Looking for info on Intramural Railway of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago 1893.
0-4-2T compound built by Dickson. Any info/specs construction number and date etc. Disposal. Photo.? Thanks for any help


rlkennedy@sympatico.ca

> Looking for info on Intramural Railway of
> the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago
> 1893.
> 0-4-2T compound built by Dickson. Any
> info/specs construction number and date etc.
> Disposal. Photo.? Thanks for any help

Do you have two requests or one? The Intermural line at the WorldÂ’s Columbian Exposition was an electric line used to transport visitors around the grounds. Despite its seminal importance, photos and information are relatively rare.

Steam locomotives at the Fair were for display only. None were owned by the Expo company. The Illinois Central and the Chicago & Northern Pacific did, however, operate suburban tank engines to the fair from the Loop and Oak Park, respectively. Nearly all new locomotives and cars were displayed by their builders inside the Transportation Building designed by Louis Sullivan. A few may have been exhibited in various national and state pavilions. For example,the first automobile in Chicago, a Benz, was not allowed in the Transportation Building. As a curiosity, it was housed in the German Pavilion.

The papers and an impressive photo archive of the Columbian Exhibition Company are housed in the Special Collections Department of the Harold Washington Public Library in Chicago. The Field Museum may also have some papers. The original Field Museum, located in the building that now houses the Museum of Science and Industry, was given most of the historic locomotives displayed at the Exhibition. This included many artifacts now at the B&O Museum, MSI, Carillon Park and elsewhere. The Museum later deaccessioned this collection to concentrate on natural history and anthropology.


fred_ash@bankone.com