Chicago & West Towns 141

Dave's Electric Railroads

Built in:1924 by McGuire-Cummings
Out-of-service/Retired:1948
Type of car:streetcar (safety car)
Current Owner:Illinois Railway Museum(Union, Illinois)
Car History by Frank Hicks


Chicago & West Towns 141
The only surviving streetcar from the "other" Chicago streetcar system, the West Towns, is car 141. This line ran from the Chicago city limits through some of the near western suburbs and owned a small but varied fleet of streetcars. Four of them, 138-141, were built for multiple-unit operation, though they could only train with each other. Around 1940 car 141 and the other three cars of its series were rebuilt for one-man operation, and at the same time their MU capability was removed; they ran as single cars until the West Towns converted to bus in 1948. At that time car 141's body was sold for use as a shed in suburban Downers Grove. Around 1958 ERHS, located just a few miles away in Downers Grove, acquired the carbody. When ERHS was dissolved in 1973, 141 went to IRM with the rest of its collection of streetcars. The project of completely restoring car 141 commenced in the late 1990's and is ongoing.

Ownership History:Chicago & West Towns #141 1924-1948 / 1st preserved by Electric Railway Historical Society 1959-1973 / Illinois Railway Museum(Union, Illinois) 1973-present


Facts and Figures


Status:undergoing restorationGauge:4'8.5"
Construction:steelRoof type:AREnded:DE
Length:47'0"Width:8'4"Weight:46200#
#Seats:44#Wheels/Conf.:8 (B-B)Total HP:140
Trucks:McGuire 10BBrakes:Straight AirCompressor:CP-27
Motors:GE 203L (4)Voltage (if not 600DC): 

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