Nostalgia & History > Chicago Transit Skokie Shops--Sept 1971

Back in September 1971, I made my first visit to Chicago as a railfan (I had changed trains there on a family excursion in 1951, but didn't see much of the town). One of the first things I did was to visit the CTA headquarters in the Merchandise Mart building and secure a photo permit. I spoke with Mr. Heinlein in the Public Relations office and he told me that permits were no longer necessary, but asked if I would like to visit Skokie Shops. What electric railway fan could turn down an offer like that? I showed up at the appointed time, and one of the foreman gave me the VIP tour. At one point, we went out to the back area, where some of the 4000-class cars from the 1920s were being scrapped. I wasn't sure if photos would be allowed there, but my "tour guide" said, "Go ahead, it will let everyone know we're getting rid of the old clunkers."

1) One of the Baldwin-Westinghouse freight motors that handled the night-time switching job on the north side--this didn't last much longer; I think the last customer was a coal yard. Between natural gas and fuel oil, coal was fast losing its market.

2) That's me in the freight motor--first time I'd ever been in a B-W. The two 60-ton "juice jacks" at OERM both use General Electric motors and controls, and the Yakima Valley B-W motor would remain in Washington until the 1980s

3) I've always been fascinated by derricks--my first railfan photos were of a PE oil-burner in 1951. "Watch you step" is not an idle instruction here--lots of 3rd rail in the yard.

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4) A set of new 2200 class cars awaiting going into service. What got this started was a post on the retirement of the 2400 class cars. One of the problems with preserving the newer cars is that they were never intended to have the option of taking power from overhead wires. Other than the Skokie Swift, the last vestige of trolley wire was between Evanston and Wilmette, and it was taken down in the mid-1970s.

5) No barnyard fowl were in the vicinity, but these retired "L" cars would be called "chicken coops" in the world of electric railway preservation. These old wooden relics became storage buildings.

6) This work motor took spare parts to the various yards and repair shops around the system. I think this is the unit that was nicknamed "Old Paint Me".

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7) There's an old line from a Chicago Blues song by Elmore James (cue up the slide guitar!) "I Believe my time ain't long.." That would apply to the 4000-class and older cars awaiting a grim fate in the "back forty" of Skokie Shops. At least some cars of these types have been preserved, and some of these are in running condition.

8 & 9) I suspect that similar scenes would have been observed by a visitor to Pacific Electric's Torrance Shops in the 1940s

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What great shots! Thank you.

Thanks for posting these. I had forgotten about the freight motors. As for the soon-to-be-scrapped shots, "How sad!" Yet, that was the rule for streetcar/rapid transit/interurbans.
Bob

Nice to see America's "Big Three" are represented in photo No.4.

Cheers,
Jack

Really a nice set of pictures and commentary. I'm glad I suggested you post them. I remember Bob Heinlein. I think Bob was his first name. He was there when I worked for the CTA.


If you notice in the Skokie Swift pictures I posted yesterday (and will post more today) there is no trolley wire east of the Skokie Shops (only third rail) so cars with only third rail shoes can get there. Past the Shops the Skokie Swift motormen put up the pantographs because there is no third rail, only catenary (once essentially all the way to Milwaukee).

Marty Bernard