Chicago & Milwaukee Electric 354




Facts and Figures


Current Number354
Railway RepresentedChicago & Milwaukee Electric
BuilderSt. Louis Car Company
Built In1927
Builder's order id1453
Currently in (State)Illinois
--(Locality)Union
Totally out of svc date1951
(Initial retirement date)
Car Typestreetcar
-subtypesafety car
-designation
Statusoperated occasionally
More infohttp://www.irm.org/player/cme354
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length51'0"
Width8'4"
Height11'6"
Weight46000
#Seats56
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP
TrucksSt Louis 64EIB
BrakesSME
CompressorDH-16
ControlK-35KK
MotorsGE 265J4 (4)
Voltage (if not 600DC)

Car 354 in operation at IRM in 2023
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/76677346@N04/53030615214/

Car 354 in operation at IRM in 2023
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/19531332@N03/52642458597/

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


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Chicago & Milwaukee Electric (Illinois, Highwood)3541927 1946 NO NO
Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee (Illinois, Highwood)3541946 1951 NO NO
Chicago Hardware Foundry (Illinois, North Chicago)3541951 1958 YES NO
Illinois Railway Museum (Illinois, Union)3541958 present YES NO


Additional Media

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Car 354 in operation at IRM in 2023
VideoPress
video: https://videopress.com/v/PW2Ct9lJ