Chicago Elevated Railway 4284

Dave's Electric Railroads

Built in:1922 by Cincinnati Car Company (ord#2660)
Out-of-service/Retired:1975 (1973)
Type of car:rapid transit car (standard)
Current Owner:Connecticut Trolley Museum(East Windsor, Connecticut)

Car History by Frank Hicks


Chicago Elevated Railway 4284
When the Chicago elevated system was unified in 1913, design and construction of the system's first steel cars began. The result was several series of all-steel cars built with more modern trucks and electrical equipment than the older wood cars and designed with subway operation in mind. The early 4000's were built with all-steel roofs and no trolley poles and were nicknamed Baldies, but in the early 1920's more of the cars were built to a somewhat different design. Cars 4251-4455 were nicknamed Plushies due to their plush seats and had standard wood-and-canvas roofs and trolley poles. These cars operated across the Chicago rapid transit system for fifty years with few modifications. Around 1948 the CTA combined all of the 4000's into semi-permanently coupled pairs and rebuilt them for multiple unit door control, but except for these and a few other minor changes the cars that closed out the 4000 era on CTA in late 1973 were largely the same cars that had come from the factory fifty years earlier. Car 4284 was one of the first two of four 4000-series cars eventually chosen by CTM for acquisition; it arrived in Connecticut two years after the CTA ceased using 4000's. Car 4284 was the only one of CTM's 4000's to be repainted - it received the as-delivered CER livery during the 1970's. As part of the restoration, parts of its floor and many interior components were removed; unfortunately the restoration was never completed and the interior was never reassembled. It is currently in dead storage.

Ownership History:Chicago Elevated Railway #4284 1922-1924 / Chicago Rapid Transit #4284 1924-1947 / Chicago Transit Authority #4284 1947-1975 / Connecticut Trolley Museum(East Windsor, Connecticut) 1975-present



Facts and Figures


Status:stored inoperableGauge:4'8.5"
Construction:steelRoof type:AREnded:DE
Length:48'6"Width:8'11"Weight:76800#
#Seats:52#Wheels/Conf.:8 (B-2)Total HP:340
Trucks:Baldwin 78-25A/72-22ABrakes:AMU (M23)Compressor:D3-F
Motors:WH 567R1 (2)Voltage (if not 600DC)

PHOTO PHOTO