July 7, 2012:
I didn't get my wake-up call. I woke up when the alarm on my phone went off. I got dressed and had breakfast. I then got my stuff together. Today I was going to pick up my rental car and go to the Illinois Railway Museum. I was prepared to take PACE bus route 290 to the Cumberland station, but I saw the 85A showed up first, so I decided to take it and save $1.75.
I rode the 85A to Jefferson Park station and went to catch a train to O'Hare airport where I would be renting the car. The first O'Hare train arrived which was led by a 2200 series El car. I photographed it before I got on.
I rode to O'Hare where the train nudged up behind a four car train of 2600 series cars. I got off the train and photographed it. Unfortunately, the photo turned our blurry.
I went to Terminal 2 and phoned ACE car rental; who I was renting a car from. They sent their shuttle which I had to flag down. The shuttle drove me to the rental agency where I picked up my rental car which was a Toyota Corolla. I headed out onto the highway which was a toll road. I paid a total of $3 in tolls to get from the airport to the Illinois Railway Museum, but I finally arrived.
I paid my admission and went in. I saw a two car of CTA 1-50 series PCC El cars and a three car train of Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin wooden interurbans. Of the three CA&E cars, the first car, #319 was one of several cars IRM picked up from the Trolleyville USA collection. I photographed the two trains.
I looked around the museum photographing various trolleys and trains on display.
I also looked in a barn that had several diesel buses and a few trolleybuses on display and took some photos.
I then photographed more equipment on display.
This train with a Milwaukee Road F7 and three coaches was running that day.
The CA&E train departed on its next run. A little while later, they boarded the CTA train. I then boarded the front car which was CTA #41. The Halton County Radial Railway Museum back home acquired sister car #48 in 1999. It operated for a time and I got to ride it when it operated. Unfortunately, HCRR once tried to move car 48 with its brakes stuck on. As a result, it blew the car's traction motors rendering the car inoperable.
Shortly boarding car 41, I saw someone who I had met previously on a charter back in 2001 that had visited Halton County. I didn't recall his name though, but he remembered me. We talked a bit about transit. The El cars soon departed.
We ran down IRM's main line and at one point, we reached a high speed. We passed through a couple level crossings. After several minutes, we stopped as we reached the end of the line. I moved into the other car which was #22 as it would be leading now.
The train departed and we soon picked up speed. We ran past the station to the other stub end of IRM's main line near where the IRM track connects with the Union Pacific. We then headed back to the station.
I filmed the El cars as they departed on their next run as well as a three car passenger train pulled by Milwaukee Road F-7 #118. I also photographed cars undergoing restoration in a car barn.
Shortly after I got back, I saw my friend Greg. Greg is a motorman at IRM although he wasn't running anything that day. This was a special event and they were having a parade of many vehicles in their collection. Some vehicles were only being run in the parade while others would go into service. There were a total of 30 cars in the parade. Some were being run in a train. Each train consists of one entry. There were 17 entries in the 2012 trolley parade.
The first entry was CTA 4000 series El car #4290 and wooden trailer #1268.
Next was a three car train from the Illinois Terminal.
Next came a Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin three car steel train consisting of cars 460, 431, and 409. Cars 460 and 409 were acquired from Trolleyville USA.
The CA&E wooden train was next led by car 319.
Next was a Chicago, North Shore, and Milwaukee interurban train consisting of cars 749, 414, and 251.
Following the North Shore cars were CTA 2000 series El cars 2153 and 2154. This was the first trolley parade that they have been part of.
Next was a three car train consisting of CTA PCC El car 30 and PCC married pair 6655 and 6656. Car 30 had been restored to its as-delivered livery.
Next was Indiana Railroad interurban #65. This was IRM's first acquisition and has been undergoing restoration.
Next were two former North Shore express cars.
Next came Illinois Terminal interurban #101. It looks similar to the cars used by the Toronto Suburban Railway which was abandoned in the 1930s. The Halton County Radial Railway Museum runs along the former Toronto Suburban Railway's right of way.
