Equipment Information

Chicago Transit Authority 4321 is a steel-bodied Chicago ‘L’ car of the 4000-series. These cars were built in the 1920s and were similar to the earlier “Baldies” but had wood-and-canvas roofs with trolley poles and cloth seats to which they owed the nickname “Plushies.” Car 4321 ran in Chicago for more than 55 years, in later years on the Evanston line (now the Purple Line).

Builder: Cincinnati Car Company
Year Built: 1922
Seats: 52
Length: 48ft 6in
Width: 8ft 11in
Height: 12ft 4in
Weight: 76800 lbs
Brakes: AMU
Motors: 2 GE 243B
Control: ABLFM-XM110
Compressor: D3-F
Trucks: Bald MCB
Description: Double End / Double Truck / Arch Roof / Steel
Arrived: 1978
Condition: Complete / unrestored / not operational

Photo gallery

Ownership History
1922-1924 – Chicago Elevated Railway
1924-1947 – Chicago Rapid Transit
1947-1978 – Chicago Transit Authority
1978-present – Illinois Railway Museum, Union, IL

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