Equipment Information

North Shore Line 604 is an overhead line car built in the interurban line’s shops. It was built with a rooftop platform for workers maintaining the overhead trolley wire as well as a derrick for setting line poles. It is the oldest surviving piece of equipment from the North Shore Line and has been used in its original role at IRM for over 50 years.

Click here to help support the planned rebuild of car 604’s traction motors.

Builder: Chicago & Milwaukee Electric
Year Built: 1914
Length: 40ft 2in
Width: 8ft 10in
Height: 13ft 8in
Weight: 65000 lbs
Brakes: AMM
Motors: 4 GE 73C
Control: HL-189D
Compressor: 2 CP-28
Trucks: McGuire 20A
Description: Double End / Double Truck / Line Car
Arrived: 1963
Condition: Complete / restored / not operational

Photo gallery

Ownership History
1914-1917 – Chicago & Milwaukee Electric
1917-1963 – Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee
1963-present – Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL