Equipment Information

During the first half of the 20th century, a network of narrow-gauge, freight-only subways connected most of the buildings in downtown Chicago. The Chicago Tunnel Company, whose tunnels lay 40 feet below the city’s streets, carried coal, ash, building supplies, and general merchandise between many of the large buildings in the Loop. Car 766 is a typical wood-sided ash car from this system. At a time when each large building had its own coal-fired heating plant in the basement, cars like this were used to carry away ash and other waste products.

Builder: Kilbourne & Jacobs
Year built: 1929
Length: 12ft 7in
Width: 4ft 4in
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 5200
Brakes: N/A
Trucks: Bettendorf
Description: Wood Gondola / Ash Car / 2ft Gauge
Arrived: 1996
Condition: Complete / unrestored / not operational

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