41 Abandoned!
at about 12;15 PM on Friday, July 3rd 1957, the Chicago Aurora and Elgin called all their passenger trains back to Wheaton and ceased operations after several years of losing money. This abrupt decision left passengers stranded across the line and particularly in Chicago. Passengers who went to work on the CA&E that morning had to fend for themselves to get home. Some opted for the nearby Chicago Northwestern. Some simply walked on the tracks which was an interesting decision given the third rail was still on and deadly. Two years later, the CA&E was no more as they shut down even their freight service. Some say this is all started with the construction of the Eisenhower Expressway which forced riders to changed to CTA cars at Forest Park (rather than going all the way to the loop). I think that may have started it, but I think the advent of diesel engines replacing dirty coal contributed. Today, all that's really left of the CA&E is the Prairie Path, these cars at IRM and other museums, and memories kept alive through reenactments like this one at IRM
41 Abandoned!
at about 12;15 PM on Friday, July 3rd 1957, the Chicago Aurora and Elgin called all their passenger trains back to Wheaton and ceased operations after several years of losing money. This abrupt decision left passengers stranded across the line and particularly in Chicago. Passengers who went to work on the CA&E that morning had to fend for themselves to get home. Some opted for the nearby Chicago Northwestern. Some simply walked on the tracks which was an interesting decision given the third rail was still on and deadly. Two years later, the CA&E was no more as they shut down even their freight service. Some say this is all started with the construction of the Eisenhower Expressway which forced riders to changed to CTA cars at Forest Park (rather than going all the way to the loop). I think that may have started it, but I think the advent of diesel engines replacing dirty coal contributed. Today, all that's really left of the CA&E is the Prairie Path, these cars at IRM and other museums, and memories kept alive through reenactments like this one at IRM