Fox River Trolley Museum
Location
The museum is located at 365 South LaFox Street (Illinois Route 31), approximately two blocks south of the intersection of LaFox and State Streets.
Heritage railroad
Since 2002, the museum has operated a heritage railroad over a 4-mile line along the banks of the scenic Fox River to the Jon J. Duerr (formerly Blackhawk) Forest Preserve. Visitors can board at the Castlemuir depot, on the museum grounds at the north end of the line in South Elgin, or at Blackhawk Station, at the south end of the line, adjacent to the picnic grove of the Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve. Blackhawk Station is handicapped-accessible.
The museum's right-of-way was originally part of the Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric interurban railroad. The track leaves Castlemuir southbound and passes through Coleman, a former interchange with the Illinois Central Railroad. This is part of the last operating section of the interurban, closing in 1972. The track then continues south over a section closed to passenger service in 1935 and then onto a new alignment that curves into the Forest Preserve.
The museum operates its trolley excursions from Mother's Day to the first Sunday in November every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. During July and August, the museum excursions operate on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
2018 Vandalism
On Sunday, July 8th, 2018, two boys, aged 11 and 13 broke into the museum's car barn and inflicted almost $150,000 worth of damage on the 8 antique pieces of history stored inside. They boys first broke into the Maintenance-Of-Way (MOW) Building to get pickaxes, which they then used to cut a hole in the wall of the car barn, allowing them access to the vary valuable and rare trolley cars. They then continued to throw rocks and destroy many train windows and relics. One electric car had 26 windows completely trashed, and another car, CA&E 20, had its extremely rare CA&E headlight almost completely destroyed. The two boys were caught by a woman who was walking along the Fox River Trail, which is adjacent to the museum, and saw one of the boys bleeding. The boy had cut his arm on a piece of glass inside the car barn, and the woman called the South Elgin Police thinking that this was suspicious. Upon investigation, the boys were caught soon after. The cars damaged during this act of vandalism included CTA 4451 (built 1925), CTA 4288 (b. 1922), CA&E 458 (b. 1945), CA&E 11 (b. 1910), CA&E 316 (b. 1913), CA&E 20 (b. 1902), AE&FRE 304 (b. 1923), and CSL 6 (b. 1891). This sad chapter in the museum's history did, however, attract the attention of many well-wishers. Many famous Chicago news channels covered the vandalism including NBC 5 Chicago, ABC 7, and Fox 32 Chicago. This also prompted over 400 people to donate over $50,000 altogether, and glass companies Window Repair Guy and Chicago Window and Door Solutions to donate glass to help with the repair of many of the cars damaged on July 8th. If you would like to donate toward the continued repair of many of these cars, visit the museum's website.
Non-profit organization
The Fox River Trolley Museum is operated by the Fox River Trolley Association (FRTA). The FRTA is an educational, member-based 501(c)(3) tax exempt Illinois not-for-profit corporation.
Collection
The museum maintains a collection of 30 antique electric trolleys, railroad cars, and locomotives which range in construction dates from 1887 to 1959. The majority of the museum collection is focused on railways and electric transit lines of the Chicago area. One of the most exceptional cars in this collection is the wooden interurban (inter-city) Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad car #20, purchased directly from CA&E after that railroad discontinued passenger service. Car #20 was constructed in 1902 and is the oldest electric interurban car operating in the United States. The most recent collection acquisitions include the interurban electric railway car, Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric Co. #304, that was built for the Fox River Line in 1923, and ran in daily service between Elgin and Aurora until March 1935. Between 1935 and 1954, it operated in Cleveland over the line best known as the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit. The car was then sold, with three other ex-Fox River Line cars, to real estate entrepreneur Gerald E. Brookins, whose family operated Trolleyville USA, in Olmsted Township, Ohio, in suburban Cleveland, until 2002. AE&FRE #304 made its first run over its original railroad on August 21, 2010, over 75 years after it last ran on the line.
