Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad

Constructed: 1853

While only about a five mile stretch of this railway cuts across county borders the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad passes through two DeKalb County towns — Somonauk and Sandwich — which would become significant depot stations in the railroad's early history.

"By the spring of 1899 the two largest engines in use in this country were started out by the Burlington company and made daily trips over the tracks through Sandwich and Somonauk. They weighed 126 tons each and were capable of pulling a train at the rate of seventy miles an hour."

Images of Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
Source: The DeKalb Daily Chronicle. Sunday, June 19, 1983 p. 14A.