For many years I've passed Terra Cotta Industries, now TC Industries on Rte 31 in Illinois. (Just north of Crystal Lake)

On the property, facing the highway, is a large, glass-fronted building which houses a number of railroad cars. At the least, there is a caboose and a heavyweight passenger car. There appears to be some small display cases as well.

All of this may be seen from the road as you pass, pulling up alongside will allow you at most a couple of minutes to peer through the windows before you're asked to move along by security.

Can anyone here identify the cars inside, how they came to this location, etc ??
Any help is appreciated.

JC
NW Chicago

FoxValley@aol.com

> For many years I've passed Terra Cotta
> Industries, now TC Industries on Rte 31 in
> Illinois. (Just north of Crystal Lake)

> On the property, facing the highway, is a
> large, glass-fronted building which houses a
> number of railroad cars. At the least, there
> is a caboose and a heavyweight passenger
> car. There appears to be some small display
> cases as well.

> All of this may be seen from the road as you
> pass, pulling up alongside will allow you at
> most a couple of minutes to peer through the
> windows before you're asked to move along by
> security.

> Can anyone here identify the cars inside,
> how they came to this location, etc ??
> Any help is appreciated.

> JC
> NW Chicago

John,
I've also often wondered what exactly is in the collection. From Highway 31, it appears there are a several heavyweights which are more or less in original condition. Anyone know for sure?

Don C.

http://www.261.com
milw261@sbcglobal.net

While trying to solve the mystery of the collection at TC, I came across a fascinating book this past weekend, Steam Trains to Geneva Lake by Paul Behrens. The book outlines the C&NW's Elgin-Williams Bay Branch along the Fox River from Elgin up to Lake Geneva.

This particular branch services TC Industries, although no mention is found of the collection.

However, on page 144 is a photo of an 0-6-0 steam locomotive and a heavyweight business car displayed under a canopy. The caption states that this equipment is on the factory grounds of the Matthews Company in northeast Crystal Lake. No date of the photo is given. Can anyone identify this equipment, current disposition, etc ?

Thanks again
JC

FoxValley@aol.com

> However, on page 144 is a photo of an 0-6-0
> steam locomotive and a heavyweight business
> car displayed under a canopy. The caption
> states that this equipment is on the factory
> grounds of the Matthews Company in northeast
> Crystal Lake. No date of the photo is given.
> Can anyone identify this equipment, current
> disposition, etc ?

The locomotive is Sharon Steel 0-6-0 #31 (Baldwin/60468/1928; and according to my records she is still on display at B C Matthews Co. in Crystal Lake.

I don't have any details on the passenger car.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james@survivingworldsteam.com

> However, on page 144 is a photo of an 0-6-0
> steam locomotive and a heavyweight business
> car displayed under a canopy. The caption
> states that this equipment is on the factory
> grounds of the Matthews Company in northeast
> Crystal Lake. No date of the photo is given.
> Can anyone identify this equipment, current
> disposition, etc ?

The link below contains a Jim Boyd photo of the locomotive shot in the late 1980's. Hope that helps.

Sharon Steel Co. No. 31

> The locomotive is Sharon Steel 0-6-0 #31
> (Baldwin/60468/1928; and according to my
> records she is still on display at B C
> Matthews Co. in Crystal Lake.

> I don't have any details on the passenger
> car.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a

The passenger car is a beautiful Great Northern heavyweight office car (I don't have the number at hand unfortunately.) When I visited the site quite a few years ago, the locomotive and business car had easy access. The GN office car seemed set up for business meetings (long table and chairs) and that may be what was the rationale for having her there. I worried that access to the steamer and office car were too easy but I understand from someone, that the security in the area has now been tightened.

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

midlandblb@cs.com

There was also a Porter 0-4-0T displayed at the Vulcan Materials plant in Crystal Lake, that was cut up in the late-1980s. Does anyone have photos, possibly pre- and during scrapping?

ryarger@rypn.org

Dave Briggs' "Private Passenger Car Annual - Volume 1" 1980 lists the following history for the car at B. C. Matthews....

A-4 "Fargo" ex-GN Office Car.

Maybe someone can pick up the trail from here....

Don C.



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