Kankakee Belt Route, Historical railroad route in northern Illinois, United States.
The Kankakee Belt Route is a railroad line that runs from South Bend, Indiana, through Kankakee, Illinois, and continues westward to Zearing, Illinois, running parallel to the Illinois River. The line spans across multiple states and connects various communities along its path.
The line was established in 1906 as part of the Chicago, Indiana and Southern Railroad, bringing together routes from the Indiana, Illinois & Iowa and Danville and Indiana Harbor Railroads. This merger of earlier rail lines created an important regional connection.
The railroad earned the nickname '3 I Line' from its corporate predecessor, the Indiana, Illinois & Iowa Railroad, reflecting its regional connection role.
Norfolk Southern operates the line today with multiple trains daily, offering an alternative route to bypass the congested rail yards around Chicago. The line is primarily used for freight transportation.
A swing bridge that crossed the Illinois River at DePue was struck by a barge in the early 1980s and later removed. This incident marked the end of this notable engineering structure.
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