Chicago Surface Lines

Chicago Surface Lines
Dates of operation 1913–1947
Successor Chicago Transit Authority
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Chicago Surface Lines car 3142 at Illinois Railway Museum

The Chicago Surface Lines (CSL) was operator of the street railway system of Chicago, Illinois, from the years 1913 to 1947. The firm is a predecessor of today's publicly owned operator, the Chicago Transit Authority.

History

The first streetcars in Chicago were horse cars run by the Chicago City Railway Company and the North Chicago City Railway Company around 1858-1861. This method was slow and expensive, and the companies began substituting cable cars in the 1880s. Chicago City Railway was the first in (1881), and with the addition of the Chicago Passenger Railway (1883) and the West Chicago Street Railroad Company (1887), Chicago had the largest cable railway system in the world. The north and west side cable car systems were constructed by an investment syndicate under the direction of Charles Yerkes.[1][2]

It was also in the 1880s that electric-powered "trolleys" first became practical. The Chicago companies hesitated at first to install these faster and more efficient systems because of their heavy investment in cable cars. But the smaller Illinois cities and the Calumet Electric Street Railway of the South Side built successful systems, causing the Chicago companies to feel themselves dropping behind. By the mid-1890s most of them had begun the conversion to electricity, which was completed in 1906.[3]

The 1890s saw the consolidation of many of the Chicago companies, and this reorganization continued into the next century. In 1907 to 1909, the companies were granted franchises pursuant to various ordinances, under which the city reserved the right to purchase the systems.[4] The Settlement Ordinance of 1907 imposed various operating requirements on two of the underlying companies, the Chicago City Railway Company and Chicago Railways, and established a new bureau, the Board of Supervising Engineers (Chicago Traction), a board of engineers and accountants with responsibilities for assuring compliance with the ordinances, and setting standards for equipment and construction.[5]

Through Routes over the lines of several companies were instituted in 1910, and, for instance, resulted in joint service by the Chicago City Railway Company and Calumet and South Chicago Railway between downtown and 119th Street via Cottage Grove.[6] There was also joint service operated by the South Chicago City Railway and the Hammond, Whiting, and East Chicago Electric Railway into Indiana, with each company collecting its own fare, which continued until the Hammond company converted to buses in 1940.[7]

The continuous reorganization was finally completed by the Unification Ordinance of 1913,[8] which stipulated that all lines would come under the management of a single operating association called the Chicago Surface Lines (CSL), and unified operations commenced in 1914.[9] Four companies formed the CSL: the Chicago Railways Company, Chicago City Railway, Calumet and South Chicago Railway, and Southern Street Railway.[lower-alpha 1] [10] At this time, Chicago had the largest street railway system, the longest one-fare ride, the longest average ride, and the most liberal transfer privileges in the world.

The 1920s saw continued growth despite the increasing competition from the automobile, and while the 1933-1934 World's Fair and wartime demand supported ridership,[11] the underlying companies were bankrupt. Creditors' bills were filed against the Chicago Railways in 1926 and the Chicago City Railway and Calumet and South Chicago in 1930, resulting in the appointment of receivers and bringing their property into the custody of the Federal District Court. In 1944, the proceedings were converted to those under the Bankruptcy Act, and trustees were appointed.[12] By 1958, the Chicago Transit Authority, which took over the Chicago Surface Lines in 1947, had abandoned the remaining trolley lines, which were "bustituted." Before that, CSL had introduced gasoline buses for light routes in 1927,[13] and trolley buses to the northwest side starting in 1930.[14]

Fleet

The Chicago Surface Lines was primarily a trolley operation, with approximately 3100 streetcars on the roster at the time of the CTA takeover.[15] It purchased small lots of motor buses,[16] totaling 693 at the time of the CTA takeover, mostly consisting of smaller buses used on extension routes or to replace two-man streetcars on routes such as Hegewisch and 111th Street, because conductors were required to flag streetcars across mainline railroads where there was not a watchman at the crossing.[17] Most postwar PCC cars were scrapped and parts reused in the 6000-series rapid transit cars for the CTA. The trolley bus fleet consisted of 152 vehicles.[18]

Streetcars

A table of passenger railway cars in use during the CSL era is shown below. Ownership resided with one of the underlying companies: Chicago Railways (CRY), Chicago City Railway (CCR), Calumet & South Chicago Railway (CSC) or Southern Street Railway (SSR). Other predecessors include Chicago Union Traction (CUT), absorbed into Chicago Railways in 1908, and Chicago & Southern Traction (C&ST), absorbed into Chicago City Railway in 1912. Following unification many car orders (e.g. 169 Cars, Sedans, PCCs) were split between the various underlying companies.

