 In April 1916, the Vans purchased a controlling interest in the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (known as the "Nickel Plate Railroad"), whose charter permitted a rail line into downtown Cleveland.To protect their Nickel Plate investment, the Vans began acquiring other railroads as well.As part of this strategy, from November 1924 to January 1925 the Vans purchased enough stock in the Erie Railroad to take control of that property.