West Suburban Interurbans

Noted transit author David Sadowski will be in Milwaukee to discuss his latest book, The Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railway (CA&E). The CA&E was one of three Chicago interurban railways operated by utilities tycoon Samuel Insull during the first part of the 20th Century. David will also discuss efforts by the East Troy Railroad Museum, Wisconsin’s last interurban railway, to restore rolling stock from the one Chicago Insull interurban that served Wisconsin, The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad.

Following David’s presentation and Q&A, approximately two hours, signed copies of his books will be available at a reduced price. Refreshments will be available to guests. All proceeds from the presentation will be donated to the East Troy Railroad Museum’s North Shore 162 Restoration Fund. Seating is limited.

Free street parking is available around The Knickerbocker. The Hop, Milwaukee’s free streetcar, stops at Ogden and Astor, about a two minute walk to The Knickerbocker. Local buses and Amtrak connect with The Hop for those coming from out of town. The Knick Cafe is open for brunch before and after the presentation inside The Knickerbocker.

David Sadowski has had a lifelong interest in transit, ever since his father took him for a ride as a toddler on one of the last Chicago streetcars in 1958.  He started the popular Trolley Dodger blog in 2015, which has had more than 1.1 million page views.

He co-authored a book about Chicago's PCC streetcars, and has five books out under his own name:  Chicago Trolleys, Building Chicago's Subways, Chicago's Lost "L"s, The North Shore Line, and The Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railway.  All have been well received.

The East Troy Railroad Museum has two operating North Shore Line cars and has begun restoration on a third, coach 162. Built by the JG Brill Company in 1915, car 162 is the oldest surviving North Shore coach. It was acquired by the museum in 2022 from a Connecticut museum. Restoration has begun with careful attention paid to salvaging the historic elements that can be saved and recreating those parts that have been lost to time. Proceeds from this event will go to help restore this historic interurban. 

Host or Publisher Scott Patrick