Wednesday, January 13, 2021

The Ray Proffer Collection

We recently acquired access to a collection of CA&E slides taken by the late Ray Proffer, which we are privileged to bring to you.  We don't have a lot of information about them; they appear to have all been taken sometime before the end of service, with the majority in the Wheaton yards.  They will be presented in alphabetical order by city.  Enjoy!

These images are copyright by Hicks Car Works.

They may not be reproduced without written permission!


AURORA





Downtown Aurora, looking east on New York.

Entry from the station platform to Broadway, not often photographed.

Looking across the river to Stolp Island.


BATAVIA

It was nice of Mr. Proffer to visit my father's hometown!



The Wilson St. bridge.

Looking out the cab, probably on the Aurora line.


ELGIN


Downtown Elgin, looking south on Grove from the terminal.

The Elgin terminal, from the Chicago St. bridge.  

The Elgin Tower, otherwise known as the Home Bank Building.  Back in the seventies, I'd sometimes have breakfast here in the coffee shop on the ground floor on my way to IRM.  The steak and eggs was a real bargain.


FOREST PARK




WHEATON

Mostly cars stored in the yard at midday.
24 - 56 - 308

24

26


28 - 26

28


54


56 - 308



203

302


308 - experts say it can be restored.

312


316 - 3

402 on the west ladder

405 - 702

412 at the station

418

2002

Bus 101

A C&NW train at the Main St. station

Another C&NW train, eastbound

Looking east at Main St.; in the distance is the old courthouse.

The outbound waiting shelter, not often photographed.  Notice the headlights sitting there.  The motorman is conversing with another trainman.

And finally, a view of the yards, probably from a moving train.

8 comments:

Jason Learakos said...

Do you know what type of horns were used on the CA&E? Or at least the one of CA&E 453? Thanks.

Randall Hicks said...

Well, it varied. All of the wood cars had whistles, almost all of the low-pitched "trombone" type. The steel cars had horns for the most part, but I'm not enough of a horn expert to tell you the details. As for the 453, I'm pretty sure it's specified in the CERA bulletin (B64?) that was issued for the inaugural fantrip of those cars in 1945. I'll have to dig out my copy when I get a chance, unless somebody beats me to it. :)

Randall Hicks said...

And the answer is: Westinghouse AA2 pneuphonic horns. You're welcome.

Scott Greig said...

AA2s were the double-note horns seen prominently mounted on the front dash of cars like the Pullmans and Cincinnatis. The single-note horns were A2s.

Also, I believe at least some of the 450s had their horns swapped around after entering service.

Randall Hicks said...

Thanks, Scott, that certainly helps. I got the "AA2" from B64. But it seems to me from pictures of the first CERA fantrip with the 451 and 453 that the 451 had double horns (as it still does) and the 453 had single horns (ditto). It's not clear why they would have been different so soon after delivery. And of course in later years the baffles make it much harder to tell what you're looking at.

Jason Learakos said...

Thank you.
I'm interested in the Illinois Terminal buildings at Utica and Danvers, do you have the addresses?
Thanks

Randall Hicks said...

I don't have addresses. It's been a while, but for the Utica sub I'm going to say it is (or was) a block or two east of the main north-south road, just south of the canal. For Danvers I have no idea. Help?

Jason Learakos said...

Thanks. Will visit sometime, you can actually see it on Google Maps.
Also interested in IT 103, what road it is it on between Alton and Grafton? Sorry for asking all these questions.