Tuesday Report

 Today's report will be relatively brief, as most of what I have to report is more of the same.

I got a lot more of the tack molding on the north side cleaned up, at least 3/4 of the way.

And I removed another ventilator, along with nails and screws and lots of canvas.

Here Gerry checks out what the roof structure looks like.  Two short boards were replaced (at Wheaton, I'm pretty sure) for some reason.  Perhaps a pole came loose and hit the roof?

Next, we can see that John has been making good progress on the roof of the 306:

He wasn't here because his wife is in hospital.  We certainly all wish her a speedy recovery.

Gerry was doing more welding on the end of the 1808.  This is all the steel work the bumper needs; next will be a layer of wood, followed by more steel.

Here Tim and Gerry are discussing what needs to be done next.

You know, I actually received a complaint from a long-time reader that we're not seeing enough pictures of Tim in the process of doing something.  Well, we can fix that.  Ponder how much of this corner post has rotted out and is missing.  Luckily, Tim knows just what to do.

The original post was made of poplar (an unusual choice, I should point out) and it's not possible to get poplar in a large enough size for these posts, so it has to be laminated.  That's what he's in the process of doing here.  You'll notice the short piece used as a pattern sitting in front of the new boards.

This perhaps makes it a little clearer.

And he has been using the department's biscuit cutter to install biscuits.  They ensure that the works don't slide relative to each other when glue is applied.

I hope that's satisfactory, at least for today.  Just don't ask to see pictures of Tim riding his bicycle at 60 mph.  Too dangerous!

Satisfying Saturday

 Saturday saw a lot of things going on across the Museum, so as usual this is just what I happened to capture inside the car shop.  We'll start by letting others show off their work.

Buzz continues to make new parts for the O'Mahoney diner.  Here is part of the replacement booth:

And Gregg helps by carefully holding an end so you can see what it will look like.

Later, Buzz was helping Gregg make new footboards for Public Service 7, our first steam locomotive.  As you might have noticed, he's working on several things at once.

Tim is turning out new letterboards for the 1808.

Paul and Ed were working all day on the Cleveland PCC truck, but Ed ran away before I could get a picture of him.

The truck itself is nearing completion:

As for me, mostly what I have to show is what is no longer there, so you must use your imagination.  Several more saddles and some trolley board sections were removed, with lots of canvas.  Looking west:

From closer to the west end:

I removed the first of the three ventilators.  These are held in with a large number of tiny wood screws, each of which has to have its tar scraped off, so it takes a while.

But it's satisfying to have at least one out of the way.

Some other parts were removed, and more of the side tack molding was cleaned off.

It was cold and damp outside, and I'm trying to keep to a schedule, so I didn't have time to wander around and see what other departments are doing.  If anyone wants to send in pictures of what they're accomplishing, we'll be glad to publish them.

The latest on our CTA trolley bus

Thanks to Richard Schauer for passing along the latest update of activity on CTA 9631, our trolley bus that is currently off-site for exterior restoration and repainting. Richard writes:

Updates for two weeks in a row, how about that!  A fairly substantial amount of detail work was completed on the curb side upper portion. Surprise surprise, a bunch of damage was found in the front corner, but it's now done (although I wasn't able to get a good picture of it).  The end is in sight!

IT Line Car Report

 Gregg Wolfersheim continues work on Illinois Terminal 1702 and sends us an update:

Here's a short report on the line car project. Pictured is the steel inner frame in primer.

The first of two wood beams fitted to the car. Both ends are notched out to overlap other beams. Vertical as well as horizontal holes have been laid out and bored. The horizontal holes are recessed so the siding will lie flat over it. Soon the second beam will be matched up and similar treatment will apply.

The Fox & Illinois Union Railway

The Fox & Illinois Union Railway

by Stephen M. Scalzo

Headline image: One of the F&IU interurban cars is northbound at Lisbon and High Streets in Morris, probably in the mid-1910s. Where the house stands is today the parking lot of Morris Hospital. All photos from the Stephen Scalzo Collection of the Illinois Railway Museum.

The plan for building a 20-mile electric railway to connect the villages of Yorkville and Morris in northern Illinois was first discussed in 1902 after the Aurora Yorkville & Morris Railway was completed to Yorkville. Several companies tried to build the Yorkville to Morris railway, but none were successful. By July of 1909, surveys for the Yorkville & Morris Electric Railway were completed and most of the right-of-way obtained; however only three miles of trackage was constructed south of Yorkville before work stopped.