Next came Chicago streetcars 144 and 3142. Car 144 was a two-man car and 3142 was a one man.
Next was Chicago streetcar #1374.
After 1374 was Chicago Green Hornet PCC #4391. Chicago’s PCCs were longer than the typical PCC design and had three sets of doors instead of the usual two. Chicago’s PCCs also had hand controls as opposed to foot controls like most PCCs. Many Chicago PCCs had two man crews instead of the usual operator.
Chicago had good patronage on the streetcar system despite politicians trying to dismantle the streetcar system. However, in 1950 one Green Hornet PCC took a switch too fast and derailed. The car then collided with a gasoline tanker which burst into flames. More than 30 people on the PCC and the truck driver were killed in the fire, but there were survivors on the PCC. That accident proved to be the beginning of the end of streetcar operation in Chicago even though many PCCs were less then 10 years old. As fate would have it, my friend Greg’s mother ran for the PCC involved in the accident, but missed it! She was lucky.
Many of Chicago’s Green Hornet PCCs were stripped of parts which were used in cars for the El like car 48 at Halton County. PCC 4391 is the only surviving Green Hornet PCC.
Next up was interurban #68 from the Sand Springs Railway.
Next was Vera Cruz, Mexico open car #19 which IRM had acquired from Trolleyville USA.
The last car in the parade was Chicago wood body El car #1797. This car is undergoing restoration which is almost finished. However, it still needs a little more work before it can run on the museum’s main line, but it was okay to run in the parade.
1797 was then posed with other El cars for a photo shoot.
2013 will be IRM’s 60th birthday. They are trying to have 60 cars running in time to be part of the 2013 trolley parade.
I talked with Greg for a few minutes. Greg had to leave. I then walked through some passenger cars on display including an ex Chicago Northwestern RDC-1. I walked though a couple sleepers and a dining car.
After I left the tour, I photographed some equipment including some Redbird subway cars IRM had acquired from New York a few years ago.
I then wandered by the trolley bus barn, but it was closed. I boarded Vera Cruz open car #19 and rode one stop on IRM’s streetcar line.
I got off and then went through another of IRM’s car barns. Inside this barn were the Nebraska Zephyr, GG-1 #4927, and some steam engines. I photographed the equipment in the barn.
Here’s the Nebraska Zephyr.
I then went outside and photographed some equipment parked outside. I photographed former Southern Pacific SD7 #1518; the first SD7 built as well as Denver and Rio Grande dome car Silver Pony which is presently on a flat car awaiting a set of trucks.
I then photographed former Chicago and Northwestern SD40 #6847. Interestingly enough according to my friend Karl, one of his friends actually delivered 6847 to the Illinois Railway Museum!
At one point, I went into IRM’s office and asked if there was any way to get into the main trolleybus barn. They told me the only way was to try and find one member named Jerry Sanders who may still be around. I also went into IRM’s diner for lunch.
After lunch, I looked around for Jerry Saunders without success. I photographed various pieces of equipment on display.
By now, it was getting close to the closing time of the museum. I gave up trying to get into the trolleybus barn, but played with the idea of returning the next day since I had a rental car. I saw an Alco road switcher start up and move around. As I made my way back to the parking lot, I saw the Alco switcher was moving SD7 #1518 and SD40 #6847. I photographed the locomotives.
I then got in my car and drove back to my hotel. I paid another $3 in tolls. After I got off the highway, I made a couple of wrong turns, but I soon got back to my hotel. I photographed my rental car in the parking lot.
Here’s my rental car for this trip: a Toyota Corolla.
I went to the lobby and let the hotel staff know I had a rental car. They said it was all right. I then returned to my room and worked on the report some more.
After awhile, I was hungry. I drove out to a McDonald’s a short drive from my hotel for dinner. After dinner, I returned to the hotel and worked some more. I eventually set the alarm on my phone for 8:00 am and called it a night.
Click to read my visit to Fox River and another visit to IRM: Fox River and return to IRM
