Marengo's Second Interurban Railroad-- Part 1: Sycamore to Marengo

From the January 6, 2013, Marengo (Illinois) Union Times by Dorothy Otis.

Before the automobile put them out of business, interurban railroads were a popular and affordable way to get around between cities in the Midwest.

Marengo's second interurban began at the Sycamore city limits and followed a portion of the future Illinois Highway 23 north to Genoa then northeast to Marengo.  (This is the way we use when we go to DeKalb these days.)  By 1913, the line has 23 miles of track.

It was used for passengers and hauling light freight.  originally it was intended to use electricity as a power source but costs led to only gas cars ever being used.

--CootUrban