I just realized something. The shortlines comming into chicago are like the Interurbans except that they’re not electric and they’re more spread out to the bordering states. The WSOR comes in from wisconcin like the CNS&M, the IAIS is like the CA&E, and the INRD is like the CSS&SB. Isin’t it great 
The Insull interurbans of the 1920’s were primarily passenger railroads, not freight railroads. True, CNS&M, CSS&SB and CA&E hauled more freight than the typical interurbans of the period (particularly more carload freight). But their core business was passengers. The core business of the modern short lines you mention is carload freight, which is vastly different from any of the Insull interurbans.