This photographed layout is a model of a portion of Sioux City’s former elevated railway. It operated from 1892 to about the early 1900’s. The design of Chicago’s original elevated railway was based on Sioux City’s. Chicago officials came to Sioux City to observe our El. But during the financial panic of 1893 cities like Chicago could absorb the economic impact it a lot better than smaller cities like Sioux City. This early depression that hit the country resulted in our elevated railway ending operations and being dismantled.
The layout was built by Blair Chicoine. Blair was a talented model builder. the layout is entirely scratch built. His research was conducted at the Sioux City Public Museum Research Center. from what I understand he went through numerous maps, photos, newspaper articles, etc to replicate this model just right.
The model is on permanent public display in the historical clock tower of Sioux City’s City Hall
To read more about this railroad click on the first link in my signature. I wrote an article about it on my history and culture site.
I also ask that this thread be used by others to post about true historical railroads in their community that have had layouts built to replicate the past history. But please only post about true historic railroads, not something merely based on a past rail road or railway. I ask the layout be true to scale, not something that was made to fit the needs of the layout operation. The Sioux City Elevated Railway was a true railroad and this layout is exactly as this section of the actual railroad was built in the middle to late 1890’s.
correct about the MR article. a copy of the MR article is in the file at the Sioux City Public Museum Research Center and available for anyone to use as research. researchers may view the material, for a fee have hard copies out digital scans made. or do what i do and photograph it with a digital camera for free. i don’t know if any other digital copies of this material exist or if my digital copies are the first. part of the reason i digitally photograph the material i research is to help preserve it. one day the hard copy will no longer exist and the only way to find the info. will be as a digital copy. i have been doing this since 2008. i am a believer in 2 important when comes to history. no matter what happened in history it should be preserved, not destroyed just because it was something bad or evil. the second is we should learn from it, especially if it is something bad that we shall not repeat.
I’m guessing it is available for sale and thus a profit? i don’t have a problem with kalmbach making money, after all it is their publication. but i also believe in freely sharing the info at no cost with others. this is one more reason i conduct historical research and publish articles about it. it did not cost me anything but my time and so i provide it for free to whom ever is interested. i also cite and give credit to the source from which i obtained the information from. in this case the Sioux city public museum research center.