Fleet No. Qty Owner Builder Year Nickname Notes Photo
101-700 700 CRY Pullman 1908 Old Pullmans 144, 225, 460 preserved 144
701-750 50 CRY Pressed Steel 1909 Pressed Steels 741
751-1100 350 CRY Pullman 1910 New Pullmans 786
1101-1423 323 CRY St. Louis 1903-1906 Matchboxes Ex-CUT 4630-4952; 1374 preserved 1386
1424-1428 5 CRY Brill 1903 Ex-CUT 4625-4629
1429-1505 77 CRY CUT 1899 Bowling Alleys Ex-CUT 4475-4554; 1467 preserved 1457
1506-1720 215 CRY CSL 1911-1912 Turtlebacks 1532
1721-1785 65 CRY CSL 1923 169 Cars 1731
1800-1899 100 CRY CSL 1913-1914 Flexible Flyers 1818
1900-1949 50 CRY American 1913-1914 Flexible Flyers 1901
1950-1999 50 CRY Southern 1913-1914 Flexible Flyers
2000-2005 6 CRY Brill 1920 Birneys
2006 1 CRY CSL 1921 Birney
2501-2625 125 CCR St. Louis 1901 St. Louis Rebuilds 2530
2701-2780 80 CCR St. Louis 1903 St. Louis Rebuilds 2741
2801-2815 15 CSC St. Louis 1901 Ex-C&SC 701-715 2803
2816-2823 8 CSC Brill 1903 Ex-C&SC 801-808 2819
2824-2840 17 CSC Kuhlman 1904-1908 Ex-C&SC 809-825 2839
2841-2845 5 CSC Jewett 1903 Ex-C&SC 826-830; 2843 preserved 2845
2846-2856 11 CSC SCCR 1907 Interstates Ex-C&SC 831-841; 2846 preserved 2851
2857-2858 2 CSC Kuhlman 1910 Ex-C&SC funeral cars 1-2
2859 1 CSC CSL 1924 2859
2900-2903 4 CCR Brill 1920 Birneys 2901
2904-2922 19 CCR CSL 1922 Sewing Machines 2913
3000-3089 90 CRY Brill 1914-1915 3025
3090 1 CRY American 1918
3091 1 CRY CSL 1919
3092 1 CRY CSL 1921 Sewing Machine
3093-3118 26 CRY CSL 1922 Sewing Machines 3100
3119-3160 42 CRY Brill 1923 169 Cars 3142 preserved 3134
3161-3178 18 CRY Cummings 1923 169 Cars 3169
3179-3201 23 CRY CSL 1923 Sun Parlors 3182
3202-3231 30 CRY CSL 1924 Multiple Unit Cars 3210
3232-3261 30 CRY Lightweight Noiseless 1925 Multiple Unit Cars 3250
3262-3281 20 CRY Brill 1926 3267
3282-3301 20 CRY St. Louis 1926
3302-3321 20 CRY Cummings 1926 3311
3322-3341 20 CRY CSL 1929 Sedans
3342-3361 20 CRY Brill 1929 Sedans 3349
3362-3381 20 CRY Cummings 1929 Sedans 3381
4000 1 CRY CSL 1925 Articulated; rebuilt from 1101 to 1102
4001 1 CRY Pullman-Standard 1934 Preserved
4002-4051 50 CRY St. Louis 1936 Blue Geese PCC cars; 4021 preserved 4013
4052-4061 10 CRY St. Louis 1947 Green Hornets PCC cars 4056
4062-4371 310 CRY Pullman-Standard 1946-1947 Green Hornets PCC cars 4121
4372-4411 40 CRY St. Louis 1947-1948 Green Hornets PCC cars; 4391 preserved 4391
5001-5200 200 CCR Brill 1905 Little Brills 5111
5201-5600 400 CCR Brill 1906-1908 Big Brills 5555
5601-5621 21 CCR Brill 1910 5614
5622-5650 29 SSR Brill 1910 5637
5651-5665 15 CCR Kuhlman 1907 Crete Suburbans Ex-C&ST 126-140 5653
5701-5702 2 CCR CCR 1910 5702
5703-5827 125 CCR Brill 1913 Nearsides 5721
5900-5999 100 CCR Brill 1913
6000-6137 138 CCR Brill 1914-1915 6072
6138-6146 9 CCR American 1918 Odd Seventeen 6139
6147-6154 8 CCR CSL 1919 Odd Seventeen 6153
6155-6158 4 CCR CSL 1923 169 Cars
6159-6186 28 CCR Brill 1923 169 Cars 6169
6187-6198 12 CCR Cummings 1923 169 Cars 6194
6199-6218 20 CCR CSL 1924 Multiple Unit Cars 6199
6219-6238 20 CCR Lightweight Noiseless 1924 Multiple Unit Cars 6224
6239 1 CCR CSL 1924
6240-6252 13 CCR Brill 1926 6251
6253-6265 13 CCR St. Louis 1926 6260
6266-6279 14 CCR Cummings 1926
6280-6293 14 CCR CSL 1929 Sedans 6283
6294-6306 13 CCR Brill 1929 Sedans 6303
6307-6319 13 CCR Cummings 1929 Sedans 6310
7001 1 CCR Brill 1934 7001
7002-7034 33 CCR St. Louis 1936 Blue Geese PCC cars 7021
7035-7274 240 CCR St. Louis 1947 Green Hornets PCC cars 7043
8000-8030 31 CRY CSL 1921 Trailers 8012
8031-8060 30 CRY Brill 1921-1922 Trailers 8036
9000-9019 20 CCR CSL 1921 Trailers
9020-9039 20 CCR Brill 1922 Trailers; 9020 preserved 9037
9040-9046 7 CCR CSL 1923 Trailers 9046

