A truck being rebuilt from NSL 763. Photo by Frank Hicks.
About the Department
In 1953, the Illinois Electric Railway Museum started with the Indiana Railroad 65. Today, the
Electric Car department is repsonsible for the restoration and maintenance of
Street cars, Interurbans,
Rapid Transit Cars, Electric Work Equipment, smaller
Electric Locomotives, and various other equipment.
This is one of the larger departments at the museum, larger in collection and number of volunteers. They are
responsible for equipment inspections, maintenance, repair, restoration and preservation, training and many
other tasks.
Facilities and Equipment
A traction motor to be installed on the Electroliner in the pit. Photo by Barbara Lanphier.
The Electric Car Shop is comprised of all 3 tracks in Barn 4 and a large heated workshop attached to
this barn. The shop also houses the museums pit, which is for lightweight equipment only. Some
restoration work also takes place in parts Barn 6, Barn 7, and Barn 8, although this is mainly
interior work.
The Electric Car department volunteers are known for their top notch restorations, among the finest
in the country. Some examples are the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin 309, Chicago Surface Lines 1374,
Chicago Transit Authority 3142, Fort Wayne and Wabash Valley 504, and many others.
