The Chicago Railroad Fair

In 1948 and 1949 America's Railroads celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the first train to operate in Chicago with a grand public exhibition of their history and progress.  The Chicago Railroad Fair represented a remarkable cooperative effort among the nation's railroads to depict the role of Chicago as the epicenter of the American railroad industry.  Through an amazing display of equipment including more than 30 locomotives, as well as a daily pageant depicting the history of America's railroads, the public was given glimpse into the past, present and future of the rail industry.
 

Locomotive "Pioneer" Arrives at the Railroad Fair

The initial idea for the Fair was conceived by Francis V. Koval, the publicity manager for the Chicago & North Western Railroad, as a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the first train to operate in Chicago in 1848.  Koval imposed upon the Chicago Tribune to host a dinner for the various railroad presidents where the idea of a centennial celebration was presented.  The Fair developed from that dinner meeting.

Major Lenox R. Lohr

The president the National Broadcasting Company and Museum of Science and Industry, Major Lenox R. Lohr, was elected president of the event.  Lohr was a master a bringing together the various elements that were required for a successful event, with previous experience as business manager of the Century of Progress.  Historian Ed Hungerford was hired to write the pageant script while the official song of the fair, "Wheels a-Rolling", was penned by Evanstonians Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Maxwell.

Sheet music for the Wheels a-Rolling theme song

 Past meets the present at the Fair

"The General", made famous by the Civil War chase

37 American railroads served as sponsors, subscribing $1.25 million to the effort.  Additionally many lines provided rare equipment for display such as the "Stoubridge Lion" of 1829, the B&O's "William Mason", the famous Civil War locomotive "The General" as well as the C&NW's own "Pioneer" locomotive.  The public was treated to a plethora of mighty modern steam locomotives as well as General Motors FT diesel locomotive that would radically change the railroad industry.

The grand parade on State Street

The opening of the Fair was preceded by a gala parade held on July 19, 1948.  Starting at Columbus Drive in Grant Park at 1:30 PM, the parade traveled up Jackson Boulevard to State Street then north to Wacker Drive.  The widow of Casey Jones rode in an automobile at the head of the parade followed by floats, replica locomotives and a military contingent of Army, Navy, Marine and National Guard soldiers and sailors.

The main entrance of the Fair

The official opening of the fair began with a flag raising at 10 am on July 20th at the Fair's main entrance at 23rd Street, with Major Lohr presiding.  The fair covered 50 acres between 20th and 30th Street, taking advantage of the abandoned fairgrounds from the Century of Progress Fair of 1933.  Parking was provided for 1,800 automobiles, which represented an ironic bow to a form of transportation that would effectively destroy rail passenger service.

Recreation of the Golden Spike at the Wheels a-Rolling pageant

Admission to the Fair was 25 cents, and another 60 cents for a ticket to the gala "Wheels a-Rolling" pageant.  A narrow gauge train ride around the Fair cost 10 cents.  The pageant consisted of 12 scenes, along with a prologue and epilogue, telling the dramatic story of America's rise from wilderness to mighty industrial nation victorious in war.  Presented in an outdoor theater seating 6000 with Lake Michigan as the backdrop, 4 daily shows of one-and-a-quarter hours presented this grand story to millions of attendees.

Union Pacific EMD F3 diesel electric locomotive on display

At least 18 locomotives operated under their own power along with 220 performers with 18 different period costumes.  Horse and motor driven vehicles were also included.  30 additional locomotives and pieces of equipment were part of the general exhibition outside the theater.

Passengers climb onto a San Francisco cable car.

At one time Chicago had the largest cable car system in the country.

Visitors could ride an authentic San Francisco cable car, see American Indians perform at Santa Fe's Indian village, see a rodeo or visit "Florida in Chicago" compliments of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad.

 American Indians perform native dances at the Fair

The Fair proved so popular it was reprised in 1949, and represented a sort of last public hurrah by the rail industry.  The Second World War saw America's railroads perform a stellar job of moving freight and passengers under great duress.  Wartime restrictions on modernization had placed the railroads in a poor competitive position to deal with the rise of the automobile, airline and trucking industries.  By the 1950's the creation of the interstate highway system and the continued application of restrictive regulations on railroads would further drive the nation's railroads to near ruin.  The Fair coincided with Chicago reaching an apex of rail freight and passenger traffic that would slowly diminish over the ensuing decades.  It was Chicago's and the railroad industry's moment in the sun that would all too quickly be eclipsed.