Electric Trolley Buses

A table of electric trolley buses owned by CSL is shown below. In 1952 all trolley buses still in service were renumbered by Chicago Transit Authority by adding "9" to the beginning of their number (e.g. 193 becoming 9193).

Fleet No. Builder Model Year Notes Photo
51-79 Twin Coach 40TT 1930 51
80-85 Brill T40 1930 84 preserved 83
86-91 St. Louis 1930 86
92-98 Twin Coach 40TT 1930
99-105 Brill T40 1930
106-107 American Car & Foundry E1 1930 107
108-114 Twin Coach 40TT 1930
115-122 Brill T40 1930 118
123-124 Cincinnati 1930
125-129 Twin Coach 40TT 1931 127
130-134 Brill T40 1931 132
135-139 St. Louis 1931 138
140-149 Twin Coach 40TT 1931 142
150-160 Brill T40 1931
161-164 Cincinnati 1931 161
165-170 Pullman 1935 166 preserved 170
171-185 St. Louis 1936 177
186-202 Brill T40S 1937 192, 193 preserved 198

Motor Buses

A table of motor buses owned by the CSL is shown below. In September 1944 all existing buses, previously numbered in separate series depending on corporate owner, were renumbered into a unified series.

Fleet No. Builder Model Year Owner Notes
1-5 Twin Coach 40 1927 CRY Renumbered 1101-1105
6-7 Twin Coach 40 1930 CRY Renumbered 1106-1107
301-303 Twin Coach 40 1928 CCR Renumbered 1108-1110
401-402 American Car & Foundry H13S 1934 CCR Renumbered 2109-2110
403-414 White 684 1934 CCR Renumbered 3109-3120
415 American Car & Foundry H13S 1935 CCR Renumbered 2111
416 Superior/Ford 51 1936 CCR Renumbered 4104
417 Superior/Reo 2LM 1936 CCR Renumbered 5104
418-420 White 706M 1936 CCR Renumbered 3204-3206
421-428 White 805M 1937 CCR Renumbered 3210-3217
429-432 American Car & Foundry H13S 1938 CCR Renumbered 2207-2210
433-434 White 805M 1939 CCR Renumbered 3311-3312
435-436 Twin Coach 30G 1942 CCR Renumbered 1307-1308
437-440 Yellow TG3205 1942 CCR Renumbered 6216-6219
446-451 Yellow TD3605 1942 CCR Renumbered 6301-6306
501-508 American Car & Foundry H13S 1935 CRY Renumbered 2101-2108
509-516 White 684 1935 CRY Renumbered 3101-3108
517-519 Superior/Ford 51 1936 CRY Renumbered 4101-4103
520-522 Superior/Reo 2LM 1936 CRY Renumbered 5101-5103
523-525 White 706M 1936 CRY Renumbered 3201-3203
526-563 Twin Coach 30R 1937 CRY Renumbered 1201-1238
564-575 Ford 70 1937 CRY Renumbered 4201-4212
576-581 American Car & Foundry H13S 1938 CRY Renumbered 2201-2206
