Villa Park plans to bring historic Car 321, a railcar built in 1914 for the Chicago Aurora & Elgin electric railway, back to the community and display it near the former Ardmore Avenue station along the Illinois Prairie Path. Car 321 served passengers until the CA&E line closed in 1957 and is being restored in collaboration with the Village of Villa Park, the Illinois Railway Museum, the Villa Park Historical Society, and other partners as a way to honor local rail history and celebrate the Rails-to-Trails movement that transformed the abandoned line into a recreational path. The railcar is expected to be staged in Villa Park in 2026 under a new pavilion with lighting and security.
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