The Fox & Illinois Union Railway was incorporated on October 20, 1910. The company's name was derived from the plans to unite the valleys of the Fox and Illinois Rivers. On January 24, 1911, former state senator H.H. Evans of Aurora, at the age of 75, pledged his support and financial backing for the proposed railway, providing that the right-of-way was given to him. Senator Evans was no newcomer to electric railroading, as he was president of several railroads. He organized the Aurora Street Railway in September 1882, and was elected president and supervised the construction. He was the founder and principal projector of the Joliet Aurora & Northern Railroad (which later became part of the Elgin Joliet & Eastern Railroad). He build the first part of the Aurora to Yorkville interurban.

The other backers of the railway stated that the property in Kendall County had been secured except for one piece. The Morris Industrial Association planned a trip to visit local farmers north of Morris to secure property in Grundy County. Promoters for the interurban met with residents along the line, asking for support by purchasing stock. As a result, residents of Lisbon Township raised almost $3,800. The promoters also were looking at extending the railway south of the Illinois River.

On June 9, 1911, the Yorkville city council passed an ordinance granting the company a franchise and freight concession. In July, Mr. Evans deposited $50,000 in Yorkville and Morris banks as a guarantee that the railroad would be built. Once construction started, $50,000 in bonds would be issued to replace the deposited cash for further construction. On September 28, H.D. Hallett of Aurora was awarded the grading contract. However only about 16 days of grading was completed before winter stopped construction until spring. Work continued on the bridges.

By September of 1912, track construction using 70-pound rail had only been completed eight miles from Yorkville; by October, tracks were within four miles of Morris, with all trackage being completed in November. A leased Chicago Burlington & Quincy steam locomotive was used to haul freight over the completed trackage from Yorkville south. Sidings had been constructed at every crossroad for farmers' use in loading and unloading of dairy products. Construction of the line was estimated to have cost about $200,000. The line was level most of the way, with 1.5% maximum grades near each end in getting out of the river valleys and curves not in excess of 20 degrees. Standard oak ties were laid on curves and cedar ties on tangents; ballast was initially laid, with crushed rock to be used later.

The location of this Barney Neuberger photo is uncertain but it's got to be in either Yorkville or Morris.

The company formally began passenger service on January 1, 1913, when 200 passengers were carried on two round trips, using a steam locomotive to pull one of the new interurban cars. The installation of the overhead electrical system began in the early part of 1913. The erection of the cedar poles, which would carry the 35,000-volt transmission line and the 600-volt DC feeder and telephone lines, was completed by March 10. Bracket type Westinghouse overhead suspension material was employed. On the south end, the company purchased power from the Public Service Company of Joliet through the CO&P substation at Morris, and on the north end from the Aurora Elgin & Chicago. A Westinghouse 300KW capacity portable substation was placed midway on the line at Walker's Corners until a permanent substation building was constructed. Two 48-foot combination passenger-baggage interurbans and a 35-foot express interurban were received in the later part of 1912. The passenger interurbans were finished in brown with red or terra-cotta roof and yellow trim and lettering. Because there were no wyes on the railroad, the passenger interurbans always operated with the baggage vestibule on the south end.

Even airbrushed, marked up, and damaged, this is a fascinating photo showing one of the combines pulling flat car 303 with the portable substation equipment on top of it. Though undated, the print is stamped with a 1925 date, so it was taken sometime prior to that.

Car 100 is shown as Lisbon and High Streets in Morris, likely when still fairly new. Initial reports were that the F&IU was ordering four passenger cars but only two were delivered, 100 and 102. Intriguingly, an identical (or nearly identical) car numbered 104 was delivered at around the same time to the Sterling Dixon & Eastern, even though the SD&E wasn't using the 100-series for numbering cars at the time. Coincidence? It's impossible to say for certain.

