On June 19, 2010, the Illinois Railway Museum in Union (McHenry County),
Illinois will celebrate the return to service of Chicago, North Shore &
Milwaukee Railway Car No. 749, following completion of a 23 year restoration.
Eighty-two years young and looking as good as the day it was new, Car No. 749
beckons to riders who want a taste of classic electric rail transportation—and
beginning June 19, you can take a ride on it into the past. This historic
interurban car served the Chicago to Milwaukee route—downtown to downtown—for
more than 30 years. The car will be open for public viewing at noon; a ceremony
and ribbon cutting will follow at 1 pm. After the ceremony, the car will make
its first trips for invited guests boarding from the restored CTA 50th Avenue
Station. It will continue in service for the afternoon. Additional Chicago,
North Shore & Milwaukee Railway equipment will be on display, including the
historic 1941 Electroliner, which will be open for tours.

Built in 1928 at the Pullman Company's south side Chicago factory, Car No. 749
was acquired by the Illinois Railway Museum from scrappers after the abandonment
of Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railway service in 1963. The 749
restoration is the first complete restoration of an interurban car attempted by
the museum. Executive Director Nick Kallas describes the restoration as an
excellent example of the quality and thoroughness of this all-volunteer museum,
stating "While there was a core group of volunteers led by the late Roger Hewett
who worked constantly on the car, we have identified almost 30 volunteers who at
one time or another applied a special skill or just an extra pair of hands to a
large project. Whether it was locating a mill in England that could still
replicate the upholstery fabric, or fabricating a mold for an obsolete part, our
volunteers applied their talents to overcome every obstacle." Among those 30
volunteers are several youthful workers who were not even born when the railway
line quit operation in 1963. Volunteer Scott Greig pointed out that new and
unfamiliar skills were learned for the project—everything from metalworking to
carpentry and wiring.

Executive Director Kallas also commented that without the financial support of
friends and members of the museum, this restoration could not have taken place.
The project volunteers also drew on their own financial resources to see the
project through.

Museum Librarian Barbara Lanphier, who grew up riding the North Shore Line on an
almost daily basis, reminds us that each year finds that fewer and fewer former
riders and employees remain. The museum has contacted surviving employees of
the long-defunct railroad, and has confirmed that they will be on board to
relive a long-past part of their lives.

The Illinois Railway Museum is the nation's premier museum dedicated to
transportation history, featuring steam, diesel and electric rail
transportation, motor buses, plus trolley buses from the United States and
Canada. For more information on museum operations, visit the museum's website
at http://www.irm.org or call 1-800-BIG-RAIL (800-244-7245)—recorded information
only.