Carl has the parallel routes in the old neighborhood pretty well described but we both forgot one rather weed-grown track. The B&O had an industrial lead that ran from State Line to Burnham Tower alongside the NKP where it served the Calumet Refining Co. at about 139th and Green Bay in Burnham. EJ&E has/had a secondary line that connected with C&WI at State Line to serve the US Steel Supply warehouse (formerly Pressed Steel Car Co.) in Hegewisch.
Granite City Il has to figure in there pretty high, you have all the usual suspects, plus IT.
Isn’t the definition of parallel, “two lines equidistant from each other”? I certainly would not call NYC, PRR, Erie, Lackawanna and B&O parallel because one could go from New York to Chicago on them.
I really wasn’t precise when I started this thread but I think its a fun thread thats got many people thinking.
If there are 6 different railroads with lines between New York and Chicago thats good enough for me.