Monday, March 10, 2008

Chicago Surface Lines car # 1374 approaching the Central Avenue trolley stop. The Illinois Railway Museum. Union Illinois USA. June 1999.

I took this photo on a June 1999 visit to the Illinois Railway Museum. One of the museum's remarkable restorations, CSL electric streetcar # 1374 was seen here arriving at the Central Avenue trolley stop and concession stand on a hot summer afternoon.

Chicago Surface Lines ( Pre CTA) # 1374, was built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1906. It was in passenger transit service in Chicago untill 1945, when it was demoted into maintenance of way operations. It was last used as a rock salt spreading car for wintertime street maintenance operations. After many years in derelict but restorable condition at the Illinois Railway Museum, it was finally restored over an eight year period. It now hauls passengers at the museum, like it was built to do over Chicago city streets 102 years ago.

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