Garrett, Auburn and Northern Electric Railroad explained

Railroad Name:Garrett, Auburn and Northern Electric Railroad
Locale:northern Indiana, USA
Start Year: (chartered)
Length:21miles

The Garrett, Auburn and Northern Electric Railroad (GA&N) was organized by Frank L. Welsheimer[1] and incorporated on March 28, 1901, in the U.S. state of Indiana. It was formed to build an interurban railway from Garrett to Hamilton via Auburn and Waterloo,[2] and had hoped to have completed construction by the end of Summer 1901.[3] The initial cost estimate to construct of line was between $300,000 and $500,000.[4] It was proposed that the railroad would form part of a continuous interurban line in conjunction with the Toledo and Western Railroad, Toledo and Indiana Railway and Chicago and Indiana Air Line Railway that would connect Toledo to Chicago, with the GA&N also building a branch from Waterloo to Fort Wayne,[5] [6] [7] which would enable connections on other lines to Indianapolis.[8] The combined line was known as the Toledo & Chicago Interurban Railway, with Welsheimer working as secretary of the system.[9] [10]

The last of the right-of-way acquisitions to start construction was completed in Auburn in late July 1901.[11] [12] Although the Waterloo city council granted a franchise to build on the city streets there in April 1901,[13] the city council of Garrett finally approved the franchise to build the line on city streets in Garrett on December 23, 1902.[14] Some reports of the time considered the plan foolish and claimed that it would not be built.[15] [16] [17] Steel was ordered and construction began in Spring 1903.[18] Construction of the line was contested in 1903 by the Wabash Railroad who initiated a frog war when the GA&N attempted to build across its line at Montpelier, Ohio.[19] Construction continued into 1905 with the first trains expected between Garrett and Auburn by November. The first regular trains on the route, operating as Toledo & Chicago trains, ran between Auburn and Garrett on February 22, 1906.[20]

Notes and References

  1. News: An Electric Road Is Coming Through Waterloo, Starting at Garrett. The Waterloo Press. April 4, 1901. 1. Newspapers.com.
  2. News: New Electric Line. The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. March 29, 1901. 2. Newspapers.com.
  3. News: (untitled). Garrett Clipper. Garrett, IN. April 4, 1901. 3. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: (untitled). Steuben Republican. Angola, IN. April 17, 1901. 2. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Railway Talk. There Seems to be a Little Better Show for Electric Lines. Garrett Clipper. July 6, 1905. 1. Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Toledo-Chicago Electric Line. Garrett Clipper. January 8, 1903. 1. Newspapers.com.
  7. News: Plan for Another Electric Road. The Fort Wayne News. December 29, 1902. 3. Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Chicago-Toledo-Indianapolis. The Inter Ocean. March 12, 1903. 8. Newspapers.com.
  9. News: Electric Railway News. Secretary Welsheimer Gives Clipper Representative Some Pointers. Garrett Clipper. June 22, 1905. 1. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: Notice of Appropriation of Land, Under Street and Interurban Railway Acts. Garrett Clipper. October 19, 1905. 8. Newspapers.com.
  11. News: (untitled). Fort Wayne Weekly Journal-Gazette. Fort Wayne, IN. August 1, 1901. 2. Newspapers.com.
  12. News: It's A Sure Thing. The Waterloo Press. August 15, 1901. 1. Newspapers.com.
  13. News: Granted the Franchise. The Waterloo Councilmen Couldn't Say "Yes" Quick Enough. Garrett Clipper. April 18, 1901. 2. Newspapers.com.
  14. News: Their Christmas Present. Garrett, Auburn & Northern Electric Railway Granted a Franchise. Garrett Clipper. December 25, 1902. 4. Newspapers.com.
  15. News: Looks Daffy. Railway Promoters Act Rather Suspicious in Their Transactions. Garrett Clipper. December 11, 1902. 5. Newspapers.com.
  16. News: Other Railroad News. Garrett Clipper. November 21, 1901. 3. Newspapers.com.
  17. News: Their Ending. Electric Railways will Only Produce Speculations in Stock. Garrett Clipper. February 13, 1902. 1. Newspapers.com.
  18. News: (untitled). Garrett Clipper. March 5, 1903. 5. Newspapers.com.
  19. News: Traction Line Blocked by the Wabash. The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. Fort Wayne, IN. July 1, 1903. 8. Newspapers.com.
  20. News: (untitled). Garrett Clipper. March 1, 1906. 8. Newspapers.com.

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