Check out this behind-the-scenes special feature from WFYI’s Across Indiana.
Impact Grant provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by Lilly Endowment, Inc., will bring century-old Union Traction interurban No. 429 to 95% completion for public enjoyment and education
Union Traction interurban No. 429 celebrates its 100th birthday in 2025 with the announcement of a grant to finish its restoration for public enjoyment.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Tuesday, September 23, 2025 – Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company excitedly announces it has been awarded a $100,000 Heritage Support Grant from the Indiana Historical Society to complete the operational and cosmetic restoration of Union Traction interurban No. 429 as part of the Electrify 429 campaign. The Impact Grant, the largest in the organization's history, will bring the 1925-built electric railway car to 95% completion, readying the century-old electric train for passenger service as Indiana's only original, operable interurban still within the state for its 100th birthday.
The grant project will fund critical interior and structural work, including windows, seats, flooring, lighting, roof restoration and exterior paint – transforming the already-operational car into an immersive exhibit where Hoosiers can experience a ride on this historic form of transportation for the first time in more than 80 years. The organization is raising a 15% match of $15,000 to amplify donor impact and complete the project by fall 2026.
"This transformative grant brings us to the threshold of reintroducing Hoosiers to the electric railway system that once defined our state's development," said Jakob Stage, chief mechanical officer of Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company. "When passengers step aboard No. 429, they'll experience the same elegance and innovation that moved nine million Hoosiers annually at the system's peak in the early 1900s."
Reviving Indiana's Electric Railway Legacy
Union Traction interurban No. 427 pauses at the Indianapolis Traction Terminal in the 1920s. The appearance of the car in this photo reflects the end product goal of No. 429’s restoration.
Union Traction Company No. 429 was built in 1925 by the St. Louis Car Company as one of Indiana's premier interurbans, serving Hoosiers until the electric railway system vanished in 1941. The car survived decades as a gravel pit office and in storage before being saved by preservationists. Now, as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2025, the interurban represents one of the last tangible connections to the world's once most extensive electric railway network that once crisscrossed Indiana.
The grant project encompasses two critical phases of restoration:
Interior restoration, including period-correct brown linoleum flooring, refurbished seats with authentic upholstery, restored baggage racks, safety glass windows, and reproduction 1920s light fixtures.
Structural work, including roof repairs with new canvas, heating system restoration, exterior paint in original Union Traction red livery, and completion of the motorman's compartment.
Small details, such as window shades and the restroom, will be completed at a later date and will not inhibit the car from serving the public as an immersive exhibit. The museum will continue to fundraise for these items as the project proceeds.
"Prior Heritage Support Grants helped us achieve the mechanical milestone of making No. 429 operational again," noted Cameron Nichols, president of Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company. "This new funding brings us ever-closer to the founding vision – creating an authentic, immersive experience where Hoosier audiences can ride and learn about the technology that brought electricity to rural towns and accelerated Indiana's transition from pioneer life to industrialization."
Go behind the scenes of what it took to make Union Traction interurban no. 429 operable for the first time in more than 80 years after having been stripped of all machinery and truned into a gravel pit office.
Building Indiana's Only Electric Heritage Railroad
The public enjoys an operating Indiana interurban at a Hoosier Heartland Trolley Co. open house.
The restoration of No. 429 serves as the cornerstone of Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company's vision to establish Indiana's only electric heritage railroad. Upon completion, the outdoor history museum will join fewer than 25 electric heritage railroads nationwide, serving as an educational and economic development tool for communities once connected by these efficient electric trains.
The project will be managed by Stage, who brings extensive knowledge of 1920s railroad equipment and railroad safety regulations. Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Yerkeson will lead paint, upholstery and cosmetic projects, drawing on more than 20 years of experience organizing railroad artifact and interior restoration activities.
Volunteer Opportunities and Community Impact
Volunteers restore 100-year-old mahogany wood to its original glory.
Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company welcomes volunteers of all skill levels to participate in this historic restoration project. The organization provides training in traditional restoration techniques, from upholstery and painting to mechanical work and historical research. Interested volunteers can learn more at hoosiertrolley.org/join-our-team.
Based on independent market research, the completed electric heritage railroad is projected to serve up to 60,000 annual visitors within five years, providing STEAM-based education for students, skilled trades programming, university partnership opportunities, and sustainable earned revenue through immersive heritage tourism.
"Indiana was once home to technology that the world marveled at – an extensive network of clean, affordable electric transportation that connected communities and created opportunities," added Nichols. "Through this grant and the generosity of our supporters, we're not just preserving an artifact; we're reviving a transformative piece of Indiana's identity that can inspire and educate future generations."
To contribute to the $15,000 matching fund requirement or learn more about the Electrify 429 capital campaign, visit hoosiertrolley.org/donate to give electronically or mail a check. Donor impact is amplified more than sevenfold thanks to this grant matching opportunity.
Heritage Support Grants are provided by the Indiana Historical Society and are made possible by Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Learn more about the Electrify 429 campaign and the Hoosier stories driving our electric heritage railroad project.
About Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company
Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company is an Indiana nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 2018 to save the last remaining railroad cars representing Indiana's rich electric railway heritage. The organization exists to spark imagination in people across all walks of life regarding the art, science, culture, technology and economic empowerment of Indiana's world-renowned electric railway industry from the 20th century. The company is developing the state's only electric heritage railway to immerse Hoosiers in authentic transportation experiences as a community asset for education, placemaking and economic development. More information regarding preservation efforts, news and development can be found at hoosiertrolley.org.
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