Maps 11-6 and 11-7.

This pair of maps shows what the ITS called the Champaign Belt, made up of the electrified Illinois Central and Wabash tracks which could carry ITS traffic around the north side of the cities instead of through their center.  Initially intended for freight, it came to be used for passenger traffic also, first in Champaign (allowing abandonment of the West John Street trackage), and eventually in Urbana as well.  In the top map, we see at the far left edge the connection from the west, which is seen also in Map 11-3 above.  The route then follows the IC east until, at about State Street in Champaign (the city streets are not shown), it connects to the west end of the Wabash branch line from Sidney.  We see numerous sidings around the connections near Neil Street, including those at the Champaign Freight House.  The Belt Line continues to the east, as shown in the bottom map, crossing the IC north-south main line, ultimately connecting to East Main Street in Urbana at the lower right.  Eventually, in 1937, the interurban abandoned its city trackage in Champaign, adopting the Wabash RR depots in both Champaign and Urbana for its passengers.  Those depots are not shown on these maps. — Collection of John S. Huber, copyright 2011 Larry Miller Jr. and Larry Miller III

112-Champaign_Belt.jpg

113-Urbana_Belt.jpg

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