Cincinnati & Lake Erie 640




Facts and Figures


Current Number640
Railway RepresentedCincinnati & Lake Erie
BuilderCincinnati Car Company
Built In1930
Builder's order id3060
Currently in (State)Illinois
--(Locality)Union
Totally out of svc date1984
(Initial retirement date)
Car Typebox motor
-subtypefreight motor
-designation
Statusstored inoperable
More infohttp://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2017/03/h640.html
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length50'0"
Width8'8"
Height12'10"
Weight85500
#Seatsn/a
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP460
TrucksTaylor MCB
BrakesAMM [(M22)]
Compressor[WABCO D2EG (2)]
Control[WH HLF (189D2)]
Motors[WH 303A (4)]
Voltage (if not 600DC)
NotesConverted to diesel-electric in 1938

Car 640 in storage at IRM in 2017
Illinois Railway Museum
photo: https://www.irm.org/gallery/CLE640/aac

Car 640 in storage at IRM in 2010
Illinois Railway Museum
photo: https://www.irm.org/gallery/CLE640/aaa

Car History by Frank Hicks


Cincinnati & Lake Erie 640
One of the last series of cars built by the Cincinnati Car Company was this order of freight motors for the great C&LE system. Among the most modern freight motors ever built, these handsome steel cars formed the core of the C&LE freight fleet until freight service ended in 1938. At that time, 640 was sold to American Aggregates and was converted to a diesel-electric by addition of a prime mover and generator. It switched coal cars at the AmAg facility in Oxford, Michigan for many years until it was retired, stripped and the body put into use as a shed. In 1984, the 640's body was acquired by the Waterfront Electric Railway in Toledo and set on a pair of trucks salvaged from another C&LE box motor. In 1994, prior to WER's move to Grand Rapids, 640 was sold IRM. It is currently in storage.


Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Cincinnati & Lake Erie (Ohio, Moraine)6401930 1938 NO NO
American Aggregates 6401938 1984 NO NO
Waterfront Electric Railway (Ohio, Toledo)6401984 1994 YES NO
Illinois Railway Museum (Illinois, Union)6401994 present YES NO


Additional Media

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Brief walkaround of car 640 in storage at IRM from 2023
YouTube
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3tM4ImX8BI