| Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad 604 at Wheaton, Illinois on April 5, 1962, photograph by Chuck Zeiler. Number 604 was built by the Cincinnati Car Company in 1913 for the Washington Baltimore & Anapolis Electric Railway as number 39. The CA&E ran short of equipment in the mid-1930's and sought additional rolling stock on the used market. Among those considered were cars from the Indiana Railroad (too rusted) and the Lake Shore Electric (too long for the rapid transit curves). Five powered cars were acquired from the WB&A and were quickly shopped at Wheaton, becoming control trailers 600-604. Then in 1938, the CA&E acquired three powered combination cars from the WB&A, again shopped and converted to control trailers, with bench seats installed in the baggage section. |