For the opening, the CSB&C bought two standard wooden combine interurban electric passenger cars from the Niles Car and Manufacturing Company. As a publicity stunt, their paintwork included destination names reading "New York" at one end and "Chicago" at the other. Down each side was "Chicago Air Line New York". The car barn built at South La Porte had a fascia reading "Chicago New York Air Line", and "Air Line" was to be the name used for the passenger service of the CSB&C throughout its history.