts to crack. :-)

[@3292Dan]

I wanted to say thank you for making this video. I grew up in Warrenville in the 50's and walked the Roari'n Elgin tracks which were still there at that point. If the train service had continued, it would have changed my life. I found it interesting to see the comparison of the country flag stops vs. the fancy stations in the closer suburbs. Also, a reminder of snooty Wheaton where I went to high school. Thanks for doing this.. -Dan

[@BeHistoric]

So glad that you enjoyed the video - and that it brought back good memories! Thanks too for commenting and for sharing your recollections of the train system! Yes, the rural stops were often little more than wooden sheds. You wouldn't want to wait there too long in the dead of winter. :-)

[@3292Dan]

@@BeHistoric I think the MontView "station" was still there in my youth. I don't think I realized that that's what it was. It sort of looked like a service shed or something. Remembering it being on the SW corner of Winfield and Butterfield Rds. I also enjoyed seeing how the prairie path turned out.

[@michaelminetti4484]

Interesting and very well done. Thank you.

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks very much for watching and for the kind words!

[@willcountynews]

Thank you so much for this incredible video and all the work to add in the historical photos and documentation.

[@BeHistoric]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@matthewmiszewski9287]

As someone who has helped out with soap box derby events on Frontenac road in Naperville I never knew that the bike path was actually following the route of a former rail line until just now

[@BeHistoric]

Glad that we could provide that information and that background related to the Fox River Trail. So often we ride on these trails, assuming that there were simply planned out by some civil engineer - and they were some fashion - often re-using former roads and trails. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@brianberthold3118]

i was up till 5 AM watching this playlist this is first vid of the morning and i have to say LOVE LOEV these path playlists i havent changed much on my CA&E map but i have changed enough to be happy to have a more complete map then i did before .. PS i sent you email with said maps railroad traction and Special i sent the 3 since they connect with each other in places

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for watching all of these videos and your supportive words. Thanks too for the maps that you forwarded. They are most helpful!

[@terrymartin9642]

Not mentioned yet is the bus service run by the CA&E between Lakewood Station and St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia. I rode that bus from my home at Elm Road near DuPage County Airport to St. Charles and Geneva, even to Batavia on a few ocassions. Bus fare for under 12 years old was 9 cents and would take you all the way to Batavia. At night, a flashlight, match or cigarette lighter would serve to flag down the bus at Kiel Road. Thirty cents in the summer would get a kid from there to St. Charles where entrance to the Potawatomi Park pool, also nine cents, three long pretzels at the golf pro shop counter, and a ride all the way back home. I believe admission to the Arcada Theater was a dime, so you couldn't buy popcorn without a few cents more. --Terry Martin

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks very much for the comment and for adding your personal experience regarding the CA&E bus service. It was indeed a significant part of their service in that area, especially after they phased out their Geneva line.

[@brianberthold3118]

1939 aerial photos show Gables Blvd connecting to the CA&E line .. it curved to the east of the station .. that might be a concrete walkway from end of road ?

[@brianberthold3118]

RE: Golf Club stop

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for commenting and watching. It is possible. All of that is private backyards today - so we couldn't look too closely in those areas.

[@brianberthold3118]

i honestly think the bike path would be alot more popular if more of CA&E was left to see

[@BeHistoric]

There is actually a lot to see along the former right of way. There are many, many artifacts remaining. We have counted more than 80 artifacts along the Elgin Branch alone. You have to look carefully for them, however.

[@brianberthold3118]

right after the Gary rd stop you go though that section of the path thats due north and south ... im pretty sure that was the OG Gary Road on old 1939 aerials you can make out a road my guessing its a private rd for the Gary's

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for commenting. Yes, that's very possible. There are multiple concrete artifacts just there - back in the weeds - signal bases and other concrete bases as well.

[@brianberthold3118]

you skipped the DuPage Branch River Bridge artifact just west of Warrenville stop

[@BeHistoric]

The current bridge over the river is a new bridge. We were not able to discern any remnants of the old bridge. There may be remnants there - but they were not evident to us.

[@brianberthold3118]

just a bit of History Around Gary RD Stop way back when ..Hoy Ave was Butterfield RD then they build the current RT 56 and Butterfield was redirected as it ended at Winfield RD they cut it off at Wesbrook RD and renamed it

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for commenting - and thanks for providing that additional background information regarding Butterfield Road! The roads back then were little more than narrow gravel roads. Easy to forget that today, with them being heavily trafficed and well paved.

[@brianberthold3118]

@@BeHistoric yes and something that is always forgot is all the roads are now wider also - im running into that in my map the station is on the RD does not compute hahahah

[@BeHistoric]

@@brianberthold3118 Good point. We always try to measure from the middle of roads, which is less likely to have moved from 50 to 100 years ago.

[@brianberthold3118]

seems wired to find a signal base after Weisbrook Road stop .. since were the base is no stations or sidings were ever there and is to far from Plamondon stop

[@BeHistoric]

Thanks for the comment. Not entirely clear where you are referring to? If it's the large concrete base to the north of the pathway along in there - that was likely a signal base.

[@kenmcclurg9077]

I never realized that so many artifacts still exist. Very interesting how the town of Eola (and Eola Road) was named! Spoiler alert.... End Of Line Aurora!

[@BeHistoric]

Hi, Ken, thanks for watching! Yes, there are quite a few artifacts remaining, and we're sure that we missed some on our journey. We rode each of the branches many times - and in some cases the lighting had to be just right for us to see them.

[@paulkluber9169]

Excelent presentation! The two bridges you crossed on the Fox River Trail are the actual railroad bridges from the CA&E.

[@ronaldanderson6481]

This was the end of the line when the railroad was being built west to the Mississippi river , to cross at Burlington Iowa, hence the name of Burlington: later extended to Chicago and a branch to Quincy Il. CB&Q for short.

[@albertcarello5489]

A railroad could easily be resurrected here. I'd like to see a railroad like the South Shore Line be built on this land.