ROCK ISLAND #2541
“THE CAPONE COACH”

Builder: Standard Steel Car Company
Built: 1925
Type: Coach
Status: Operational

The Monticello Railway Museum’s regular weekend excursion train consist almost always features two of our historic passenger cars: Illinois Central No. 892 and this car, Rock Island No. 2541.

The 2541 was one of over 100 commuter train coaches built between 1923 and 1929 for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific (better known as the Rock Island) Railroad. The Rock Island operated a very busy commuter train route between Chicago’s La Salle Street Station and Joliet, Illinois, and these cars were built for use on that line. Less than 50 of the cars survive today.

Interestingly, No. 2541 and the other cars of its type were in service on the Chicago to Joliet commuter train runs at the same time infamous gangster Al Capone was active in the Chicago area. As a result, over time the cars became known as “Capone Coaches.” While it could never be confirmed, it is quite possible Capone himself may have travelled on No. 2541, as it has been said that he made frequent trips on the Rock Island’s commuter trains.

In the early 1970s, the Rock Island began the process of retiring its older passenger equipment. No. 2541 was purchased by the museum in 1972, and has been operating here ever since. Volunteers did extensive work to the car in 2011 and again in 2020 to ensure that it will continue to look and perform just as good and safely as it did when it rolled out of the factory a century ago.