Equipment Information

Chicago Rapid Transit 1797 is a wood-bodied ‘L’ car built for the Northwestern Elevated Railroad, a predecessor to CRT. It was built as an unpowered trailer (identical to IRM’s car 1268) but in 1913 was rebuilt as a motorized car. It was badly damaged in a fire in 1938 and rebuilt again, this time with a modernized interior. It is preserved in the unusual prototype livery it received at that time.

COMPARE ME WITH: Chicago Rapid Transit 1808, which was built on the same order as 1797 and was rebuilt from a trailer into a motor car in 1913. Car 1808 never had its interior modernized as car 1797 did following its fire.

Builder: American Car & Foundry Company
Year Built: 1907
Seats: 48
Length: 47ft 2in
Width: 8ft 8in
Height: 12ft 8in
Weight: 67900 lbs
Brakes: AMU
Motors: 2 WH 302B
Control: AL-36C
Compressor: D3-EG
Trucks: McGuire / Hedley
Description: Double End / Double Truck / Railroad Roof / Wood
Arrived: 1958
Condition: Complete / restored / operational

Photo gallery

Ownership History
1906-1913 – Northwestern Elevated Railroad #288
1913-1924 – Chicago Elevated Railway
1924-1947 – Chicago Rapid Transit
1947-1958 – Chicago Transit Authority
1958-1964 – Chicago Hardware Foundry, North Chicago, IL
1964-present – Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL

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