 1913-1985 Champaign, Illinois headquarters of the ITS, the ITR and then Illinois Power and Light | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Reporting mark | ITC |
| Locale | Central Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri |
| Dates of operation | 1896–1982 |
| Successor | Norfolk and Western Railway |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrification | Overhead line, 3,300 V AC (1907–c. 1910) 650 V DC (c. 1910–1958) |
The Illinois Terminal Railroad Company (reporting mark ITC), known as the Illinois Traction System until 1937, was a heavy duty interurban electric railroad with extensive passenger and freight business in central and southern Illinois from 1896 to 1956. When Depression era Illinois Traction was in financial distress and had to reorganize, the Illinois Terminal name was adopted to reflect the line's primary money making role as a freight interchange link to major steam railroads at its terminal ends, Peoria, Danville, and St. Louis. Interurban passenger service slowly was reduced, ending in 1956. Freight operation continued but was hobbled by tight street running in some towns requiring very sharp radius turns. In 1956, ITC was absorbed by a consortium of connecting railroads.