Chicago to Aurora and Elgin

Ran from downtown Chicago, along what is now Eisenhower expressway. At Desplains avenue it braches off the expressway. Along this track, at Mannheim road, there was a branch south to the cemetaries. It ran south turning west to run parallel Roosevelt Road. (you can see it bend at Roosevelt and Manheim Rd. You can also see the tunnel where it went under another railroad just west of manheim) The main line runs west to downtown Wheaton Il and spilts. 1 NW to elgin. 1 SW to aurora (trainstop along Fox river downtown Aurora) The track to aurora splits off just west of Eola Rd to Batavia Il. The North also branched west to St Charles. Almost all of the path of this RR is preserved as the Illinois Prairie Path.

It had stops at Glen Oak Country Club Glen Ellyn (the trainstop brick gate is still there) and Chicago Country Club in Wheaton- Built by guys who build a improved 18 hole course because their first one didn't have room for 18holes. Their first golf course was the first GC in the US today known as Downers Grove GC.

Lee M.
Dallas, TX
7/31/2012

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I have e-mailed an old property map showing that the CA&E's connection to St. Charles is on the west side of the Fox River via trackage rights on the Aurora Elgin and Fox River Electric Railroad and not on the east side where most people believe it did due to the Fox River Trail.

S. Schieve
Geneva, IL
4/9/2013

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I remember riding and photographing the 'Ror'n' Elgin: http://RailroadGloryDays.com/cae

Glen Brewer
Villa Park, IL
12/16/2013

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Probably no longer since they repaved streets Edson and brewster in lombard in the 90's, you could see the ends of the rails that they just cut off leaving track under the streets.

Joe
Lombard, IL
3/26/2014

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Growing up I remember an old crumbling low concrete platform along the south side of the prairie path immediately west of York road in Elmhurst. I assume this was old CA&E and it may still be there for all I know.

GeneseoPhil
Geneseo, IL
6/30/2014

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2 buildings and a small spur of track remain in Wheaton. The Hollywood stop on the elgin branch is now at the fox river trolley museum. The Batavia stop is still up, same with the prince crossing stop.

Jason.Learakos
batavia, IL
2/12/2016

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You made the Geneva branch wrong. Go to greatthirdrail.org to see the right version.

Jason Learakos
Batavia, IL
3/26/2016

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As a kid, I lived on Edson Ave. a block from the Brewster St. grade crossing and the CA&E's Green Valley stop in Lombard. We used to lay a nickel on the tracks where they joined and make the gates go down at the crossing. Motorists didn't appreciate that!

We'd also foolishly take a shortcut across the tracks at Edson by jumping over the third rails. Geesh!

Bob
Lombard (originally), IL
1/11/2017

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