582-591 White 805M 1939 CRY Renumbered 3301-3310
592-625 Yellow TG2706 1941 CRY Renumbered 6101-6134
626-631 Twin Coach 30G 1942 CRY Renumbered 1301-1306
632-646 Yellow TG3205 1942 CRY Renumbered 6201-6215
801-809 American Car & Foundry H13S 1935 CSC Renumbered 2112-2120
810-812 White 706M 1937 CSC Renumbered 3207-3209
813-822 White 805M 1938 CSC Renumbered 3221-3230
823-825 White 805M 1939 CSC Renumbered 3313-3315
826 Twin Coach 30G 1942 CSC Renumbered 1309
827 Yellow TG3205 1942 CSC Renumbered 6220
1400 Twin Coach 34S 1946 CRY Renumbered 1620
1401-1404 Twin Coach 34S 1946 CCR to CSC Renumbered 1621-1624
1600-1606 Twin Coach 38S 1946 CCR
1607-1608 Twin Coach 38S 1946 CCR to SSR
1609-1614 Twin Coach 38S 1946 CCR
1615-1619 Twin Coach 38S 1947 CCR
1800-1817 Twin Coach 44D 1947 CCR
2301-2350 ACF-Brill C36 1946 CRY
2351-2358 ACF-Brill C36 1946 CSC
2359-2433 ACF-Brill C36 1947 CCR
2500-2534 ACF-Brill C44 1948 CRY
2535-2544 ACF-Brill C44 1948 CCR
2545 ACF-Brill C44 1948 CSC
2546-2605 ACF-Brill C44 1947 CRY
3401-3402 White 798 1944 CRY
3403-3416 White 798 1944 CCR 3407 preserved
3417-3420 White 798 1944 CSC
3421-3440 White 798 1945 CRY
3441-3485 White 798 1946 CRY
3486-3495 White 798 1946 CCR to CSC
3496-3497 White 798 1947 CCR
3498-3502 White 798 1947 CSC
3503-3540 White 798 1947 CRY
3541-3572 White 798 1947 CCR
3573-3597 White 798 1948 CCR
4301-4309 Ford 29B 1945 CSC
4310-4327 Ford 29B 1945 CRY
4328-4335 Ford 29B 1945 CCR
4336-4350 Ford 69B 1947 CRY
4351-4354 Ford 69B 1947 CCR
4355 Ford 69B 1947 CSC
6401-6410 GMC TG4007 1944 CCR
6501-6512 GMC TD4506 1946 CRY
6513-6518 GMC TD4506 1946 CCR to CSC
6519-6520 GMC TD4506 1946 CSC
6521-6530 GMC TDH4507 1947 CRY
6800-6823 GMC TGH3609 1946 CRY
6824 GMC TGH3609 1946 CCR to CSC
6825-6833 GMC TGH3609 1946 CCR to SSR
6834-6838 GMC TGH3609 1946 CCR
7100-7116 Mack C41GT 1947 CRY

Routes

The CSL had dozens of routes and over 1,000 miles of trackage at its height. The table below shows a basic overview of CSL routes at their height. Many changes to routing and terminals were made at various times. Abandonment dates noted are dates that routes were completely changed over to bus or trolley bus, or eliminated altogether. Many routes were converted in sections. Some routes, notably through routes, that were eliminated prior to the formation of the CSL are not included.

