This thesis explains how electrifying the Champaign–Chicago division could expand capacity and reduce costs. It details the practical design and the economic reasoning behind the plan.
This clear, data-driven study focuses on a real rail line and the question of electrification. It covers why the Illinois Central project chose to buy power from a regional utility, which electrical system best fits heavy traffic, and how the plan would be implemented on the main line between Champaign and Chicago.
- How capacity and operations could improve with electrified traction
- Why power sourcing from a utility can lower fixed costs and improve reliability
- Which single-phase system and which type of equipment were recommended
- How load, current, and economic comparisons were analyzed and translated into a project plan
Ideal for readers of early 20th‑century engineering and transportation history, as well as anyone curious about the economics of electrification in rail networks.