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An illustrated history of the CA&E and its transition to the Illinois Prairie Path
For fifty-five years the CA&E played an integral role in the daily lives of railroad commuters in Chicago's western suburbs. More than a story of tracks and trains, the legacy of the CA&E chronicles a particular time and place in railroading history. This colorful account focuses on how the railroad touched the lives of commuters, what caused its demise, and how it became the first rail transit system in America to become a living legacy - in the form of the famous Illinois Prairie Path. It also documents the legacy of the surviving CA&E cars that reside in museums. |
About the Authors Raised on Chicago's north
side, Peter Weller rode the CA&E regularly to visit
relatives in Elmhurst. His lifelong hobby and interest has
been railroads. He is a forty-year member of both the
Electric Railroader's Association (New York) and the Central
Electric Railfans' Association (Chicago). His volunteer
efforts for the Midwest Electric Railway Association at the
Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa include helping
maintain a fleet of eight electric cars. He has taught high
school social studies in Washington, Iowa for over
thirty-five years. Raised in Elmhurst,
Illinois, Fred Stark became a rail enthusiast at an early
age, and as a young teen began to photograph the trains and
railways. Fred regularly rode the CA&E along with his
brother, Richard, and cousin, Peter. He has traveled by
train extensively throughout the United States and Canada.
Fred belongs to many rail associations, including the
National Railway Historical Society. He has taught
instrumental music in Washington and Mt. Ayr, Iowa for over
thirty years, and sits on the executive board of the Iowa
State Education Association.
Table of
Contents | Preface
| Photo
Gallery | Ordering
Information
©2000 WS Publications
on the CA&E visit
Chicago,
Aurora & Elgin Railroad
