Innovation
continued
when
two
streamlined “Electroliners” entered service in 1941, with styling in part by Chicago architect James Eppenstein. The tavern-lounge car offered food and beverage
service, featuring a tasty
“Electroburger” served until the very end. The new trains regularly traveled the 15 miles between Kenosha and Waukegan in 13 minutes. Norman Madsen, a motorman, remembers get- ting the Liners up to 90 m.p.h. They were geared for 85 m.p.h, but “if you know how to ‘pop’ the controller at the break at substations, when your trolley goes over it, you cut it off and snap it back on. There was 600 volts but you could get [the full] 700 volts on it.” The high speed was achieved going down hill, north of Racine. I regret that at the time I completely missed the opportunities for oral inter- views — or may be even a full oral histo- ry or two. But I did not know the work- ers names, except for one, until later.
RIGHT: While setting out interchange for the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, freight motorman Dan Kennedy looks ahead as his brakeman keeps an eye on the trolley pole at Rondout, Illinois. BELOW: A “Silverliner” makes the transition from Fifth to Sixth Street in Milwaukee.
32 JANUARY 2013 •
RAILFAN.COM
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