Art Peterson kindly sent us these photos from the Glenn M. Andersen collection of photos from North Chicago and Downers Grove. These provide a fascinating look at the very beginning of our Museum and the ERHS. Our thanks to Art on behalf of the Krambles-Peterson Archive.
Notes: Most of the North Chicago photos appear to be about 1956. The dates for the others are generally noted. I have shrunk them by a factor of 4 from Art's scans, which are about 5200 x 3500. The Westport photo was brightened.
These photos are copyrighted by the Krambles-Peterson Archive.
Do not reproduce without permission!
Singer #1
This early electric locomotive was built by GE in 1898 for Singer, and was in use until 1955. It was at North Chicago briefly before being sold to IMOTAC. It is now preserved at Noblesville, Ind.
IR 65
Glenn took a picture of one of the 65's Commonwealth trucks while it was out from under the car.
CSL 144
+chf+-+n+chgo+4-59+gma.jpg)
It's January, 1959. The 144 has just arrived at North Chicago on a flat car, and it's time to figure out how to unload it.
The body of this combine evidently got some care while it was at North Chicago. It was moved to Union, but deteriorated badly and was scrapped in 1974.
This picture was taken at Westport, Indiana, when the 250 and 228 belonged to the Indiana Railroad Museum. Both later went to East Troy; MD car 228 is still there. The 250 later came to Union in bad shape and was scrapped in 1995.
IT 277
Still in the blue paint scheme it had at the end of service. To its left is the 101, to the right is the body of North Shore sweeper #3, which served as the Museum's workshop at North Chicago, and was scrapped when the Museum moved to Union.
CA&E 318
This photo is at Westport, Indiana, not North Chicago, and dated 1965. The 318 was acquired by the Indiana Railroad Museum and pulled by this saddle-tanker. In 1971 it was sold to East Troy, but badly damaged in a wreck while it was being shipped on its own wheels. IRM finally bought the car and scrapped it for parts in 1977. Behind it is North Shore 250, which was also eventually scrapped by IRM.
North Shore 354
Six cars from this series were purchased by Frank Sherwin when they were taken out of service; the 354 was not scrapped, but saved for use as a storage shed. It was at North Chicago before IERM was founded, and passed into the Museum's possession. Here the 65 is behind it.
IT 415
Newly arrived at North Chicago, still on its flat car.
The workhorse of the Museum; next to it is the 65 under a tarp.
This was one of the Museum's earlier acquisitions, and was in the first train to the Union site in 1968.
To the left is an MD car, I believe, and behind it is the 354.
+chf+-+n+chgo+9-56+gma.jpg)
In this photo it's next to the 65.
Something seems to be missing in this picture of the trestle over Boot Creek, but I just can't put my finger on it.
The Glenn Andersen trolley bus barn under construction in 1972, looking north. Beyond it you can see the 251 and 253 head to head.
At Downers Grove, Dec. 1958, shortly after delivery. Only a few poles for the barn have yet been installed.
Oct. 1958 at Downers Grove. This was the first car acquired by ERHS.
Newly arrived. It was numbered AA-98 while in salt service.
Do not reproduce without permission!
Singer #1
This early electric locomotive was built by GE in 1898 for Singer, and was in use until 1955. It was at North Chicago briefly before being sold to IMOTAC. It is now preserved at Noblesville, Ind.
The baggage cars behind it are probably some of the ones which were acquired by IRM and moved to Union.
IR 65
Glenn took a picture of one of the 65's Commonwealth trucks while it was out from under the car.
CSL 144
It's January, 1959. The 144 has just arrived at North Chicago on a flat car, and it's time to figure out how to unload it.
North Shore 202
The body of this combine evidently got some care while it was at North Chicago. It was moved to Union, but deteriorated badly and was scrapped in 1974.
North Shore 250
This picture was taken at Westport, Indiana, when the 250 and 228 belonged to the Indiana Railroad Museum. Both later went to East Troy; MD car 228 is still there. The 250 later came to Union in bad shape and was scrapped in 1995.
IT 277
Still in the blue paint scheme it had at the end of service. To its left is the 101, to the right is the body of North Shore sweeper #3, which served as the Museum's workshop at North Chicago, and was scrapped when the Museum moved to Union.
CA&E 318
This photo is at Westport, Indiana, not North Chicago, and dated 1965. The 318 was acquired by the Indiana Railroad Museum and pulled by this saddle-tanker. In 1971 it was sold to East Troy, but badly damaged in a wreck while it was being shipped on its own wheels. IRM finally bought the car and scrapped it for parts in 1977. Behind it is North Shore 250, which was also eventually scrapped by IRM.
North Shore 354
Six cars from this series were purchased by Frank Sherwin when they were taken out of service; the 354 was not scrapped, but saved for use as a storage shed. It was at North Chicago before IERM was founded, and passed into the Museum's possession. Here the 65 is behind it.
Newly arrived at North Chicago, still on its flat car.
The workhorse of the Museum; next to it is the 65 under a tarp.
CRT 1268
This was one of the Museum's earlier acquisitions, and was in the first train to the Union site in 1968.
To the left is an MD car, I believe, and behind it is the 354.
In this photo it's next to the 65.
CTA 9192
Union
Something seems to be missing in this picture of the trestle over Boot Creek, but I just can't put my finger on it.
The Glenn Andersen trolley bus barn under construction in 1972, looking north. Beyond it you can see the 251 and 253 head to head.
ERHS Pictures
C&WT 141
C&WT 141
CSL 1374
At Downers Grove, Dec. 1958, shortly after delivery. Only a few poles for the barn have yet been installed.
CSL 1467
Oct. 1958 at Downers Grove. This was the first car acquired by ERHS.
