Eastern Railroad Discussion > Chicago Commuter Cars - RI and CNW

Can anybody tell me when the last Chicago bilevel commuter cars operated in Rock Island maroon and Chicago & North Western Yellow / Green?

I would also be interested in finding links to photos of these cars in service

TIA
US Railfans

The RTA began rebuilding C&NW cars around 1980. I can't give you an exact date, but I think the entire 280-car fleet was done by the mid-80s, certainly by 1990.

The old Hill Street Blues TV show was based in Chicago. During the opening credits each week, they showed an aerial shot of trains moving in and out of North Western Station. The mixed trains of old green-and-yellow double-deckers and the new RTA colors had a sad, shabby appearance, which somebody at the show thought fit in with the gritty atmosphere they were trying to create.

Hey Ya,
They do have some (I think three) of the CNW Bi-Levels at the Illinois Railway Museum, and they are in perfect shape!!! And the website for it is (they have pics) www.irm.org . The museum is in Union, Illinois about an hour from Chicago. They have some really cool equiptment there and alot operates. Just the rides are not as long as some people would like, an out and back gig, i think not more than 5 miles. But still neat to ride the Nebraska Zephyr in all its glory.
Have fun and visit the site its pretty neat, and some nice pictures.....
Enjoy
TheHammer
Mark!

I rode on one from Geneva to Chicago in 1985 and i was back there in 88 and they were being changed out.

I remember seeing the maroon and yellow and the stainless steel RI cars in service up until 1982 or so.
Greg

I don't know what maroon cars you guys are referring to. The first Rock's original bilevel cars were stainless steel Budd cars. The rest of them were PS cars that were RED with a yellow stripe and lettering. The rock never had any maroon comm. cars. The earlier PS single level cars delivered in 1950 were originally in green, with a few later being repainted into red and yellow. The rest of their fleet were the old heavyweights. Hope this helps, Jeff

Thanks for the help guys. I guess I meant red!!

I seem to recall an odd-looking few Rock Island commuter cars painted a dark red. They almost looked like bi-levels because they had center doors that were lower than the rest of the car. I lived along the C&NW so I rarely got to see the Rock Island stuff--when I did it always looked sort of run-down. I had heard that at one time, the RI commuter trains were limited to ten mph due to the condition of the track on the local line. I was more interested in the Rock Island long distance trains like the Golden State and the Rocky Mountain Rocket. By the time I got to see them (around 1965 or so) they were also pretty run-down, but then again, so were many passenger trains by that time.

Those "odd looking" cars you're describing are the PS cars delivered around 1950. Never a dark red, only the green or the bright bed and yellow paint ever got on these guys. Jeff