Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
{{short description|Short line railroad}}
{{Infobox rail | gauge={{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| railroad_name=Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad
| logo=Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad logo.png
| marks=CFE
| start_year=2004
| hq_city=Fort Wayne, Indiana
| length={{convert|273|mi|km}}
| speed={{cvt|40|mph}}{{cite magazine |magazine=Railway Track and Structures |title=CFE takes on track project to improve freight congestion |url=https://www.rtands.com/freight/shortline-regional/cfe-takes-on-track-project-to-improve-freight-congestion/ |first=Jenifer |last=Nunez |date=January 26, 2015 |access-date=January 18, 2024}}
}}
The Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad {{reporting mark|CFE}} is a short line railroad offering service from Tolleston, Indiana to Crestline, Ohio, United States over the former Fort Wayne Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Operations commenced in 2004 as a division of the Central Railroad of Indianapolis (CERA), under the overall corporate ownership of RailAmerica. CFE operates {{convert|273|mi}} of rail leased from CSX.{{cite web |url=http://www.dhke.com/schs/schs233.htm |work=Shortlines of Chicago Historical Society |title=Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070923095238/http://www.dhke.com/schs/schs233.htm |archive-date=September 23, 2007}}
History
Conrail acquired the line in 1976, and later sold some of it to the Norfolk Southern Railway to relieve that company's ex-Nickel Plate Road main line. CSX Transportation acquired the entire line in the 1999 breakup of Conrail, and began to make improvements, including new crossing signals, paving crossings, and weeding the railroad. After this was complete, signs were posted at each crossing notifying motorists of an increase in train traffic.
In 2004, operations under the Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad name began; from the beginning of operations, the railroad has been owned by RailAmerica.{{cite journal|date=June 2010|title=RailAmerica's Empire|journal=Trains Magazine|publisher=Kalmbach Publishing}}
In 2011 former Norfolk Southern supervisor Joseph (Joe) Parsons was named the General Manager of Chicago, Fort Wayne, & Eastern Railroad headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
On July 23, 2012, Genesee & Wyoming Inc. announced that it intended to purchase RailAmerica in a deal valued at $1.39 billion.{{cite news|url=https://www.manufacturing.net/supply-chain/news/13088171/genesee-wyoming-pay-139b-for-railamerica|title=Genesee & Wyoming Pay $1.39B for RailAmerica|agency=Associated Press|date=July 23, 2012|access-date=August 11, 2022|work=Manufacturing.net}}{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/genessewyoming-railamerica-idUSL4E8IN4PY20120723/ | title=Genesee & Wyoming to buy RailAmerica for $1.4 billion| work=Reuters| date=July 23, 2012| access-date=January 18, 2024}} Approval of the purchase was granted by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on December 19, 2012,{{cite web |work=Surface Transportation Board |url=http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/fc695db5bc7ebe2c852572b80040c45f/99d3ec311c35794c85257ada006859f5?OpenDocument |title=Decision, Case No. 42772 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429233317/http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/fc695db5bc7ebe2c852572b80040c45f/99d3ec311c35794c85257ada006859f5?OpenDocument |archive-date=2013-04-29}} and ownership of the Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern was transferred to the G&W.
As of 2023, there are many interchanges in CFE:
BNSF (Chicago, Illinois); Belt Railway of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois); Canadian National (Chicago, Illinois); CPKC (Chicago, Illinois); Chicago Rail Link (Chicago, Illinois); Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (Chicago, Illinois); CSX (Crestline, Ohio and Lima, Ohio); Gary Railway (Chicago, Illinois); Iowa Interstate Railroad (Chicago, Illinois); Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad (Chicago, Illinois); Indiana & Ohio Railway (Lima, Ohio); Manufacturers' Junction Railway (Chicago, Illinois); Norfolk Southern (Fort Wayne, Indiana and Lima, Ohio); South Chicago and Indiana Harbor Railway (Chicago, Illinois); Union Pacific (Chicago, Illinois); Wisconsin and Southern Railroad (Chicago, Illinois). {{cite web | url=https://www.gwrr.com/cfe/ | title=Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad – A Genesee & Wyoming Company }}
Traffic
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Railways}}
- [https://www.gwrr.com/cfe/ Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad official webpage - Genesee & Wyoming website]
{{Illinois railroads}}
{{Indiana railroads}}
{{Ohio railroads}}
{{Genesee & Wyoming}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago Fort Wayne Eastern Railroad}}
Category:Railway companies established in 2004
Category:Spin-offs of CSX Transportation
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