The Illinois Northern Railroad was incorporated in 1901 by the McCormick Reaper Company (merged into the new International Harvester Co. in 1902).

[1][2] After 1945 International Harvester started moving production from the two old factories to other locations and sold the Illinois Northern to four railroads.

The main line ran west along the south side of 26th St., sometimes elevated, from Western Ave. to Sacramento Ave., where it turned southwest.

At Central Park Ave. and 32nd St. the line turned south, crossed the Chicago Sanitary Canal on a swing bridge, and then into the Santa Fe's Corwith Yard.

[2][5][6][7] A yard with a freight house and engine servicing facilities was at the southwest corner of Western Ave. and 26th St.

The Illinois Northern leased a short distance of main and yard track northeast along Blue Island Ave. between Western Ave. and Hoyne Ave. from the Burlington Railroad (now BNSF Railway).

Sometime after Santa Fe and Burlington Northern merged to form BNSF, the diamond with the Panhandle at 26th and Western was removed.

East of Hoyne Ave. the Illinois Northern had trackage rights on the Burlington line along Blue Island Ave. to Lincoln (now Wolcott) Ave.[2] As of 2020 no track between Western Ave. and the Sanitary Canal remained.