Chicago & Milwaukee Electric 354

Dave's Electric Railroads

Built in:1927 by St. Louis Car Company (ord#1453)
Out-of-service/Retired:1951
Type of car:streetcar (safety car)
Current Owner:Illinois Railway Museum(Union, Illinois)
Car History by Frank Hicks


Chicago & Milwaukee Electric 354
This streetcar was a fairly standard design of lightweight, one-man safety car of a type that was built by several carbuilders during the 1920's. The North Shore owned ten cars of this type that operated on its street railway operations in Milwaukee and Waukegan. When the North Shore abandoned its streetcar operations in 1951, the 350-series cars were sold to Chicago Hardware Foundry in North Chicago for scrapping. CHF owner Frank Sherwin was a railfan, and retained one car - 354 - that he painted in North Shore interurban colors of green and red. Starting in 1953, when IRM began storing its equipment on the grounds of CHF, car 354 became a de facto part of the IRM collection. The car was formally transferred to IRM ownership in 1959, and was moved to Union in 1964 with the rest of the Museum's collection. During the early 1970's restoration took place, and the car was returned to operation. Motor problems have kept it from being used in regular service. Car 354 is the only surviving North Shore streetcar.

Ownership History:Chicago & Milwaukee Electric #354 1927-1946 / Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee #354 1946-1951 / 1st preserved by Chicago Hardware Foundry 1951-1958 / Illinois Railway Museum(Union, Illinois) 1958-present


Facts and Figures


Status:displayed inoperableGauge:4'8.5"
Construction:steelRoof type:AREnded:DE
Length:51'0"Width:8'4"Weight:46000#
#Seats:56#Wheels/Conf.:8 (B-B)Total HP: 
Trucks:St Louis 64EIBBrakes:SMECompressor:DH-16
Motors:GE 265J4 (4)Voltage (if not 600DC): 

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