Cars 300-308

The flags on 301 indicate that this train has either just come into Wheaton yard at the end of a run or that it is about to leave and begin one. The date is June 17, 1956. At this point in the railroad’s history, the wooden cars are primarily reserved for use in rush hour.

Photo by Don Ross

302 is seen in front of the Wheaton Shops building on April 2, 1957, three months and a day before the railroad ends passenger service. A boxmotor is seen at left.

Photo from the collection of Don Ross

Having recently been purchased by Jan Giradot and his wife pat, 308 waits in Wheaton for relocation in 1961. Its new home will be the Indiana Museum of Transport and Communication. In 1996 it was sold to the Illinois Railway Museum.

Photo by Jan Girardot, from the collection of Don Ross

The Niles Car and Manufacturing Company produced three of the eight series of cars built for the Aurora, Elgin & Chicago. Car 308, here in Wheaton yard on August 20, 1950, was part of the last order of rolling stock that was built by Niles for the AE&C.

Photo from the collection of Don Ross

Car 300 and follower, seen in their original livery of green with gold trim, are stopped at the Aurora terminal at Fox and Broadway between 1906 and 1908. At this point in time the AE&C was still equiping it's cars with the window guards seen here. 300 is at most two years old and is one of the newest cars on the railroad.

Postcard from the collection of Don Bosan-Bruno