Rock Island Coaches History
Standard Steel Car Company Built 1925-1926
Coaches 2505, 2511, 2522, and 2545 were some of the 50 cars built by the Standard Steel Car Company in 1925, Cars 2556 and 2557 were built in 1926 in another 50 car set. These coaches were built for the Rock Island Line for commuter service in the Chicago area. This style of coach was used throughout the Capone era (1925-1931) earning them the nickname “Capone cars”or Capone coaches”. These coaches were being retired in the 1970s, cars 2505, 2522 and 2511 went to the Logansport and Eel River Railroad to be used on their Iron Horse steam festival before coming to French Lick. 2556, 2545 and 2557 are some of the original passenger cars the Indiana Railway Museum used for tourist train operations and have been here ever since. With these cars being nearly 100 years old and needing plenty of restoration work they have been put out of service by IRM and their future is currently undecided.
