List of Illustrations viii
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Going Home xv

Chapter One
A Brief History of the Growth of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railway 1

Beginnings 2
Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railway 2
AE&C Trains Reach Downtown Chicago 3
"L" Service Extended into the Suburbs 3
Financial Problems 3
The Chicago Aurora and Elgin 4
The Westchester Branch 4
The Geneva Branch 4
The Mt. Carmel Branch 5
The Passenger Car Fleet 5

Chapter Two
The Postwar CA&E - Its Problems and Demise 13

The Issue of the Temporary Tracks 14
Analysis of CA&E Response 15
Des Plaines Avenue Transfer Ends Service Downtown 16
The Financial Losses Mount 17
Beginning of the End 18
The Last Day 20
Freight Operations Continued 20
The Aurora Corporation 21
CA&E Demise Was Inevitable 22
In Retrospect 23

Chapter Three
"A Ticket to Wheaton, Please. One Way." 33

Wells Street Terminal 33
Traveling on the "L" Structure 35
Through Chicago's West-side Neighborhoods 37
Down to Ground Level 39
Into the Suburbs: Oak Park 40
Forest Park 41
Maywood 42
Bellwood 42
Hillside 42
Berkeley 43
Elmhurst 43
Villa park 44
Lombard 44
Glen Ellyn 44
Wheaton 45
Beyond Wheaton 64

Chapter Four
Fast, Frequent, Electrified Service 79

Passengers 79
Population Growth in the Suburbs 82
Suburban Life and the CA&E 83
Package Service 84
Freight Service 84
Coming to the End 84

Chapter Five
The End of the Garfield Park "L" 131

Chicago Transit Authority Created 131
Milwaukee-Dearborn-Congress Subway Opens 131
Westchester "L" Service Ended 131
Skip-stop Service Introduced on West Side Lines 132
Temporary Ground-level Operations on Van Buren Street 133
Douglas Park Trains Rerouted 134
Highway Projects Cause More "L" Changes 135
Congress Street Expressway Opens 136
Tracks Relocated in Oak Park and Forest Park 136
The New Median-Strip Rapid-Transit Line Opens 136
Too Late for the CA&E 137
No Plans for Downtown CA&E Terminal 138
New Uses for Garfield Park "L" and CA&E Right-of-Way 138

Chapter Six
The CA&E Museum Fleet 151

The Jewett Cars 151
The Demise of Car 318 152
Other Wood Cars 152
Steel Cars 152
Fox River Trolley Museum 153
Illinois Railway Museum 154
Indiana Museum of Transportation and Communication 155
Rockhill Trolley Museum 155
Midwest Electric Railway Association 155
Seashore Trolley Museum 157
Trolleyville, USA 157
The Future of the Fleet 158 

Chapter Seven
The Illinois Prairie Path 179

The Idea for a Path 179
National Recognition and Incorporation of the IPP 181
Acquiring the Right-of-Way 182
Early Proposals for Extensions 182
Creating the Path 183
Projects Attempted and Completed 1967 - 1968 183
Extending the Path into Kane County 185
The Drive for National Recognition 185
Improving the Path 186
Expanding the Path 186
1976 Bicentennial Events 187
Cook County Right-of-Way Purchased 188\
Easement Disputes Result in Court Challenges 188\ 

Chapter Eight
A Sense of Permanence 199

Villa Park Events, 1985 200
The Insurance Crisis 200
A Proposed Bridge for Taylor Avenue 200
Problems Over the Name 201
Improvements in 1987 202
Changes in Wheaton 203
Bridge Reconstruction Disrupts the Path 203
Developments in 1988 204
Improvements in 1989 204
Bridge Replacements 205
Path Relocation at Du Page County Airport 206
The Power-Line Controversy 206
The Path Expands Beyond the CA&E 207
Great Western Trail Improvements 208
Improvements to the Cook County Section 209
New Challenges 209
Surviving CA&E Stations and Structures 210
What Has Been Achieved 210

Appendix A - Track Map of the CA&E 219
Appendix B - Chronologies 243
Appendix C - Ed Allen's Recollection of the CA&E's Last Day 251
Appendix D - Surviving CA&E Passenger Cars and Their Museum Locations 252
Appendix E - Donor List for Illinois Prairie Path Wheaton Bridge Project 253

Endnotes 255
Suggestions for Further Reading 265
Index 267