Route Terminus Terminus Abandoned Notes
Archer Avenue Lake & State Archer & Cicero May 30, 1948
Archer-38th Street Lake & State 38th & Central Park February 15, 1948
Argo (63rd Extension) 63rd & Oak Park 63rd & Archer April 11, 1948
Armitage Avenue Clark & Lincoln Armitage & Grand June 24, 1951 Converted to trolley bus
Ashland Avenue Southport & Clark Ashland & 95th February 13, 1954 Through Route 9
Belmont Avenue Belmont & Central Belmont & Halsted January 9, 1945 Converted to trolley bus
Blue Island-26th 26th & Kenton Monroe & Dearborn May 11, 1952
Blue Island-Wells North & Clark Blue Island & Western September 14, 1924 Through Route 12
Broadway Devon & Clark State & Polk February 16, 1957
Broadway-State Devon & Clark 119th & Morgan December 5, 1955
Cermak Road Cermak & Calumet Cermak & Kenton May 30, 1954
Cermak-Lawndale Cermak & Kedzie 33rd & Lawndale October 1, 1945
Chicago Avenue Ohio & Lake Shore Drive Chicago & Austin May 11, 1952 Converted to trolley bus
Cicero Avenue Montrose & Cicero 25th & Cicero November 25, 1951 Converted to trolley bus
South Cicero Avenue Archer & Cicero 63rd & Cicero January 6, 1941
Clark-Wentworth Clark & Howard 81st & Halsted September 8, 1957 Through Route 22
Clybourn Avenue Belmont & Clybourn Harrison & State May 4, 1947
Clybourn-Wentworth Belmont & Clybourn 79th & Halsted September 13, 1924 Through Route 2
Cottage Grove-Broadway Devon & Kedzie 56th & Lake Park October 7, 1946 Through Route 1
Cottage Grove-Pullman Randolph & Garland Court 115th & St. Lawrence June 19, 1955 Through Route 4
Cottage Grove-South Chicago Randolph & Garland Court 93rd & Baltimore December 4, 1949 Through Route 5
North Damen Avenue Fullerton & Damen Blue Island & Damen May 13, 1951
South Damen Avenue 47th & Damen 74th & Damen January 26, 1948
Diversey Avenue Pulaski & Diversey Kimball & Diversey April 17, 1930 Converted to trolley bus
Division Street Division & Mozart State & Van Buren February 4, 1951
West Division Street Division & Austin Division & Grand July 9, 1946
Division-Van Buren Division & Mozart Van Buren & Kedzie February 4, 1951
Elston Avenue Lawrence & Elston Dearborn & Randolph January 21, 1951
Ewing-Brandon (Hegewisch) Burley & 118th Brandon & Brainard October 21, 1946
Fullerton Avenue Central & Fullerton Halsted & Fullerton December 4, 1949 Converted to trolley bus
Fulton-21st Street Fulton & Western 21st & Marshall May 7, 1947
Grand Avenue Harlem & Grand Navy Pier April 1, 1951 Converted to trolley bus
Halsted Street Waveland & Broadway Halsted & 79th May 29, 1954
Halsted Street Extension (Vincennes) 111th & Vincennes 119th & Vincennes July 22, 1946
Halsted-Archer Halsted & Waveland 63rd & Union 1924 Through Route 13
Halsted-Madison Grace & Halsted 26th & Halsted July 3, 1933 Through Route 18
Hammond 63rd & Vernon 106th & Indianapolis June 9, 1940 Thru service to Hammond, Ind. via HW&EC
Harrison Harrison & Central Van Buren & Dearborn February 29, 1948
Harrison-Adams Harrison & Central Adams & Dearborn February 29, 1948
Indiana Avenue 51st & South Park State & Lake May 24, 1953
Irving Park Irving Park & Neenah Irving Park & Broadway November 7, 1948 Converted to trolley bus
Kedzie Avenue Bryn Mawr & Kedzie Marquette & Kedzie May 29, 1954 Through Route 17
Kedzie-California California & Roscoe Marquette & Kedzie May 29, 1954 Converted to trolley bus
Lake Street Lake & Austin Lake & Dearborn May 30, 1954 Thru route 16
Laramie Avenue Lake & Laramie Harrison & Laramie 1937
Lawrence Avenue Austin & Lawrence Broadway & Lawrence April 1, 1951 Converted to trolley bus
Lincoln-Bowmanville Lincoln & Peterson Dearborn & Polk February 18, 1951
Lincoln-Rosehill Ravenswood & Rosehill Dearborn & Polk August 1, 1948
Lincoln-Indiana Lincoln & Peterson 51st & Indiana March 11, 1951 Through Route 3
