Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 24

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway

Location and General Description of Property

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway Company, herein called the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf, owns and operates three separate lines of single-track, standard-gauge, steam railroad, located in the State of Texas, and leases to the St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway Company a short branch line. The mileage of track owned is as follows:

	First main track miles	All tracks miles
Wholly owned and used	455.030	548.101
Used but not owned, leased to St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway Company	10.866	13.000
Total owned	465.896	561.101

The line located in the north central part of the State consists of a main line and two branch lines, embracing 191.175 miles of main track and 57.3 miles of yard tracks and sidings. The main line extends generally in a southeasterly direction from a connection with the railway of the carrier at the Oklahoma-Texas boundary, near Terral, Okla., to Dallas, Tex., 125.329 miles, and is a continuation of the main line of the carrier, extending from Chicago, Ill., toward the Gulf of Mexico. One of the branch lines extends in a westerly direction from Bridgeport to Graham, 54.980 miles, and the other in a northerly direction from Irving to Carrollton, 10.866 miles. The latter branch is operated solely by the St. Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway Company.

The line situated in the central part of the "panhandle" section of Texas embraces 182.894 miles of main track and 22.655 miles of yard tracks and sidings. It extends generally in a westerly direction from a connection with the railway of the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf at the Oklahoma-Texas boundary near Texola, Okla., to a connection with the carrier's railway at the Texas-New Mexico boundary, near Glen Rio, Tex., and is a continuation of the carrier's operated line of railway extending from Memphis, Tenn., toward El Paso, Tex.

The remaining line is situated in the northwestern part of the "panhandle" section and embraces 91.827 miles of main track and 15.25 miles of yard track and sidings. This line extends generally in a southwesterly direction from a connection with the carrier's railway at the Oklahoma-Texas boundary, near Texhoma, Okla., to a connection with the carrier's railway at the Texas-New Mexico boundary, near Bravo, Tex., and is a continuation of the carrier's operated line [sic] railway extending from Chicago, toward El Paso, Tex.

Corporate History

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf was incorporated on May 21, 1902, under the provisions of chapter 1, title 94, of the Revised Statutes of Texas, for a term of 50 years. The original purpose was to "locate, construct, own and operate a line of railway" to extend from Fort Worth in a southeasterly direction to Galveston, about 295 miles. The original charter was amended October 2, 1906, to provide the right to "locate, construct, own, and operate a branch line of railway" to extend from Irving to Carrollton. By a special act of the Texas Legislature, approved March 27, 1903, the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf acquired by purchase all of the property, rights, and franchises of the Chicago, Rock Island and Texas Railway Company, the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Texas Railroad Company, and the Chicago, Rock Island and Mexico Railway Company. The principal office is at Fort Worth.

Under the laws of Texas, foreign corporations are not permitted to own or operate any railroad within the State. The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf is, therefore, of necessity an independent corporation, although all of its capital stock, except 10 directors' qualifying shares, is owned by the carrier, and each of the lines of railway owned and operated by the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf form an integral part of a system of railways known as the "Rock Island Lines," which are either owned or controlled by the carrier.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf owns and operates three separate lines of railroad, which for convenience are here designated the main line, the Amarillo division, and the Mexico division.

The main line, located in the north central part of the State, extends from the Oklahoma-Texas boundary to Dallas, Tex., with branches to Graham and Carrollton, Tex. The portion between the State boundary and Fort Worth, Tex., 92 miles, and the branch from Bridgeport to Graham, 54.98 miles, were purchased from the Chicago, Rock Island and Texas Railway Company and possession was obtained on December 1, 1903. The remainder of the main line extending from Fort Worth to Dallas, 33.239 miles, was constructed during the years 1902 and 1903 by the Gulf Construction Company, a corporation controlled by the carrier, and was opened for commercial operations on December 1, 1903. The branch line extending from Irving to Carrollton was constructed during the years 1906, 1907, and 1908 by independent contractors apparently working under competitive bids.

The Amarillo division, situated in the central part of the “panhandle” section of Texas, from the Oklahoma-Texas boundary, near Texola, Okla., to the Texas-New Mexico boundary, near Glen Rio, Tex., was also acquired partly by purchase and partly by construction. The part between the Oklahoma-Texas boundary and Amarillo, Tex., 111.990 miles, was purchased from the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Texas Railroad Company and possession was obtained on December 1, 1903.

The portion extending from Amarillo to Wildorado, Tex., 20 miles, was partially constructed during the period from January, 1903, to July, 1904, by the Gulf Construction Company. On the latter date, the work was suspended, and during January, 1908, it was resumed and the line completed by various independent contractors apparently working under competitive bids. It was opened for commercial operations on May 11, 1908. The remainder of this line of railway, Wildorado to the Texas-New Mexico boundary, 50.904 miles, was constructed coincident with the line from Amarillo to Wildorado and in a like manner, during the years 1908, 1909, and 1910, and was opened for commercial operations on May 9, 1910.

The Mexico division, situated in the northwestern part of the “panhandle” section and extending from the Oklahoma-Texas boundary near Texhoma, Okla., to the Texas-New Mexico boundary near Bravo, Tex., was purchased from the Chicago, Rock Island and Mexico Railway Company and possession was obtained on December 1, 1903.

Leased Railway Property

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf line of railway extending from North Fort Worth to Dallas is leased for joint operation to the Saint Louis, San Fran cisco and Texas Railway Company in consideration of the payment by that company of a proportion of an amount equal to 6 per cent per annum on the valuation, plus the taxes and other governmental assessments levied, divided on a wheelage basis between the user companies.

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf also leases its line of railway extending from Irving to Carrollton, 10.866 miles, for joint operation to the Saint Louis, San Francisco and Texas Railway Company in consideration of the payment by that company of a proportion of an amount equal to 5 per cent per annum on the valuation, plus the taxes and other governmental assessments levied, divided on a wheelage basis between the user companies. At the date of valuation the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf had operated no commercial trains over this line.

In addition, the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf leases for sole operation to The Union Terminal Railway Company seven parcels of land, also sundry tracks, switches and spurs, together with certain franchises and privileges at Dallas in consideration of the payment by that company of an amount equal to 5 per cent on the valuation, plus all taxes and other governmental assessments.

The freight and passenger terminal facilities of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company at Dallas are used jointly by the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf for which it pays an amount equal to 1⅔ per cent per annum on the valuation, as rental, for such facilities as are also used by the Dallas Terminal Railway and the Union Depot Company, and an amount equal to 1.5 per cent per annum on the valuation of the remainder of such facilities used. It also pays one-half of all taxes and assessments imposed upon such facilities.

The passenger terminal facilities of The Texas and Pacific Railway Company at Fort Worth are also used jointly by the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf, for which it pays $100 per month per train using such facilities. Of the amount paid, one-half is regarded as rental and the remainder as operating expenses.

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf uses jointly with the carrier the freight and passenger terminal facilities of the latter company at Texola, Okla., for which it pays, as rental, $96 per annum and 10 per cent of all taxes levied; Terral, Okla., $3,804 per annum and one-half of all taxes levied, and Texahoma, Okla., $72 per annum and one-half of all taxes levied, as well as the yard and mechanical facilities at Waurika, Okla., for which it pays an amount equal to 2.5 per cent per annum on the valuation, together with one-half of all taxes levied.

The Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf also uses for right-of-way purposes approximately 0.98 acre of land at Dallas, owned by The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company of Texas, for which it pays $100 per annum as rental.

Sundry other lands, owned by various individuals, are used for right-of-way purposes for which the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf pays an annual rental aggregating $95.