Chicago area interurbans
Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company (AE&FRE)
Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin Railroad (CA&E)
Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad (CNS&M)
Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (CSS&SB)
Chicago Transit Authority and predecessors
Chicago City Railway (CCRy)
Chicago Rapid Transit Company (CRT)
Chicago Surface Lines (CSL)
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Other railroads
San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI)
Warren and Saline River Railroad (WSRR)
Soo Line (SOO)
Illinois Central Railroad (IC)
Wilson Car Lines (WCL)
Fox River Trolley Museum Equipment Roster
Name | Type | Image | Builder | Built | Status | Previous Owner | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AE&FRE #5 | 45 Ton Diesel-Electric Switcher | ![]() |
General Electric | 1946 | Operational, In Occasional Service | AE&FRE | It was bought in 1946 to replace two electric locos, and hauled coal cars from the Illinois Central Railroad junction at Coleman to the State Hospital in Elgin until 1972 |
AE&FRE #7 | Piggyback Flat Car | Standard Steel Car Company | 1927 | Awaiting Restoration | CNS&M, AE&FRE | Pioneering Piggyback Car | |
AE&FRE #304 | Lightweight Interurban Car | St. Louis Car Company | 1923 | Operational, In Occasional Service | AE&FRE, Shaker Heights Rapid Transit | It is one of two pieces of railroad equipment in the Museum’s collection that are original to the line (the other is AE&FRE #5) | |
CA&E #11 | Line Car | ![]() |
J. G. Brill Company | 1910, Rebuilt 1947 | Awaiting Restoration | CA&E | This car was used to inspect, repair and construct the overhead trolley wire that is used to power electric railway cars, and it was damaged heavily during the FRTM 2018 vandalism |
CA&E #20 | Wood Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
Niles Car Company | 1902 | Out Of Service, Pending Wheel Replacement | CA&E | It is the oldest operable electric interurban car in the United States, to donate to the wheel replacement to get it running for the public again, donate here |
CA&E #316 | Wood Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
Jewett Car Company | 1913 | Currently Being Restored | CA&E | It saw service on the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin until the CA&E ceased passenger operations in 1957, when restored it will be the only Coffee-And-Cream painted interurban car operating |
CA&E #317 | Wood Interurban Passenger Car | Jewett Car Company | 1913 | Awaiting Restoration | CA&E | It saw service on the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin until the CA&E ceased passenger operations in 1957 | |
CA&E #458 | Steel Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
St. Louis Car Company | 1945 | Operational, In Regular Service | CA&E, Trolleyville USA | This car is one of the few CA&E cars preserved that has a toilet inside |
CNS&M #715 | Steel Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
Cincinnati Car Company | 1926 | Operational, In Regular Service | CNS&M | One of FRTM's five regular service cars (CNS&M #715, CA&E #458, CTA #4451, CTA #40, and CTA #43) |
CNS&M #756 | Steel Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
Standard Steel Car Company | 1930 | Awaiting Restoration | CNS&M | It is painted in CNS&M's "Silverliner" paint scheme, where the interurban cars were painted to look fluted stainless steel |
CCRy #L202 | Steel Electric Switcher Locomotive | ![]() |
Chicago City Railway | 1908 | Operational, In Occasional Service | CCRy, CTA | A steel electric locomotive built by the Chicago City Railway in 1908 and rebuilt by the CTA in 1958 (renumbered S343 at this time), it was used in switching service at CTA shops and material handling yards. |
CCRy #S304 | Flatcar With Crane | Chicago City Railway | 1907 | Operational, Used For Non-Revenue Maintenance Work | CCRy, CTA | Latest rebuilt by CTA in 1953 | |
CRT #4103 | Steel Center-Door Rapid Transit Car | Cincinnati Car Company | 1914 | Awaiting Restoration | CRT, CTA | This car is a "Baldy" type, so named because of the lack of trolley poles due to the use of a third rail, and it is a rare example of a Center-Door CTA car | |
CTA #4451 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | ![]() |