Madison Street Madison & Austin Dearborn & Washington December 13, 1953 Through Route 20
Madison-Fifth Avenue Pulaski & Fifth Avenue Dearborn & Washington February 22, 1954
Milwaukee Avenue Milwaukee & Imlay Monroe & Dearborn May 11, 1952
Montrose Avenue Milwaukee & Montrose Broadway & Montrose July 29, 1946
Morgan-Racine-Sangamon Erie & Ashland 39th & Morgan July 25, 1948 Through Route 23
Noble Street North & Ashland Milwaukee & Noble March 5, 1932
North Avenue North & Narragansett North & Clark December 4, 1949 Converted to trolley bus
Ogden Avenue 25th & Laramie Lake & Dearborn September 16, 1951
Ogden-Clark Clark & Drummond Ogden & Kenton September 14, 1924 Through Route 11
Pershing Road-East Root & Halsted Cottage Grove & Pershing February 15, 1948
Pershing Road Extension 35th & Cottage Grove Western & Pershing August 28, 1945
Pulaski Road Pulaski & Bryn Mawr 31st & Pulaski September 16, 1951 Converted to trolley bus
Riverdale 119th & Michigan 138th & Leyden September 9, 1946
Riverview-Larrabee Roscoe & Western Polk & Dearborn January 10, 1949
Roosevelt Road Museum Loop Roosevelt & Austin April 12, 1953 Converted to trolley bus
12th-Ogden-Wells Clark & Drummond Roosevelt & Cicero September 14, 1924 Through Route 14
South Chicago-Ewing 63rd & South Park 118th & Burley June 30, 1947
South Deering 63rd & Dorchester 112th & Torrence April 25, 1948
Southport Clark & Southport Polk & Dearborn September 14, 1924
State Street Wells & Division 119th & Morgan December 5, 1955
State-Madison Madison & Austin 39th & State September 14, 1924 Through Route 7
State-Milwaukee Milwaukee & Edmunds 63rd & State September 14, 1924 Through Route 6
Stony Island Avenue Navy Pier 93rd & Stony Island June 29, 1951
Taylor-Sedgwick-Sheffield Taylor & Western Clark & Sheffield September 1, 1947
Van Buren Street Adams & Dearborn Kedzie & Van Buren August 12, 1951
Wallace-Racine State & Lake 87th & Racine July 27, 1951
Webster-Racine Fullerton & Racine Lincoln & Webster September 1, 1947
Wentworth Avenue Clark & Illinois 81st & Halsted June 21, 1958 Last streetcar route to be abandoned
Western Avenue Howard & Berwyn 79th & Western June 17, 1956 Through Route 10
Whiting-East Chicago 63rd & Vernon Indianapolis & State Line June 9, 1940 Thru service to Hammond, Ind. via HW&EC
Windsor Park 63rd & Dorchester 93rd & Baltimore April 25, 1948
14th-16th Street 16th & Kenton Roosevelt & Michigan July 25, 1948
18th Street Blue Island & Leavitt 18th & State July 25, 1948
26th Street 26th & Halsted 26th & Cottage Grove February 29, 1948
31st Street Pitney Court & Archer 31st & Lake Park February 29, 1948
35th Street 36th & Kedzie 35th & Cottage Grove April 15, 1951
43rd-Root Street Root & Halsted 43rd & Oakenwald August 9, 1953
47th Street 47th & Kedzie 47th & Lake Shore Dr April 15, 1951 Converted to trolley bus
51st-55th Street 51st & St. Louis 56th & Lake Park May 30, 1948 Converted to trolley bus
59th-61st Street 59th & Central Park 60th & Blackstone June 1, 1948
63rd Street 63rd Place & Narragansett 64th & Stony Island May 24, 1953
67th-69th-71st Street 71st & California 67th & Oglesby May 24, 1953
71st Street 73rd & Vincennes 71st & Cottage Grove May 22, 1947
74th-75th Street 74th & Ashland 75th & Lakefront October 28, 1946
79th Street 79th & Western 79th & Brandon September 16, 1951
87th Street 87th & Vincennes 87th & Commercial May 27, 1951
93rd-95th Street 95th & State 89th & Avenue O May 27, 1951
103rd Street 103rd & Vincennes 103rd & Cottage Grove October 13, 1941
106th Street 106th & Torrence 106th & Indianapolis August 13, 1941
111th Street 111th & Vincennes 111th & Cottage Grove September 23, 1945
115th Street 115th & Halsted 115th & South Park September 23, 1945
119th Street 119th & Vincennes 119th & Morgan February 3, 1946

