Chicago Tunnel Company 1:24 Scale Locomotive Models

The Illinois Tunnel Company started freight operations forty feet below the streets of downtown Chicago in 1906. Freight service was handled by small four-wheel electric mine locomotives. The company was later reorganized and renamed the Chicago Tunnel Company. By the 1920s, the Chicago Tunnel Company fleet grew to 149 locomotives which were manufactured by companies like General Electric, Jeffrey, Goodman, and Baldwin. Most of these locomotives operated into the 1950s moving coal, cinders, packages, and mail between stores, office buildings, warehouses, and freight stations.

The following photographs show various views of my 1:24 Scale Chicago Tunnel Company 500-524 Series Baldwin locomotive models. The models are hand-crafted in 1:24 Scale from measurements I took of abandoned Baldwin locomotive 508 in the Field Museum tunnel in the 1980s. Number 508 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Illinois Tunnel Company in 1907. The 500-524 Series locomotives each had two 15 horsepower traction motors that derived their power from the 250VDC overhead trolley wire. The locomotives were a standard design used in mining and construction operations throughout the world in the first half of the 20th century.

The motorman's gondola is complete with a K-11 controller, seat, rear headlight, brake wheel, and fuse box.

This white-metal Baldwin locomotive model would make a nice display piece on your desk or bookshelf. It also makes a great flatcar load or detail for your model railroad's mining district. The model measures approximately 6 inches long (coupler face to coupler face), by 2.25 inches wide, by 4 inches to the top of the trolley pole.

Each un-powered display model contains over 60 individual components many of which are shown above.

I am now offering these models for sale on this website. The parts used to make these models are cast in lead-free white metal from patterns carefully crafted in my model shop.

Un-powered display versions of these interesting locomotive models are now available. Each locomotive model is fully assembled and comes painted in Chicago Tunnel Company standard olive green livery. Chicago Tunnel decals will also be included. A wooden display base, complete with hand-spiked narrow gauge track, is also available at an extra charge. These un-powered models make great flatcar loads and interesting details for your model railroad's mining district. They also make handsome displays for your home or office.

Click on the bar below to go to the Railroad Freight House for ordering information :

For questions or more information about this model, contact Phil O'Keefe at: