CSL 5716 at Exchange and 75th on October 15, 1945. (Tom Desnoyers Photo) You may recognize the Stratoliner Lounge from one of our earlier posts, which included a link to a color postcard view of the interior.
This is the fifth installment in our ongoing series Chicago Streetcars in Black-and-White. You can find the other four installments (and the others we have done in color) by typing “Chicago streetcars” in the search window for this blog.
We offer you another generous selection of classic photos by some of the greatest railfan photographers of all time. As always, clicking on each picture will bring up a larger version in your browser.
If you have interesting information to share about these locales, we look forward to hearing from you. When referring to individual photos, please use either the car number or image number.
I am continually amazed at how expert our readers are at identifying mystery locations.
-David Sadowski
CSL 6029. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 5711 turning from 108th onto Ewing. Bob Lalich says, “CSL 5711 looks to be backing onto Ewing from 108th. This spot was a transfer to the Brandon-Brainard line. The transfer location was later moved to 118th St.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Andre Kristopans says CSL 718 is “westbound on Adams at Wells.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Andre Kristopans says, “CSL 6203 westbound on 75th at Coles.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Bob Lalich says, “CSL 6199 is headed NW on South Chicago Blvd at 75th St having just gone under the IC – Grand Crossing.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
One-man CTA “sedan” 3324 at Cottage Grove and 115th. (M. D. McCarter Collection)
CTA 6131 at Kedzie and Bryn Mawr. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
According to Chuck Amstein, CSL 5347, 5351, and 5438 are “at the north end of the Ashland line at W. Warner Ave. and N. Southport Ave., looking NNE towards Graceland cemetery. The street sign at center left looks like it could be Warner. The destination sign on car 5438 probably was already changed for the southbound run.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 2744. Bill Shapotkin says we are “looking west on 79th off the PRR (PFtW&C) overpass. (We’re near the “other” Six Corners (79th/Stony/South Chicago)). Thus, the large vacant area west of the railroad tracks is the result of land clearing for the Calumet (now Chicago) Skyway and the first street intersection is Anthony.” Bob Lalich concurs and adds, “Joe Diaz was on the PRR elevation when he took the photo.” Andre Kristopans adds, “The Sears in the background closed in 2013.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 1844 westbound on Harrison. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 5293.
CSL 1727 at West Shops, circa 1944. (CSL Photo)
CSL 3204-3206 and 3228 in 1928. Andre Kristopans gives the location as “Milwaukee looking north at Logan Blvd, from middle of Logan Square. Very rare shot of trains.”
CSL 3207-3208 on Milwaukee Avenue circa 1925-29.
CSL 1740 at West Shops during World War II. (CSL Photo)
CSL 6264 and 3264 at 71st and California. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Andre Kristopans says, “CSL 6149 is at 77th carhouse, on the Vincennes side.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 6200 is northbound on Coles at 75th. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Bob Lalich says, “CTA 6249 and 3244 are just north of 93rd St on Stony Island.”
CSL 3315 on 71st looking west to California.
CSL Pullman 210, looking like it needs some front end work, alongside a trailer being used as a shed. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 5626, signed for Navy Pier, prepares to pass car 6300. Bob Lalich says we are “just north of 93rd and Stony.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 3306 is westbound on 59th at Damen. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 3093 is turning northbound onto Sangamon from Adams. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Bob Lalich writes, “CSL 5705 is WB on 95th St passing under the B&O viaduct. South Chicago Blvd is in the background.” Andre Kristopans agrees. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Bob Lalich says, “CSL 6204 is turning east onto 93rd St from Stony Island.” Andre Kristopans adds, “#89-Jeffery/100 bus tail end on right.”
CSL 3075. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
According to Andre Kristopans, “CSL 2744 is at Roscoe and Western loop. The big building in background is Lane Technical High School. Car is probably running a Lincoln-Roscoe trip, as the side sign is blank. Note that since the earlier shot on 79th car has migrated to a different carbarn!” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Car 80 is in service on the Whiting-East Chicago route, a joint operation between CSL and Hammond Whiting & East Chicago Railway, later Calumet Railways, and eventually Chicago & Calumet District Transit Co. This service ended on June 9, 1940. Andre Kristopans notes, “Sheffield ends about 121st or so where it merges into Calumet, Route was Indianapolis-Calumet-Sheffield-Gostlin-Hohman.” Bob Lalich says, “Car 80 is headed SE on Indianapolis Blvd at Sheffield.” On the other hand, Andre Kristopans says we are at “SB Indianapolis at Calumet.”
Another great set of photos! Thanks for sharing!
CSL 5711 looks to be backing onto Ewing from 108th. This spot was a transfer to the Brandon-Brainard line. The transfer location was later moved to 118th St.
CSL 6199 is headed NW on South Chicago Blvd at 75th St having just gone under the IC – Grand Crossing.
CSL 2744 is EB on 79th St near Anthony. Joe Diaz was on the PRR elevation when he took the photo.
CTA 6249 and 3244 are just north of 93rd St on Stony Island.
CSL 5626 and 6300 are also just north of 93rd and Stony.
CSL 5705 is WB on 95th St passing under the B&O viaduct. South Chicago Blvd is in the background.
CSL 6204 is turning east onto 93rd St from Stony Island.
Car 80 is headed SE on Indianapolis Blvd at Sheffield.
718 – WB on Adams at Wells
6203 WB on 75th at Coles
5347 et al – other end – Southport/Clark
3204 – Milwaukee looking north at Logan Blvd, from middle of Logan Square. Very rare shot of trains
2744 – looking west on 79th at Anthony, where Skyway is now. The Sears in background closed in 2013
6149 at 77th carhouse, on Vincennes side
5705 on 95th west of South Chicago Av
6204 turning N to E from Stony Island onto 93rd, #89-Jeffery/100 bus tail end on right
Hammond 80 – SB Indianapolis at Calumet
Note on car 80 – Sheffield ends about 121st or so where it merges into Calumet, Route was Indianapolis-Calumet-Sheffield-Gostlin-Hohman
I don’t think img791 is at 95th & Ashland. At least I don’t recognize anything from my old neighborhood there. I think this is the north end of the Ashland line at W. Warner Ave. &
N. Southport Ave., looking NNE towards Lincoln Park. The street sign at center left looks like
it could be Warner. The destination sign on car 5438 probably was already changed for
the southbound run.
img791 Oops – not Lincoln Park, but Graceland Cemetery.
It took some figuring, but here it is. The second shot of 2744 is at Roscoe & Western loop. The big building in background is Lane Technical High School. Car is probably running a Lincoln-Roscoe trip, as the side sign is blank. Note that since the earlier shot on 79th car has migrated to a different carbarn!
Thanks to everyone who has contributed all this great information. I have updated the photo captions accordingly.
Andre is correct that the cross street shown in the photo of car 80 is Calumet Ave. If you go back in time, Sheffield Ave was built through North Hammond to Indianapolis Blvd on the narrow ridge between Wolf Lake and Lake George, before Lake George was partially filled in. Calumet Ave was extended south through what had formerly been Lake George at a later date (I believe during the 1930s). The old name of Sheffield Ave for the portion of the street north of 121st lingered on for some time after Calumet Ave was built.
[…] allow such a use, thanks. (The photo in question, reproduced below, originally appeared in our post Chicago Streetcars in Black-and-White, Part 5 (April 18). His group likes this picture so much that they may use it on the cover of their […]
not many photos of north side streetcars
You will find many such pictures in other posts of ours, thanks.