Our Collection - Interurban Cars
The interurban era in America ran from about 1905 to the late 1930's, although some lines in the Chicago area continued to run until the 1960's -- and, in fact, one -- the South Shore Line between Chicago and South Bend, Indiana, still operates today as a modern commuter railroad.
Ohio was a major center of interurbans connecting major cities. In the Cleveland area, our namesake, the Lake Shore Electric Railway, ran west from Public Square to Lorain, Norwalk and Sandusky with connections to Toledo and Detroit.
The Cleveland, Southwestern & Columbus Railway ran from downtown Cleveland to Elyria and Wooster. The Northern Ohio Traction Co. connected Cleveland and Akron. The Cleveland, Painesville & Eastern Railway ran form Cleveland to Ashtabula. And the Eastern Ohio Traction Co. operated to Chagrin Falls, Chardon, and Middlefield.
Our collection includes interurban cars from the Chicago, Aurora & Eastern Railroad, one of the three "Insull Lines" radiating from Chicago, as well as cars used on the Shaker Heights line and from Toledo and Iowa.
Please click on a car name, below, to go its photo and description
Car #36 Car #303 (Shaker) Car #304 Car #303 (CA&E) Car #319 Car #409
Car #451 Car #453 Car #458 Car #460 Car "Toledo" Car "OX" Car #100 Car #101
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Car # 36 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R.
Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. #36 is a heavyweight wooden interurban car. The Stephenson Car Co. of New York City built it in 1902 for the mid-western line that connected downtown Chicago to Wheaton and its namesake towns in the Fox River Valley. The car sports many of the elements of turn of the century interurban: stained glass in the roof monitor and standee windows, rattan upholstery and in this case white oak interior walls. After five-plus decades of racing across the plains, the 36 retired in 1957 when the railroad closed. The car came to Cleveland in 1963. |
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Car # 303 Shaker Heights Rapid Transit
Aurora Elgin &Fox River R.R. # 303 and #304 are lightweight double-end interurban cars. Built in 1923 by the St Louis Car Co. to serve a small northwestern Illinois railway between its namesakes. This line closed in 1936 at which time the Cleveland Interurban R.R. purchased them and five of their sisters to serve the rapid lines in Shaker Heights, Ohio. They were dubbed "Smokers" or "Bankers Specials" in Ohio as they have a separate smoking section. The cars were retired in 1954 and Gerald Brookins saved them from the scrap pile, making them the first pieces of what would become Trolleyville, USA. |
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Car # 304 Shaker Heights Rapid Transit NOTE: Please see Car #303 for descriptive information about this car. |
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Car #303 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. #303 is another wooden interurban this time built by the Niles Car Co. of Niles Ohio in 1906. Its service history mirrors #36. The CA&E wood cars lost some of their glitter during a 40's modernization program. They lost their beautiful stained glass and varnished walls were painted over. Trolleyville spent several years restoring its mahogany interior with brass trim and leather seating. |
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Car # 319 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. #319 The third wooden interurban in the
collection was built in 1914 by the Jewett Car Co. of Newark, Ohio. This
car represents the closing era of wood car body construction as steel
was becoming the material of choice. As most interurban of the day, the
interior is divided into a coach section and smoking section and being
a deluxe car it has a lavatory as well. The inlay cherry wood walls and
leather seating have yet to be restored. |
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Car # 409 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. # 409 is a heavy weight steel interurban built by the Pullman Car Co. of Chicago in1923. This brute tips the scale at more than 51 tons owing to a 6-inch concrete floor to insure a smooth, comfortable ride. With almost 600 horsepower, it is capable of more than 75 mph helping the CA&E to hold the speed records for interurban service for several years. The 409 is the only survivor of this car order. Trolleyville found this car still sitting on the paint shop floor being the last car getting some "TLC" on the "Roarin' Elgin."
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Car # 451
Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R.
Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. # 451, #458 and #460 were built by the St Louis Car Co. in 1945, the last cars the Great Third Rail purchased. As a matter of fact the 460 is considered the last true interurban car manufactured in the United States. We are fortunate to have examples of interurban car technology beginning to end especially from on railroad. It probably was an interesting family discussion when Jerry Brookins bought eight cars at on time in 1963.
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Photo of Car #453 is temporarily unavailable |
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Car # 453 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. NOTE: Please see Car #451 for descriptive information about this car. |
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Car # 458 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. NOTE:
Please see Car #451 for descriptive information about this car. |
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Car # 460 Chicago Aurora & Elgin R.R. |
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Car # "TOLEDO" Toledo Street Railway
"TOLEDO" is a private interurban car, quite a rare style of interurban.
It's kind of a rolling office/recreational vehicle. The shop crews of
the Toledo Street Railway built it in 1906 patterned after the typical
wood interurban but outfitted with a meeting room, sleeping quarters,
lavatory and galley. Management of the original Lake Shore Electric used
it to meet and entertain clients who might have charters or freight
transported by the railway. Sometime in the 30's the "Toledo" was put in a
grove near Huron, Ohio, and used as a cottage until 1970 when its new
museum life began. |
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Car # "OX" (#1078, #202 )
Cleveland RTA "OX" started out life as a freight motor #202 on the Michigan Electric Railway in the greater Detroit area. Built in 1924 by GC Kulhman Car Co. it was a regular visitor to Cleveland not only for the Michigan Electric, but for the Northern Ohio Traction Co. of Akron who purchased it in 1929 as #1078. The local connection continued as #78 on the Cleveland Interurban R.R. starting in 1932 where it served as a locomotive on the Shaker Rapid. In 1948 the rapid took delivery of new PCC cars numbered in the 70 thru 90 series requiring re-numbering 78 to "OX." The "OX" was used by both the Shaker Heights rapid and the CTS rapid right into the RTA era when it was retired in 1984. It still has work duty at the museum. |
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Car # 100 (Original #101) Iowa Southern Utilities #100 and #101 are an examples of the interurban freight motors. A freight motor is a electric powered box car capable carrying cargo and pulling freight cars as well. Built in 1914 by the American Car & Foundry Co. for the Centerville, Albia & Southern Ry. which served the Iowa communities of Centerville and Monrovia until the close of electric operations in 1974. NOTE: Car #100 has been moved to LSERy.'s new location; however, it may not remain part of the permanent collection |
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Car # 101 Iowa Southern Utilities R.R. NOTE: Please see Car #100 for descriptive material about this car. |
