Chicago Transit Authority 4391




Facts and Figures


Current Number4391
Railway RepresentedChicago Transit Authority
BuilderSt. Louis Car Company
Built In1948
Builder's order id1662
Currently in (State)Illinois
--(Locality)Union
Totally out of svc date1959
(Initial retirement date)1958
Car Typestreetcar
-subtypePCC, postwar
-designation
Statusoperated often
More infohttp://www.irm.org/player/cta4391
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedSE
Length50'0"
Width9'0"
Height10'7"
Weight38800
#Seats57
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP220
TrucksSt Louis B3
BrakesElectric
Compressorn/a
ControlWH XD473
MotorsGE 1220E1 (4)
Voltage (if not 600DC)

Car 4391 in operation at IRM in 2016
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/125231604@N08/26884731863/

Car 4391 in operation at IRM in 2020
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharkypics/50373650686/

Car History by Frank Hicks


Chicago Transit Authority 4391
This car is the only surviving postwar Chicago PCC. After the end of World War II, Chicago Surface Lines ordered 600 PCC cars with the order split between Pullman and St. Louis Car Company. Longer and wider than standard PCC's, and with three sets of doors instead of two, they were nicknamed "Green Hornets" for their color. Midway through delivery of the 600 cars, in 1947, CSL was taken over by CTA and a policy of replacing streetcars with buses was put in place. Unfortunately for CTA, the massive PCC order could not be cancelled and 4391 was one of the cars delivered after the CTA takeover. It ran only ten years, until streetcar service ended in 1958, after which it was retained for a short time for the purpose of testing it in suburban service on the Chicago Aurora & Elgin interurban line (this planned test never took place). The car was acquired by ERHS and stored at that group's carbarn in Downers Grove until the outfit was evicted and went defunct in 1973; at that time the entire collection was given to IRM and 4391 was put into operation shortly afterwards. It is still in regular service.


Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Chicago Transit Authority (Illinois, Chicago)43911948 1959 NO NO
Electric Railway Historical Society (Illinois, Downers Grove)43911959 1973 YES NO
Illinois Railway Museum (Illinois, Union)43911973 present YES NO


Additional Media

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Car 4391 in operation at IRM in 2021
YouTube
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOXf4V77Dd0