Chicago and Aurora Railroad
| Aurora Branch Railroad Chicago and Aurora Railroad | |
 Aurora's Two Brothers Roundhouse | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | February 1849–February 14, 1855 |
| Successor | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad |
The Chicago and Aurora Railroad was a direct predecessor of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. Its original incorporation as the Aurora Branch Railroad, chartered in February 1849, started as a twelve-mile branch line which Class I giant BNSF cites as the beginning of their empire: this "short stretch of track set BNSF’s destiny into ‘loco-motion’ and grew over many decades into a network spanning 32,500 miles." Beginning in 1853, as the Chicago and Aurora Railroad, the company's tracks eventually extended from Chicago to Mendota via Aurora, Illinois, also creating what would become the oldest commuter line in the Chicago area.