Nickel Plate Road runs first trains (1882)

The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, known as the Nickel Plate Road, ran its first trains over the entire system on October 16, 1882. This event marked the completion of a 513-mile single-track mainline connecting Buffalo and Chicago, constructed to compete with existing monopolies.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Nickel Plate Road was constructed in 1881 along the South Shore of the Great Lakes to connect Buffalo and Chicago. It was established to compete with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, which held a monopoly on traffic between key cities. The railroad served parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.

Construction. The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company bought the Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago Railway in April 1881. Five hundred days later, the 513-mile single-track mainline from Buffalo to Chicago was complete. The nickname "Nickel Plate Road" originated from a newspaper description of the double-track, nickel-plated railroad.

Competition. Vanderbilt attempted to lower the value of the Nickel Plate by smearing its reputation before trains ran. If the Nickel Plate remained independent, it could dent earnings for competing entrepreneurs. The railroad's primary connections occurred in Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Indianapolis.

People involved

Sources

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