Passenger Trains > .

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/21 16:50 by F40PHR231.

Wow! What a great set of photos! Makes me want to get back to Sweet Old Chicago! I've only been there as a visitor (back in 1971 an IC Electric motorman gave me a big "sales pitch" on living there, but I don't do icy winters). One of the big treats of the 1971 visit was the predecessor of the "Purple Line", the Evanston Express, which was the last stand of the old 4000-class cars from the 1920's. The 4000's were all retired when I visited in 1977, and, on the Evanston Express, the newer cars had speed controls that would beep annoyingly just as the motorman was really getting up to speed. I achieved a dream in 1985 when I got to run a two-car train of 4000's at Illinois Ry. Museum. Nearest thing to Pacific Electric 1100's that still runs.
I'd have to check my CTA book for the locations, but yes, there are some "ghost stations" where trains don't stop anymore, usually in terribly decrepit neighborhoods where no sensible person would want to get off, and there are few residents left to get on.
One thing about CTA: they're the only old-school rapid transit system where all trains can run on all lines.

Great selection of photos Chris. I especially like the in-motion shots. I've only been to Chicago once, for a senior high school trip.

Ryan Wilkerson
Fair Oaks, CA

F40PHR231 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DNRY122 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > big treats of the 1971 visit was the
> predecessor
> > of the "Purple Line", the Evanston Express
>
>
> Was the Evanston Express powered by third rail or
> by catenary? I saw some old posts along the way
> near some abandoned stations, I wasn't sure if it
> was part of a former catenary system or if it was
> something else.

It used to be powered by cantenary/trolley polls. The city fathers of evanston, being in every way old fashioned, did not allow third rail in their community until 1973. I think before that, third rail was allowed in Wilmette, so on the evanston expresses, the trains went third rail, cantenary, then back to third rail. In 2004 (or '03), the last cantenary was removed from the skokie swift, making it all 3rd rail operation.

Oh, and really love your picture 5. What great timing.

F40PHR231 Wrote:
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> After a stroll through Millenium Park, we took the
> Red Line to Grand station to check out the
> nightlife of north Chicago. The Red Line appears
> to be undergoing a long-term overhaul of its
> undergound stations. Plenty of restaurants and
> bars were open late, and we found a bar with
> delicious and inexpensive food!
>
> A night-time view of Chicago's skyline from the
> hotel room concludes this post. Thank you for
> viewing.

Nice pics. Thanks for the memories. Looks as though Grand Avenue subway station (next to last pic) hasn't changed in 30 years!

Chicago, Chicago, that railroadin' town. Thanks, Chris. Gerry

Greatest pictures to ever appear in Trainorders.

This is a great set of photos!
Nice job!
I bet you had fun doing this!

Very nice!!

excellent series.

As a lifelong Chicagoan, I really enjoyed your photographic perspective of the city. That's a great collection of photos.

I enjoyed your view looking south along the South Branch of the river from your hotel. I can see my old office there. In the 7 years my company had offices in the building over Union Station, I can't count how often I looked north along the river to your hotel. It's gave me a chuckle to see the view from the other way.

Great shots, Chris! I especially liked the one from the back of the L--nice composition.

Hello,
Great shots! Also, as a Chicagoan I get to see this just about evry day, though I love seeing other peoples take on the city. It reminds me that I live in one of the greatest cities in the world!
Thanks for sharing!
LETS GO WHITE SOX!!!
TheHammer
Mark

Great posting Chris, looks like a very enjoyable trip. thanks! Arlen

Thanks Chris, I am going for a week the beginning of June and this gives a nice photo essay of the area and is almost exactly what I will be doing. I do plan to ride the South Shore and probably the Skokie Swift to say I have ridden the remnants of the Ingersoll empire. Will also do at least several of the commuter line. This will be my first overnight trip since superliners and viewliners, so booked 29 Washington to Chicago and 50 back.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

Sharon, I think you mean the Insull Empire. Anyway, while you're here, perhaps you could rent a bicycle and come west and ride the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin, out by us!

The thing that struck me about all of these pictures is how clean the environment is--it usually looks a little gritty close-up, but these pictures are positively beckoning. And, as a Chicagolander, I love and appreciate that.

I did, can't spell.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

Fantastic pictures. it makes this South Sider miss his home town. I grew up in a family without a car that relied on the CTA. One of my pleasures was riding the entire L system in the railfan's seat across from the Motorman. (You had a seat in the 6000 series cars and stood up in the vestibule in the 4000's.)

This last picture is looking north from just south of the Wilson Avenue station. This line was a freight only line. It descended to ground level behind you and interchanged with the either the Milwaukee Road or the CNW. North of Wilson, the line switched from girders to running on a solid embankment.

The CTA had some steeple cab electric locomotives that were used to make deliveries along their route north of Wilson. One customer was coal delivery around the Thorndale stop. The freight business ended by the mid 1970s. This section of track is just one of the last remnants.
A fuller explanation is on Graham Wilson's excellent web site Chicago-L
http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/wilson.html

One of the earlier pictures showed the junction between the North-South Line and the Ravenswood Line just north of the Belmont Station. (Sorry, I left Chicago before the change to naming the lines by colors) At one time, there was a small tower controlling this junction located on the triangular platform in the center of your picture.

http://www.chicago-l.org/operations/towers/clark.html

Thanks again for the fabulous pictures!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/10 16:58 by Christo.

Great photos!

>>>One thing about CTA: they're the only old-school rapid transit system where all trains can run on all lines.

Which is why Chicago has the least efficient rapid transit system in the States. Yeah... seems strange. But, in BTU per passenger, it ranks dead last. The need for all trains to be able to go around the Loop kills efficiency - that requires short cars, which requires more weight per passenger. A typical CTA car can handle less than 40% that of a New York car, and the New York car is only half again as heavy. Then they run "Express trains" behind all stops locals. The Evanstan route is a black hole - can't get rid of it for political reasons and has a poor traffic rating.

Wow. That was like being there. Thank you.