The Chicago and North Western Railway built the Chicago and North Western Terminal in 1911 to replace its Wells Street Station across the North Branch of the Chicago River. The new station, in the Renaissance Revival style, was designed by Frost and Granger, also the architects for the 1903 La Salle Street Station. The station's 16 tracks were elevated above street level and reached by six approach tracks and sheltered under an 894-foot-long [272 meter] Bush train shed. The upper level of the head house housed a concourse and other facilities for intercity passengers, including dressing rooms, baths, nurses and matrons rooms, and a doctor's office. The centerpiece of the upper level was a stately waiting room, measuring 201 by 202 feet (34 by 62 meters), and rising 84 feet (approx. 26 meters) to its barrel-vaulted ceiling. In addition to the main concourse on the upper level, there was a street-level concourse for commuters.
This is an early production (Phase 1) H-16-66 and is riding on Baldwin 13 foot wheelbase rigid-bolster, fully equalized trucks, which were actually General Steel Castings Commonwealth C-type trucks. The Phase 1 H-16-66's were equipped with Westinghouse electrical gear (Model 370-F traction motors on each axle). Later H-16-66 production units were equipped with GE electrical gear and rode on F-M's Tri-mount drop equalizer trucks designed for the Train Masters built in 1953. The H-16-66's were known as "Baby Train Masters" (note that Train Master is two words), and produced 1600 horsepower from eight cylinders (16 pistons in the opposed-piston design).
In 1950, FM had, at C&NW's request, modified its old-style H16-44 design to the H16-66 configuration. It amounted to a custom design; however, except for the six-motor switch gear and the small changes to the underframe for the six-wheel trucks, FM got by with its standard H16 design. The truck had already been designed, being the one Baldwin used for its various C-C units. It was a truck that looked, and rode, like something that had been rescued from a steam locomotive tender, vintage 1930. But the C&NW was satisfied with it and purchased 25 of those H16-66's, not a bad deal for FM. In the Train Master era, Milwaukee Road came to the time for dieselizing its branch lines, so in response to that need, FM scaled down its Train Master to create the new-design H16-66. The C&NW bought some of those as well.
C&NW 401 "Wyoming" was built by Pullman in November 1925, Lot 4923, as Pullman Co. "Monte Viso". It was rebuilt as "Capitol Road" and sold as C&NW 400, business car, in 1948 and rebuilt as 401 "Wyoming". It was sold to a private ownership and renamed "Carolyn". It was resold to Ozark Mountain Railcar and apparently resold.
August 6-7, 1983; Streamliner Overland 400 - 20th Century Railroad Club steam powered excursion using N&W J-class No. 611 will operate from North Western Station in Chicago to Sterling,Ill. and return each day via C&NW. Open window coaches, air-conditioned coaches, recording cars, open-sided car, souvenir/snack car, and photo run-by. First class section includes dome lounge cars, Pullman lounge, complete dining service, and C&NW business car 400. Coach tickets: $60 each, First class $120.
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