Chicago Elevated Railway 4284



Facts and Figures


Current Number4284
Railway RepresentedChicago Elevated Railway
BuilderCincinnati Car Company
Built In1922
Builder's order id2660
Currently in (State)Connecticut
--(Locality)East Windsor
Totally out of svc date1975
(Initial retirement date)1973
Car Typerapid transit car
-subtypeelevated car
-designation
Statusstored inoperable
More info
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionsteel
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length48'6"
Width8'11"
Height13'3"
Weight76800
#Seats52
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP340
TrucksBaldwin 78-25A/72-22A
BrakesAMU (M23)
CompressorD3-F
ControlWH ABLFM (XM10)
MotorsWH 567R1 (2)
Voltage (if not 600DC)

Car 4284 stored derelict at CTM in 2021
Preserved Traction Blog
photo: https://pnaerc.blogspot.com/2021/09/postcard-from-warehouse-point.html

Car 4284 in storage at CTM in 2004
Great Rails Photo Archive
photo: http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=35763
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


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Chicago Elevated Railway (Illinois, Chicago)42841922 1924 NO NO
Chicago Rapid Transit (Illinois, Chicago)42841924 1947 NO NO
Chicago Transit Authority (Illinois, Chicago)42841947 1975 NO NO
Connecticut Trolley Museum (Connecticut, East Windsor)42841975 present YES NO

Additional Media