Was on the CAP last week, and as we passed the Mitel Steel Mill, near Gary, I noticed some old (Insull era?) CSS&SB cars on a track there.
Anyone have any ideas of why they are there?
Anyone have any ideas of why they are there?
Old South Shore Interurban Cars Stored at Steel Mill
- Thread starter rrdude
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rrdude, I read your question when it was first posted, and as a South Shore fan myself spent some serious time trying to dig up an answer - unsuccessfully.
While catching up on reading and mail after the recent Salt Lake City Safari 2010, lo and behold, there it is on the "Ask Trains" page (70) of the Trains magazine August issue!
The cars are in storage at the ArcelorMittal steelworks at Gary (interesting plant history found during my original search), and will be moved sometime this summer to the East Troy Electric Railroad Museum in Wisconsin.
According to the reply to a question similar to yours, dude, the National Park Service saved 8 South Shore cars to be used on an Indiana excursion line that never materialized. Three are now at the Illinois Railway Museum at Union, and the remaining 5 were recently deeded to the East Troy museum.
They do indeed date to the Insull era, and as a kid I got to ride some of those cool orange monsters.
While catching up on reading and mail after the recent Salt Lake City Safari 2010, lo and behold, there it is on the "Ask Trains" page (70) of the Trains magazine August issue!
The cars are in storage at the ArcelorMittal steelworks at Gary (interesting plant history found during my original search), and will be moved sometime this summer to the East Troy Electric Railroad Museum in Wisconsin.
According to the reply to a question similar to yours, dude, the National Park Service saved 8 South Shore cars to be used on an Indiana excursion line that never materialized. Three are now at the Illinois Railway Museum at Union, and the remaining 5 were recently deeded to the East Troy museum.
They do indeed date to the Insull era, and as a kid I got to ride some of those cool orange monsters.
Ryan
Court Jester
Here's a picture that I took of them when I was on the Cap:
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Thanx Whooz,I saw that too, about fell out bed when I read it in Trains. Ask and ye (someone) will eventually answer.......
I use to ride those things. They were old and beat up in the 40's and 50's.
Ha! But look, at least the WINDOWS WERE CLEANED!I use to ride those things. They were old and beat up in the 40's and 50's.
According to the Trains News Wire the South Shore cars are to be moved from the steel plant to their new home via Canadian National rails on 9-25-10. The routing will be via the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern from Gary to Leithton, Ill., then north on the former Wisconsin Central from Leithton to Mukwonago. The train is scheduled to leave Gary at 7 a.m.
