RELATED TOPICS: RAILFANING | COMMUTER RAILROADS

Frisco, Texas
Google Maps
FRISCO, Texas — A Texas museum might be the last place you’d expect to find ex-Illinois Central Highliner electric commuter cars from Chicago, but the Museum of the American Railroad has just acquired 10 of them. Instead of static displays, the museum intends to use the cars as immersion classrooms at its museum in Frisco.

While two cars will be preserved in their original state, plans call for others to be outfitted with the latest technology to assist with classroom instruction. Select cars will receive audio-visual enhancements, digital learning spaces, and interactive exhibits. The museum is currently seeking funding and sponsorships for the improvements.

The Highliners will be branded the Stream-Liner, an acronym emphasizing science, technology, railroading, engineering, arts, and mathematics components of the Museum’s educational programming. Construction of the first three of ten exhibit tracks totaling 6,000 feet is underway. Upon completion, the cars will be placed on Track No. 7 for permanent display and use.

The museum acknowledged the generosity of Metra Electric in assisting with the cars acquisition. BNSF Railway provided reduced rate transportation of the cars from Chicago to Texas.

The St. Louis Car Co. built the original 130 Highliners for the Illinois Central in 1971-72. More information is available from the museum's website.