Completion of the last mile of trackage to the CRI&P in Morris was completed in March of 1913. On April 16, Mr. Evans made an inspection trip over the trackage, and on April 24, a delegation of dignitaries inspected the line. Two steam-powered daily round trip trains for freight and passenger service were then placed into operation. On May 14, the last spike was driven on the initial trackage at Adams Street in Morris. On September 24, electric service began and four daily trains were operating. The sparse passenger revenue was supplemented by the more reliable grain business from five elevators located on the line; even in its best days, the company only operated five round trip passenger trains daily. Although the terminal towns were small, junctions were made with other interurbans at each end. At Yorkville, the company connected with the Aurora Elgin & Chicago's Fox River Division interurbans, and at Morris the company intersected with the Chicago Ottawa & Peoria interurbans. Freight connections were made with the CB&Q and AE&C in Yorkville, and the CRI&P and CO&P in Morris.

Freight motor 7 in its original, all-electric appearance is shown with an impressive snow plow affixed to its southern end.

Construction of the car barn in Yorkville began in October of 1913. The connection switch with the AE&C was installed in December, enabling the interurbans to operate to the bank corner in Yorkville. During August of 1914, construction of the trackage on Benton, Washington, and Liberty Streets in Morris began. After crossing under the CRI&P tracks, the trackage was constructed on the south side of Benton Street between the CO&P trackage and the curb. The first interurban operated to Liberty and Washington Streets in Morris on November 7, with construction completed on the trackage on Washington to the Commercial Hotel by November 10. At the celebration on November 13 in Yorkville to mark the completion of the railroad, Mr. Evans stated that if $25,000 could be raised to construct a bridge over the Illinois River at Morris, the company would be extended to Dwight.

Local resident Bill Thompson boards combine 100 at Lisbon and High Streets in Morris. Note how the baggage door on this side of the car can be latched partway open and the trap raised for passenger boarding.

By 1915, earnings were only $29,331 with 86,336 passengers. However with the death of Mr. Evans on March 27, 1917, the driving force behind the company was gone and the line started its downward trend. By 1920, the company earned $35,953 (negative $4,434 net and $19,017 freight). By the beginning of the 1920s, the automobile and concrete highways started drawing passengers away, and in 1923 the company filed an application with the Illinois Commerce Commission to abandon all service. On September 4, 1924, a group of local farmers who owned the five elevators along the line purchased the company for $117,000 so that freight service could continue. However, the new ownership could not halt the losses. On January 31, 1925, the Aurora Elgin & Fox River Electric abandoned its trackage south of the Fox River Park, ending the passenger connection from Yorkville to Aurora. Interurban passenger service continued on a reduced basis, but there was now no hope for a profit in carrying passengers. The passenger interurbans were also being pressed into freight hauling service as needed. As losses mounted, maintenance on the interurbans declined rapidly.

Combine 100 and its crew

Authority was finally granted to end all passenger service, and on February 3, 1931, the last interurban operated. The overhead wires were quickly removed and sold for scrap, and the right-of-way sold to the Public Service Company for a handsome profit. The box motor interurban was equipped with a gasoline engine to continue carload freight service (with an occasional CB&Q steam locomotive being leased). Freight revenue continued to decline, mainly due to the construction of concrete Illinois Route 47 which paralleled the entire trackage. The passenger interurbans remained stored on a storage track outside of the Yorkville car barn until 1933, when they were scrapped.

This undated image shows one of the combines on a siding, quite possibly in the yard at Yorkville.

As the Depression continued, freight revenue continued to dwindle. The company went into bankruptcy early in 1938, and the received was authorized to discontinue all operations on February 29, 1938 [sic]. Service continued on an occasional hand-to-mouth basis until October 3, when all service was stopped. The remaining trackage was torn up and scrapped by Hyman-Michaels of Chicago. The self-propelled box motor was sold to the scrap dealer, and it was then sold to the Colorado & Southeastern Railroad at Pueblo, Colorado, where it operated until scrapped in 1957.

This is what freight motor  7 looked like after it was converted to gas-electric power in 1931.

This article was edited and laid out by Frank Hicks. Thanks to Ray and Julie Piesciuk and Richard Schauer for making available the materials from the Stephen Scalzo Collection used to publish this history.

Equipment Roster

Car 7 - DE DT AR freight motor, built 1912 by McGuire-Cummings, McG 70A trucks, 4xWH 306 motors, HL control; rebuilt 1931 with Buda gas engine; to Hyman-Michaels 1938, stored at Eola yards, sold to Colorado Railroad 1939, used near Pueblo until scrapped in 1957

Cars 100 and 102 - DE DT AR combines, built 1912 by McGuire-Cummings, McG 70A trucks, 4xWH 306 motors, HL control; scrapped 1933

Car 303 - portable substation, built 1912 by McGuire-Cummings, used at Walkers Corners until permanent substation built; scrapped 1933

Engine 1494 - 0-6-0 steam engine, built 1910 by CB&Q Aurora shops as class G-3, purchased sometime after 1931; final disposition unknown

Timetable

1915 Fox & Illinois Union timetable courtesy John Csoka. Do you suppose F.M. Zimmerman was related to IRM's own F. Zimmerman?

