Milwaukee Electric 948, as seen from the rear of car 900, on July 16, 1952. Darrick Vormann adds, “Great shot, looks like #10 turning off of 68th St. headed to West Allis.” Larry Sakar: “Photo aaa756 showing the Wells-West Allis westbound streetcar completing the turn from southbound S. 68th Street onto the continuation of the private r.o.w. was also part of Phase III (in Milwaukee Rapid Transit construction in the late 1920s). The 68th Street Rapid Transit station would have been to the left of the streetcar atop the r.o.w. Where the streetcar is seen is today part of the 68th St. off ramp from eastbound I-94, the East-West Freeway. Look slightly left in the background and you can see a bit of the large abutment that carried the two bridges of the Rapid Transit line over S. 68th St. To the left of it, streetcars came down or climbed up a ramp on the embankment to or from the p.r.o.w. This was a favorite place for pranksters. They would soap or oil the track climbing up to the top of the embankment and then hide nearby and get their kicks watching the streetcar try to climb on the soaped or oiled rails.”

Chicago & West Towns car 161. The slide says this is in Brookfield.

Chicago & West Towns 156. The slide says this is in Brookfield, but it looks like it could be on Woodside in Riverside.

The caption on this slide mount says, “Dad, David, Bev and Mom entering the El on November 23, 1962.” The location is the at 242-Van Cortlandt Park on the IRT Broadway Line in the Bronx. The station is still there.

Pittsburgh Railways 1693 on the Fineview line in September 1965.

A North Shore Line train at North Chicago Junction on January 20, 1963, the last full day of service before abandonment.

The Aurora and Elgin station in Wheaton on June 14, 1960, nearly three years after passenger service ended, and a year after the last freight train ran.

The CA&E station at Lakewood on June 14, 1960. The line had been abandoned, but was still largely intact, yet could not be saved.

One of the two former North Shore Line Electroliners, just after it had been delivered to the Red Arrow’s Philadelphia & Western line at the 69th Street terminal. The slide was processed in January 1964, but by then, the two trainsets had been repainted and reconfigured into Liberty Liners and were put into service on the 13-mile line to Norristown. So this was taken a few months earlier. Notice the North Shore Line emblem on the front of the train has been removed.

The interior of Milwaukee streetcar 918 on September 5, 1954. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Milwaukee County Stadium on October 6, 1957, during Game 4 of the World Series between the Milwaukee Braves and New York Yankees. The Braves came from behind to win the game 7-5 in the bottom of the 10th inning, via what we now call a “walk off” home run by Eddie Mathews. Warren Spahn was the winning pitcher, and the Braves went on to win the series, four games to three. The same two teams faced off in the 1958 series, which was won by the Yankees in seven games. Attendance at this game was 45,804 and the park was still served by streetcars in 1957 (but not the following year). (William C. Hoffman Photo)

According to the slide mount, this shows an expansion joint in the streetcar tracks near County Stadium in Milwaukee, where several streetcars are parked during the fourth game of the World Series between the Milwaukee Braves and the New York Yankees on October 6, 1957. (William C. Hoffman Photo) Larry Sakar adds: “Great picture aaa732 of streetcars on the stadium spur in Calvary Cemetery cut. The cut was started in 1926 as part of Phase III of the Rapid Transit Line construction project officially known as the “Fairview Ave. Grade Separation Project.” This phase was completed in late 1928, and construction on Phase IV The City of Milwaukee Rapid Transit Line between 8th & Hibernia Streets and 40th Street was started. It would take until 9-22-30 for it to be completed. As you know, Phase V, the subway to the Public Service Building had some preliminary work done but was never completed. Looking at the photo of the spur, I feel that the spur was a bit more to the south then when the Rapid Transit was running. The eastbound Rapid Transit track would have been next to the fence to the left but there doesn’t look like there was enough room for a fourth track in this photo. The cut still exists but it is so overgrown with weeds and brush that it is barely recognizable. I have a photo taken by Mr. Dan Lee of the Milwaukee Public library Humanities Dept. in 2016 which I’ll send you and you’ll see what I mean about it being overgrown.”

A Milwaukee trolley bus is on National Avenue on May 30, 1963. We are looking north on 6th Street, where North Shore Line interurban trains had run until January 21, 1963. The last Milwaukee trolley bus operated in 1965. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Fans pushing bus 255 at the Cold Springs Shops at 35th and McKinley on November 4, 1962. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Fans pushing bus 255 at the Cold Springs Shops at 35th and McKinley on November 4, 1962. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

“Streetliner” bus 886 at the National Railway Museum in Green Bay, WI on September 22, 1963. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

The art glass window of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad at Fowler and Plankinton in Milwaukee on May 30, 1963. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

On December 4, 1949, Milwaukee Electric car 1121 was operated on the North Shore Line for a fantrip. Here it is at the Oklahoma stop on an embankment in Milwaukee, WI.
(William C. Hoffman Photo)

Speedrail car 66 at West Junction on June 14, 1951, not long before the entire interurban line was abandoned.

