LNA&C entry into Chicago 1882-1884 era

[Eric Reinert]

In the Dolzall's book they write the LNA&C gained entry into Chicago by way of the Chicago & Atlantic (Erie) after building north from Dyer to Maynard in January 1882. How did they get from Maynard to the Erie during this interim period before they built north through Hammond in 1884? Did they take the Grand Trunk all the way to Griffith and then north on the Erie?
My apologies if this has been covered recently.

Eric Reinert

[Bob Lalich]

Eric, I believe the LNA&C just used a very short stretch of the C&A from Hammond to State Line until the LNA&C could build their own bridge over the Grand Calumet River. I'd be very interested to hear otherwise though.

[Eric Reinert]

Bob,

The quote in the book was that the LNA&C built 4 miles of track north from Dyer to Maynard in 1882.  The EJ&E crossing in Dyer is at Milepost 29.0, the Amtrak station in Dyer is at 27.6 and Maynard is 25.4. The "new" Hammond station was at MP21.  Seems to me they could quite possibly have had some other arrangement simply based on the mileage from Dyer to anyplace north of South Hammond yard where the connection would be short.  The city of Hammond website timeline has always shown the LNA&C not building into the city until 1884.
I am going to have to re-read the Hilton book as well regarding this period. I honestly haven't been that interested in the pre-CI&L period until recently.   

Eric

[Bob Lalich]

You have me wondering now Eric. I remember reading that the LNA&C originally planned to connect to the predecessor of the C&EI for entry into Chicago, but that changed once they became competitors. Maybe they used GTW to Thornton and C&EI and C&WI to Chicago for a short period.