Joliet
Joliet, Plainfield & Aurora
The Joliet, Plainfield & Aurora Railway (JP&A) was incorporated in May 1901 and built the interurban line from Joliet northwest through Plainfield to Aurora.  In November 1905, the Joliet & Southern Traction Company (J&S) was formed by the Fisher Brothers of Joliet (who had ambitious expansion plans) and in 1907 took over the JP&A.  In 1907, the interurban line from Joliet east to Chicago Heights (plans for the extension from Chicago Heights to Hammond, Indiana, never materialized) was constructed.  In February 1922 the J&S was in receivership.  In November 1914 the J&S the divided by a court order sale into two line, with the Joliet & Eastern Traction Company (J&E) taking over the interurban line from Joliet to Chicago Heights, and the Aurora Plainfield & Joliet Railway(AP&J) taking over the interurban line from Joliet to Aurora.  The J&E was in receivership in January 1922 because of the automobile and concrete highways, with abandonment on April 15, 1922. The AP&J became the Aurora Plainfield & Joliet Railroad on September 1, 1920, and all service was abandoned on August 31, 1924 because of automobile and concrete highway competition (the local Joliet line continued to operated for a few months longer).  Both interurban lines were one of the first interurban systems in Illinois to abandon rail service.
#12 in a builders photo
Caption data from Stephen M. Scalzo
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