CSL 2846
Newly arrived. It was numbered AA-98 while in salt service.
CTA 4391
The PCC after arrival in Feb. 1960, still on its trailer.
CTA 9193
+d+gr+2-60+gma.jpg)
The driver of this CTA trolleybus made a wrong turn at Central and Ogden, and wound up stuck in the middle of a field near Downers Grove. After failing a sobriety test, he was promoted to the job of alderman. This occurred in Feb. 1960.
Fortunately, the owners of a nearby barn were able to give the bus a good home.
Some of the neighbors, however, were very superstitious. They hoped that if they put up a "Bus Stop" sign in a nearby field, regular bus service would magically appear. They're still waiting.
Here's the ERHS track gang building one of the barn tracks. From left to right, unknown, Charlie King, and Glenn Andersen.
The barn is still under construction in this view.
The ERHS barn in April, 1964. For a full history of the Electric Railway Historical Society, go here.
Art also sent us these photos from the Andersen collection of in-service photos featuring cars now in the IRM collection. Our thanks to Art on behalf of the Krambles-Peterson Archive.
The 144 going east across the Roosevelt Rd. viaduct over the IC main, with Twelfth Street Station in the background.
The 309 on the rear of a westbound local at Ovaltine.
The 321 westbound at Marshfield.
3142 westbound on Ogden c. 1951.
4021 at South Shops in 1958, after it was withdrawn from service. This is, of course, the only Chicago pre-war PCC to be preserved. It was part of the CTA's historical collection until 1985, when the collection was given to IRM.
The PCC after arrival in Feb. 1960, still on its trailer.
CTA 9193
The driver of this CTA trolleybus made a wrong turn at Central and Ogden, and wound up stuck in the middle of a field near Downers Grove. After failing a sobriety test, he was promoted to the job of alderman. This occurred in Feb. 1960.
Fortunately, the owners of a nearby barn were able to give the bus a good home.
Some of the neighbors, however, were very superstitious. They hoped that if they put up a "Bus Stop" sign in a nearby field, regular bus service would magically appear. They're still waiting.
Here's the ERHS track gang building one of the barn tracks. From left to right, unknown, Charlie King, and Glenn Andersen.
The barn is still under construction in this view.
The ERHS barn in April, 1964. For a full history of the Electric Railway Historical Society, go here.
In Service
Art also sent us these photos from the Andersen collection of in-service photos featuring cars now in the IRM collection. Our thanks to Art on behalf of the Krambles-Peterson Archive.
The 144 going east across the Roosevelt Rd. viaduct over the IC main, with Twelfth Street Station in the background.
The 309 on the rear of a westbound local at Ovaltine.
The 321 westbound at Marshfield.
3142 westbound on Ogden c. 1951.
4021 at South Shops in 1958, after it was withdrawn from service. This is, of course, the only Chicago pre-war PCC to be preserved. It was part of the CTA's historical collection until 1985, when the collection was given to IRM.
One minor correction about the 354: Sherwin did not buy and scrap all ten cars. Cars 351, 357, 358 and 359 were scrapped by Diamond Scrap Yards of Waukegan in July of 1950. 357-59 were worn and deemed unserviceable, while 351 had suffered electrical storm damage.
ReplyDeletei am so thankful for these pix!
ReplyDeleteWho painted the CAE 318 orange?
When?
Why?
I am saddened to learn that the two North Shore Line cars, other than the 354, were both scrapped by IRM.
The 202 looks to have been in bad shape, but why the 250?
The 250 was also in bad shape when it was scrapped, I believe in the 90s? I have a photo of it sitting out in yard 10 or 11 back then. It was also a duplicate, virtually identical to the 253. There were also a number of NSL MD cars scrapped over the years, but 3 still survive in the collection. The plus side is that parts were saved from all of these scrapped cars to help preserve other cars.
ReplyDeleteI remember when the 250 arrived from East Troy in about 1988-89. The best way I can describe it was that it looked like it had been torched for scrap...only rot and exposure to the elements had done the job instead of flames. Also, it provided the trucks, motors and the like for our Michigan Electric interurban car. It was scrapped around 1995.
ReplyDeleteMy notes say March 31, 1995. Scrapping the 250 was unquestionably the right thing to do. The 202 was the last of the North Shore wooden fleet, so it's easier to second-guess. But it was in very bad shape by 1974, maybe worse than the Shafer cars, and by now would probably be beyond hope.
ReplyDeleteOh, and the 318 was painted orange by the Indiana Railroad Museum twice during its stay there, 1962-1971. After all, weren't all interurban cars painted traction orange?
ReplyDeleteCentral Avenue Trolley buses looped at Harrison, so getting Ogden to make the wrong turn was quite a feat!
ReplyDeleteWell, nobody said it was easy!
ReplyDeleteCRT 1268 was purchased by Frank Sherwin, for $230.00 in Feb 1955, not IERM. In fact Mr. Sherwin purchase 1808 and 1797 too. IERM only purchased 1024 and later on IRM bought 1754. Bill Wulfert
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed many evenings talking with Bill McGregor at IRM in the 1980s. Apparently it was he who incorporated doors into the upper eaves of the DG Barn, primarily so he could forecast the next days weather by reading the afternoon
ReplyDeleteclouds. This is an old farmer's trick.
Though he was hard of hearing he could sense the oncoming train, crawling from Belvidere about 5 minutes before you heard it yourself.
The CTA collection arrived at IRM in 1986, if I recall correctly. If not that year, it occurred within a year or so. The article says 1997 but that is way off.
ReplyDeleteThanks for catching that. 1995 was a typo for 1985.
ReplyDelete