Remnants

Kenosha #4606 in "Green Hornet" livery.

The primary remnants of the CSL system are the 77th Street & Vincennes car barns, the Ardmore temporary bus garage, and buildings that were electricity substations. Cable-car survivors include powerhouses at LaSalle and Illinois(NCSR), Washington and Jefferson(WCSR), a small barn on Blue Island east of Western(WCSR), and other structures on Armitage west of Campbell, and Lake Park south of 55th street.[19] Burnside car barn at 93rd & Drexel is still basically intact. Some cars of CSL and its predecessors are preserved at the Illinois Railway Museum and other museums. Stand-in for CSL PCC "Green Hornet" streetcars (actually streetcars from other cities repainted in CSL colors) operate over the Kenosha Electric Railway in Kenosha, Wisconsin and the F-Market Line in San Francisco, California. A few CTA bus routes (notably 4 Cottage Grove, 8 Halsted, 9 Ashland, 20 Madison, 22 Clark, and 36 Broadway) still have their original CSL Through Route numbers. One can find rails from the old system around the city, although they have been significantly cemented and often only the tops of the rails can be seen.

Notes

  1. ↑ The Chicago City Railway had a subsidiary, the Chicago & Western Railway, and 95% of the stock of the City Railway and all of the stock of the Southern, Calumet, and Western were in a collateral trust, to secure certain bonds.

References

  1. ↑ Krambles, George; Peterson, Art (1993). CTA at 45: A History of the First 45 Years of the Chicago Transit Authority. p. 16. ISBN 0-9637965-4-2.
  2. ↑ Borzo, Greg (2012). Chicago Cable Cars. The History Press. pp. 15–18, 23–24, 59–66. ISBN 978-1-60949-327-1.
  3. ↑ Borzo (2012), pp. 161-163.
  4. ↑ In re Chicago Rys. Co., 160 F.2d 59, 61-62 (7th Cir. 1947).
  5. ↑ Lind, Chicago Surface Lines: An Illustrated History (Transit History Press, 1974), p. 16. ISBN 0-934732-00-0.
  6. ↑ Lind, p. 12.
  7. ↑ Krambles, p. 20; Lind, pp. 312, 332.
  8. ↑ In re Chicago Rys. Co., at 62.
  9. ↑ Krambles, p. 20.
  10. ↑ In re Chicago Rys. Co., at 61.
  11. ↑ Lind, p. 375.
  12. ↑ In re Chicago Rys. Co., at 62.
  13. ↑ Lind, p. 388.
  14. ↑ Lind, p. 379.
  15. ↑ Krambles, p. 39.
  16. ↑ Krambles, p. 45.
  17. ↑ Lind, pp. 256, 327.
  18. ↑ See Bill Vandervoort's Chicago Transit and Railfan for Streetcar Roster, Chicago Surface Lines Bus Roster 1927-1939, 1941-1948, and Trolleybus Roster, generally based on Lind.
  19. ↑ Borzo (2012), pp. 175-182.

External links

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