# any Interurban fans?



## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

been meaning to ask this. I've done extensive research on the Springfield Troy and Piqua. The line ran 50 yards north of my garage, and ran alongside the road I always took into springfield from our farm. my grandmother rode it many times. here's a zip of everything I have on it, you might like looking thru it. some of the files are for the pc trainz sim, you can ignore those. lots of photos, articles, maps, etc. I also have a rather large interurban library as well if anyone needs any info such as car plans, etc 

www.zerkelmotorwerks.com/stuff9/ST&P1.zip










If I had a lot of money to put into a layout, it would be a period 1917 Interurban layout


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## DA Cookie (Jan 6, 2014)

That's pretty sweet. 

I grew up in a decidedly rural area. My brother and I hopped the caboose on the Southern train regularly when we were kids and rode it back and forth from my grandfather's shop where it ran along the back side of the property, to his house to hang with grandma and vice versa. When he was a kid, our dad used to hop it to ride the couple of miles to school. Daddy used to whup the crap out of us. We'd be at work with him and get bored. When the train came by around ten o'clock, we'd hop it to grandma's. When it came back by around three, we'd hop it back. The caboose man used to get mad as heck. We'd climb past him to the other cars and hang on the side. He always threatened to call dispatch and get the police on us but he never did. After a few trips, he started to let us come in with him. Never happen today. Too many liability issues in the nanny state.

The first train I ever rode as a paying passenger was the commuter train in St. Louis with an old girlfriend. I would love to model the St. Louis passenger train someday. There is nothing like a personal history story to go along with your layout.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Here would be a good place to start if you
have ideas of electric traction.

http://eastpenn.org/mod_tips.html

East Penn is one of the best know
model railroad clubs in the Country.

New Daves rail pix has photos of interurbans and
streetcars in cities across the U.S.

See them here:

http://www.newdavesrailpix.com/

I've been a fan of streetcars since childhood
visits then living in St. Louis.

Don


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## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

been to dave's railpix many times. Spose I should submit the ST&P pictures I've found to him


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## ktcards (Sep 22, 2012)

Then you might be interested in the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. They give rides and restore old interurban trolleys.

http://www.trolleymuseum.org/exhibits/railway.php

K


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## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

yeh, the seashore museum is restoring a local car, The C&LE #648. The Red Devils went through this area as well. Lots of interurbans ran around here, plenty of roadbed still visible in a lot of places. An idea that was before it's time


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The Illinois Terminal Railroad was one of the largest
interurbans in the Midwest. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Terminal_Railroad
https://www.google.com/search?q=ill...uFMinsQSklYCQDA&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1067&bih=482

I was lucky enough to ride it from St. Louis to Granite City
when I wuz but a teen. 2 of their Double Ended PCC fleet
are in Museums.

The McKinley bridge that carried the trains across the Mississippi
still stands. You can often see traces of the mainline to Peoria
and Champaign/Urbana along I-55 in Illinois.

One Midwest road still runs Chicago to Southbend, Indiana.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_South_Shore_and_South_Bend_Railroad

Lucky ole me...rode that one too. You can still ride it. They
continue to run regular revenue trains from Randolph St. Chicago
to South Bend.

Don


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## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

I rode the Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin (The CA&E or Roarin' Elgin) as a very young child in the early fifties until it was abandoned in 1957. The station in Elmhurst was about a quarter of a mile from my house. My dad rode it every day to Chicago and back for work from around 1952 until it stopped running.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Aurora_and_Elgin_Railroad


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## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

I wish HO interurbans and steeple cabs weren't so darn expensive. I understand the brass aspect of the cost, but even the non brass ones bring big money. we need to start a company that makes plastic ones for a reasonable price...I bet they'd sell


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Not sure if the South Shore Line between South Bend, IN and Chicago, IL would be considered interurban, but I used to ride it lots of times as a little kid to go visit my Grandma in Michigan City, IN, which is about half way between South Bend and Chicago.
It was all electric at that time (early 1950's) with wires above the tracks and large connector racks on the roofs of the cars. I clearly remember the weird sound it made from the rack sliding along the wires.
South Shore is still active but I believe it's diesel-powered now. 
I have a South Shore trolley car on my layout going down the main street of my hometown of Niles, MI. (Remember, imagination is a large part of model railroading) The South Shore never ran in Niles, but it does on my layout! hwell:
Great memories for sure,
Bob


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The South Shore and South Bend is now part of
the Chicago area transportation service, by whatever name.

The passenger service is still electrified, tho they
do use Diesel on some freight service. The trains
no longer go into downtown South Bend. 

Don


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

My late parents told me stories about how the South Shore trains were the ultimate "party trains" that would haul hordes of Chicago area Notre Dame fans to South Bend to attend football games. According to them the trains were mostly powered by the fumes from all the booze on board!  
There was a big hotel in downtown South Bend called "The Oliver". It was named after the billionaire owner of the Oliver Farm Implement Co. After the football game there would always be huge parties at the hotel. My folks told me they never got raided because all the South Bend cops were on the take.
Those were the days, right?  
Bob


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