Route Map

Click here for a route map of the Fox & Illinois Union Railway

Click to return to the Scalzo History Collection index

Down to Brass Tacks

 Wednesday was another busy day, and as usual the car shop was one of the most popular places at IRM.  To start, let's ponder what the other guys are doing. 

Pete and Fritz continue their painstaking work on the interior of the 160.  Here the head of the Paint Department is finishing a door.

Lorne was working on various parts for the PCC truck, helped today by Paul Cronin who wandered in and was put to work.

Here Paul is polishing up some bearing surfaces.

Tim was working on the 1808, but I didn't get any pictures.  Finally, Buzz is making parts to replace a missing booth in the O'Mahoney Diner.  That's pretty interesting!

The seat frames are pretty complicated.

And here he demonstrates the use of a manual router.  This particular type was patented in '84.

And one of the freight car guys was asking me about the Trolleyville holes.  I explained that this occurred because they were trying to store a streetcar right next to an interurban.  This generally wouldn't happen on most electric lines (other than museums!) but there are exceptions.

Such as the Illinois Terminal -- step this way and look at the 415's trolley pole - I know it's hard to see in this dim light.

The 415 had to share trackage with interurban cars, and I feel sure they must have considered the possibility of punching a hole into another car's roof.  The 160 is a North Shore car, of course, but it's the same basic size as the IT's mainline equipment.  So we can see that the 415's base is mounted on a platform, and even when hooked down the pole is slanted up so it easily clears the interurban car's roof.  Problem avoided!

Finally, we'll look at what I was doing on the 460.  I removed the other detachable roof cable and stored it on the platform, then went to work on the trolley boards and saddles.  I removed the next two trolley boards, so that's two-thirds done, and then was able to remove about half of the saddles, mostly by chopping them apart.  The rusted old wood screws are nearly impossible to turn.  And there's always more canvas to pull off.  At this point it looks like this.

And I carted several loads of old canvas and wood out to the dumpster.

And switching back and forth, I also worked on cleaning up the tack molding on the north side.  When done, it looks like this.  Before starting, there are two layers of canvas to remove, each with a double row of tacks.  And it appears that the inner layer actually used brass tacks.

I asked Tim to take a look and he agreed that the moldings should be reusable with the right amount of epoxy.  He also thought the general roof structure was in remarkably good condition.

By the end of the day I had finished cleaning up the moldings as far as the word "Chicago", or four window sections, or two scaffold sections.  The work is going along well, and is less tiring than chopping up the roof boards.

So there's some satisfying progress in all directions.

Monday Report

Monday was Day 2 of the 460 roof project, and there's still a lot to do.

I started on the #1 end, and removed most of the canvas and most of the tacks in the tack moldings, as well as the drip rail and rope guard.

However, I noticed that there is another, smaller Trolleyville hole at this end.  It isn't very big, so evidently they weren't trying very hard on this one.  It needs to be fixed, of course, but should be relatively easy.  

So here is the NE corner:

After removing more of both layers on the north side, it looks like this.

I then removed the drip rail and rope guard and most of the canvas at the #2 end, to check the status of the Trolleyville patch I made back in 2016.  So far most of the structure looks OK.

After removing a lot of tacks and patches, the north side looks a little cleaner.

I also detached and removed one of the roof cables, and stored it on the scaffold.

And then, we start ripping off the outer layer on the south side.

The south side also has some patches on the inner layer of canvas, but not nearly as much as the north side.

Meanwhile...

John Sheldon shows us his progress on the roof mats for the 306.  They are much smaller and of a simpler design than the North Shore's, but it's still interesting.  Each mat has two saddles, which John soaked in water and bent on forms similar to the ones made for the North Shore cars.  The slats are straight.

Later, we see John on the roof, checking the fit and position of the roof saddles.

Pete and Fritz were working on the 160 again; here's a repainted door.

And Gerry continues rebuilding the steel structure of the 1808.