Cincinnati Car Company | 1924 | Operational, In Regular Service | CRT, CTA | This car is a "Plushie" type with only two doors per side, and trolley pole on the roofs |
CTA #4288 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | Cincinnati Car Company | 1922 | Currently Being Restored | CRT, CTA | This car is virtually identical to #4451 except for a few minor differences, and when is it done being restored, it will most likely be used as a partner car to #4451 | |
CSL #6 | Street Railway Post Office | American Car Company | 1891, Modified Circa 1900 | Awaiting Restoration | CCRy, CSL | Rare example of a Street Railway Post Office, oldest trolley car at FRTM, heavily damaged in the FRTM 2018 vandalism | |
CTA #5001 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | ![]() |
Pullman-Standard | 1947 | Awaiting Restoration | CTA | Rare example of an articulated CTA 5000 Series |
CTA #40 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | ![]() |
St. Louis Car Company | 1959 | Operational, In Regular Service | CTA | Used for FRTM "Polar Express," one of the newest cars at the museum |
CTA #43 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | ![]() |
St. Louis Car Company | 1959 | Operational, In Regular Service | CTA | Used for FRTM "Polar Express," one of the newest cars at the museum |
CTA #45 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | St. Louis Car Company | 1959 | Awaiting Restoration | CTA | One of the newest cars at the museum | |
CTA #MS-65 | 25 Ton Diesel-Electric Switcher | General Electric | 1942 | Operational, In Occasional Service | CTA | ||
MUNI #1030 | Single-Ended PCC Car | ![]() |
St. Louis Car Company | 1953 | Awaiting Restoration | MUNI | Only PCC Streetcar at the museum |
WSRR #73 | 70 Ton Diesel-Electric Switcher | ![]() |
Whitcomb Locomotive Works | 1948 | Awaiting Restoration | WSRR | |
SOO #130 | Wooden Caboose | Missouri | 1887 | Currently Being Restored | SOO | Oldest car in the museum's collection | |
SOO #117 | Steel Caboose | International Car Company | 1973 | Operational, In Occasional Service | SOO | Newest car in the museum's collection, acquired in 2023 | |
IC #9648 | Steel Caboose | ![]() |
IC | 1957 | Operational, In Occasional Service | IC | Rare example of an IC Side-Door Caboose |
Fox River Trolley Museum Deaccession List
Name | Type | Image | Builder | Built | Status | New Owner | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CSS&SB #7 | Steel Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
Pullman Car Company | 1927 | Inoperable | Private Owner in Indiana | |
CSS&SB #14 | Steel Interurban Passenger Car | ![]() |
Pullman Car Company | Inoperable | Private Owner in Indiana | ||
Rio De Janeiro #441 | Open-Air Trolley Car | ![]() |
Rio De Janeiro | 1909 | Operable | Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad | |
CTA #6101-6102 | Steel Rapid Transit Car | ![]() |
St. Louis Car Company | 1950 | Operable | CTA Heritage Fleet |
Notes
- ^ Alt, E. C. (1979). South Elgin: A History of the Village From Its Origin As Clintonville. South Elgin Heritage Commission. p. 40. ISBN 0-9603430-0-8.
- ^ Carlson, Norm (2002), "Kane County's Newest Rail Line", First & Fastest, 18 (4): 21–23
- ^ Alt (1979), pp. 43–46.
- ^ Peffers, Hopkins Stolp (1993). Aurora-Elgin Area Street Cars and Interurbans v.1: Fox River Division. American Slide-Chart. p. 99. ISBN 1-883461-01-4.
- ^ Peffers, Hopkins Stolp (1993). Aurora-Elgin Area Street Cars and Interurbans v.2: Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric Company. American Slide-Chart. pp. 62–63, 94–95, 97. ISBN 1-883461-02-2.
- ^ Peffers, Hopkins Stolp (1993). Aurora-Elgin Area Street Cars and Interurbans V. 3 The Third Rail Line. American Slide-Chart Corp. pp. 22–23, 31, 42–43, 213. ISBN 1-883461-03-0.
- ^ Lind, Alan R. (1979). Chicago Surface Lines, An Illustrated History. Transport History Press. pp. 145, 159. ISBN 0-934732-00-0.
- ^ C.E.R.A. (1973). Chicago's Rapid Transit v.1: Rolling Stock/1892-1947. Central Electric Railfans’ Association. pp. 196–199, 202–213, 219–227. ISBN 0-915348-15-2.
- ^ Lind (1979), p. 159.
- ^ C.E.R.A. (1976). Chicago's Rapid Transit v.2: Rolling Stock/1947-1976. Central Electric Railfans’ Association. pp. 8–71. ISBN 0-915348-15-2.
References
- Krambles, George, ed. (1961). The Great Third Rail. Chicago: Central Electric Railfans' Association. OCLC 228664428.
External links
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