First & Fastest

Photos of the Day! CSL/CTA streetcars.
From the collection of Mike Raia.
Click on photos for info.

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Photos of the Day! North Shore Line.
Photos by the Late Ed DeRouin. Click on photos for captions.

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Today's installment of Moffat's Retro "L" Photos takes a look at the gems of CTA Heritage rail car fleet: 4271-4272 which were built by Cincinnati Car Company and delivered in 1923 to the Northwestern Elevated RR, a component of Sam Insull's Chicago Elevated Railways Collateral Trust, which a year later was superseded by the Chicago Rapid Transit Company. These, along with some of its sister cars in the 4251-4455 group remained in service for about 50 years, the last being retired on November 7, 1973. 4271-4272, were retained as historical pieces and operate occasionally to this day thanks to the efforts of the Heritage Fleet volunteers.

We don't have a photo of these two cars when new, so this photo of sister car 4252 at Wilson Yard will have to suffice. The remainder are of one or both of these cars. Other photos include 4272 on a two car train in the Dearborn Subway at LaSalle/Congress to demonstrate the new remote train dispatching system, and a 1975 photo of the two cars in a commercial shoot at the Merchandise Mart. It was not long after this shoot that the cars got repainted from green/cream to the brown/orange they still wear today.

That brings us to 5/18/1997, when I was administration manager at Kimball and the cars were under my general supervision. For the Brown Line's 90th Anniversary event at Damen we had them open to the public after a long period out of the limelight. I am in the door with fellow volunteer Lou Gerard standing next to the train along side Ron Weslow in his old time conductor threads (W. Raia photo). And we end this installment with a pair of photos taken in December 1996, where they were lined up every type of car then in use. The weather was really cold that day. More at some future time.

Photos of the Day! Soo Line’s Division St. Job on the former Milwaukee Road in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Click on photos for captions.
Photos by Lou Gerard.

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Photos of the day! Chicago Rapid Transit in Skokie/ Niles Center.
From the collection of Lou Gerard.

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Time to post another Moffat's Retro "L" Photos post:
In 1969, the Dan Ryan branch opened for service and was through-routed with Lake Street trains, operating in both directions via Wabash and Lake on the Loop Elevated. Previously Lake Street circled downtown before heading back west. The northbound Lake-Dan Ryan train of nearly new 2200 series cars is shown descending from the Dan Ryan Connector at 17th Street, while a southbound "subway" train of 6000 series cars from Howard heads away from the camera destined either to Jackson Park or Englewood. The tower was then vacant since trains did not need to switch tracks at this location. The other two photos show Mayor Richard J. Daley at the opening day festivities in 1969, first shaking hands with the motorman at 95th and then making an appearance at 35th street. As was customary, the Mayor rode the first trip out of 95th.

Photos of the Day! Illinois Central MU
Photos by Lou Gerard.

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South Shore Sunday! Click on photos for captions.
Photos by Lou Gerard.

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Another Moffat's Retro "L" Photos. This time we visit the "old" Harrison Curve in the South Loop. In 2003, I was able to go upstairs in Jones Commercial High School and recorded a train of 2400 series cars on a Green Line train and a train of 3200's on an Orange Line run with the front unit (2 cars comprise a unit) decorated for Target. The North Shore train photo dates from 1961 and came from John Horachek. That photo was taken from the track that led into the Congress Stub terminal which was used by the North Shore for handling packages.

Photos of the Day! Aurora Elgin & Fox River. Part of this line is now operated by the Fox River Trolley Museum. AE&FR car 304 is at Fox River Trolley Museum and operates over it's native line. Car 306 is being restored at the Illinois Railway Museum. 303 is preserved at the Northern Ohio Railway Museum.
Photos by Ed Frank Jr. taken in the 1930's.

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