Chicago Surface Lines 225

Operating History: No. 225 is one of 600 cars of this type built for the Chicago Railways. This group of cars, often called "Big Pullmans" after their builder, were the largest group of streetcars to operate in Chicago. No. 225 is a "Pay as you enter" (PAYE) car. Although primarily built of wood, the order for these cars specified that they were to have the best of everything, regardless of weight or cost. These cars were large, heavy and very noisy. Also called "Red Rockets" after their Chicago Surface Lines paint scheme, these cars ran dependably though sleet and snow. Car 225 has sliding front and folding rear doors that, in its operating days in Chicago, were supposed to be opened and closed by the conductor whenever the car stopped for passengers. However, these doors were seldom shut, and full stops were made only for the lame, halt and blind. the conductor was allowed to give the proceed bell if a man had one foot on the step and his hand on the grab iron; women had to be inside the vestibule. Because of their large carrying capacity, CSL operated the "Big Pullmans" on lines throughout the city where ridership was heaviest. A Cicero Life article in the Seashore curatorial files reports that one route using No. 225 was the Cermak Road line. Many riders on the Cermak line worked at the large Western Electric Hawthorne plant at the west end of the Cermak line near the border between Chicago and Cicero. Chicago Surface Lines, which took over operation of all the city's street railways in 1914, was for many years the world's largest street railway with over 1000 miles of track and more than 3000 streetcars. After the Chicago surface and rapid transit lines were taken over by the publicly owned Chicago Transit Authority in 1947, the trolley cars gradually were replaced by buses and trackless trolleys. Although No. 225 and some other "Big Pullmans" were among Chicago's oldest cars, they were outlasted only by the CTA's fleet of PCC streamliners that were mostly built after World War II. The CTA stopped using No. 225 and other "Big Pullmans" for regular service in 1954 but continued using No 225 for excursions until 1957. Museum Ownership: The largest and most enduring car class from the world's mightiest street railway was something the National Collection could ill afford to be without. When these cars became available (but not as donations), a substantial effort in times of hard money was raised to get one. The high scrap price demanded by the Chicago Transit Authority and high rail moving rates forced Seashore to choose between a Pullman and a wood open platform elevated car. While the choice is affirmed, it is regretted that we could not have had the "L" Car also. After a lengthy restoration at Seashore, No. 225 was outs hopped in 1999.