Sullivan Line (railway)

Sullivan Line
Legend
Terre Haute–Indianapolis Line To Italy Terre Haute Paris–Terre Haute Line City Limits Stop 2 Halsteads Allendale Siding No. 1 Stop 6 Stop 7 Stop 8 Stop 9 Stop 10 Stop 11 Pimento Stop 13 Siding No. 4 Stop 14 Siefert Farmersburg Stop 17 Stop 171⁄2 Siding No. 6 Stop 19 Curryville Shelburn Stop 22 Stop 23 Morrison Creek Siding No. 8 Stop 25 Court Street–Sullivan Mill Street Sub-station Sullivan
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The Sullivan Line was an interurban railway line in Indiana. It connected Sullivan to the state's western hub of Terre Haute. The line operated between 1906 and 1931.

History

In 1905, a bitter fight was waged for possession of the south side interurban entrance to Terre Haute. The Stone–Webster syndicate of the Terre Haute Traction and Light Company secured right-of-ways and franchises and in the spring of 1906 began work on a line to Sullivan. ^[1] By the end of April, cars were operating to Shelburn, six miles (9.7 km) north of the planned terminus. ^[2] In June, the line was completed to Sullivan. ^{[3] [1]} Fares out of Terre Haute started at 10¢, ^[a] going up to 50¢ ^[b] for the full trip with no local transfers given. ^[4]

In 1908, the Terre Haute, Indianapolis and Eastern Traction Company, the lessee of the Sullivan Line, proposed a six-mile (9.7 km) spur from Shelburn to Hymera; an extension to Linton was also considered, but most of all, the company wanted to extend the line to Vincennes and southward to meet the Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company line that ran from Evansville to Patoka. Because of inability to finance the project, the gap was never closed. ^{[1] [5]}

Service along the line ceased after May 30, 1931. ^[6]

Route

The line was constructed on private right of way 50 feet (15 m) wide for the entire distance, with the exception of portions in the towns. For the greater portion of the distance, it paralleled the tracks of the Evansville and Terre Haute Railroad, which had previously been the only method of rail transportation in the area. ^[2]

The track of the electric line was laid with 70-pound-per-yard (35 kg/m) rails, each 30 feet (9.1 m) long, fastened together with Weber rail joints. The ties were of chestnut and the road was ballasted with gravel. With the exception of one grade of 2%, there were no grades of consequence on the line. The curves were of long radii, and there were very few that did not permit the cars to be operated around them at full speed. Other than at one place near the city limits of Terre Haute, no excessive grading was encountered. ^[2]

Notes

1. equivalent to $3.5 in 2024 adjusted for inflation
2. equivalent to $17.498 in 2024 adjusted for inflation

References

1. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain :Blackburn, Glen A. (September 1924). "Interurban Railroads of Indiana". Indiana Magazine of History. Vol. XX, no. 3. pp. 268–269. Retrieved September 18, 2025– via Google Books.
2. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : "Extensions and Improvements of the Terre Haute Traction & Light Company" (PDF). Vol. XXVII, no. 17. McGraw Publishing Company. Street Railway Journal. April 28, 1906. pp. 662–667. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
3. "Inspect New Line". Princeton Clarion-News. Princeton, Indiana. June 21, 1906. p. 3. Retrieved September 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
4. "For One Cent Fares". The Evening Republican. Columbus, Indiana. December 19, 1906. p. 1. Retrieved September 20, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
5. Hilton, George W. & Due, John Fitzgerald (1960). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 285. OCLC   237973.
6. "T.H.I.&E. Traction Line to be Sold at Auction June 23". The Hancock Democrat. Greenfield, Indiana. May 28, 1931. p. 8. Retrieved September 18, 2025– via Newspapers.com.