Speedrail car 66 in Milwaukee on June 14, 1951. Larry Sakar adds, “car 66 is westbound about to cross the 8th Street bridge. Once across it will go down the ramp to the start of the private right of way.”

Speedrail car 66 at the Hales Corners loop on June 14, 1951. Larry Sakar: “It’s hard to distinguish in this photo of car 66 rounding Hales Corners Hillcrest loop but in the right side background was the Hales Corners Speedway where they held car races well into the 70’s and ’80’s. Today a Menards occupies the site of the HC loop.”

Milwaukee Electric cars 979 and 914 on private right-of-way on the west side of Milwaukee on May 16, 1953. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Wisconsin Electric Power Company loco L-9 at the Lakeside power plant on June 12, 1955.
(William C. Hoffman Photo)

Milwaukee Rapid Transit and Speedrail articulated car 50 on Everett Street at the Milwaukee terminal on June 17, 1951.
(William C. Hoffman Photo)

Speedrail heavyweight cars 1193 and 1192 at the Milwaukee terminal on July 4, 1950.
1192 was wrecked less than two months later. The heavyweight cars were only used during rush hours. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

The old interurban and rapid transit terminal at 2nd and Michigan Streets in Milwaukee on August 27, 1961. (William C. Hoffman Photo) Larry Sakar: “Great shot of the Public Service Building a decade after the Rapid Transit had been abandoned. I think you should say this is the southeast corner of N. 3rd & W. Michigan Streets. The caption gives the impression that it’s 2nd Street. Greyhound would occupy the building for four more years before moving to its new terminal on the northeast corner of N. 7th & W. Michigan Streets in early February 1965. I don’t know what’s in there now. Greyhound moved to the new Intermodal station on the west end of the Amtrak station at 5th & St. Paul around 2006. Three years later Badger Coach which was directly across N. 7th Street. moved there in 2009. It is now the sole bus terminal in Milwaukee.”

Double-pole streetcar 801 is at the Fond Du Lac station in Milwaukee on May 4, 1958. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

On August 2, 1964, Milwaukee streetcar 978 is on static display at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, WI. After moving around to several places after its 1958 retirement, car 978 is now at the East Troy Electric Railroad. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

The view west along the old Milwaukee Electric right-of-way over the North Shore Line in south Milwaukee on September 9, 1962. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Speedrail snow plow U-5 is at the Milwaukee terminal on June 17. 1951. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Old heavyweight Milwaukee Electric steel car 1115, later operated under Speedrail, is shown at the Everett Street terminal in Milwaukee on June 17, 1951. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

On July 4, 1950, several Speedrail cars are shown at the Milwaukee terminal. Car 1192, at right, was involved in a head-on collision on September 2, 1950. (William C. Hoffman Photo)

Milwaukee Electric (aka Speedrail) car 1115 is at the Waukesha loop on July 16, 1950. Larry Sakar: “Car 1115 seen on the Waukesha loop on 7-16-50 was part two of a four-part fan trip. I do not know who sponsored it. The morning trip to Waukesha used lightweight duplex 31-32 to Waukesha. At Waukesha loop the fans boarded ex TM now Speedrail car 1115 for the return trip to Milwaukee. There are a number of pictures of it at West Junction, including that one I think I shared with you long ago where Speedrail VP of operations Ed Tennyson appears to be chewing out the conductor. The afternoon trip to Hales Corners Hillcrest loop used curved side car 65 to Hales Corners and ex AE&FR, ex SHRT 301 for the return to Milwaukee. While backing across the Honey Creek Parkway bridge for a photo run-by, the trolley pole came off the wire and struck the catenary arm, bending it like a pretzel. Those cars did not carry a spare pole. In fact, I’m not aware if TM or any of its successors ever did. They moved the front pole around and it got them back to the Public Service Building.”

On June 14, 1951, Speedrail car 66 is at the Waukesha loop. Refurbishing this curved-sided car, originally built by the Cincinnati Car Company and purchased used from Lehigh Valley Transit, was a last-ditch effort to save the line. Unfortunately, this car only ran in Milwaukee for a few weeks before the line quit. Larry Sakar: “The caption says that car 66 operated for “just a few weeks” before the end of Speedrail on 6-30-51. The 66 made its debut on a fan trip on the Waukesha line on March 31, 1951. It operated in regular service over both the Waukesha and Hales Corners lines through the very last day. I have a color print from a slide of it stopping at Waukesha East Limits on 6-30-51. It is credited to the late George Krambles.”

Speedrail car 1192, which was heavily damaged in a horrific head-on collision, as it appeared in September 1951.

Speedrail car 62 leaves the Milwaukee terminal on June 14, 1951.

Milwaukee Electric 801 is on the Wells Street trestle on May 6, 1950.

Milwaukee Electric car 801, equipped with two trolley poles, is at the Fond Du Lac barns on September 5, 1954.

On May 22, 1955, Milwaukee Electric loco L10 and some hopper cars are on the #10 route. Larry Sakar: “This is not the Route 10 line. No freight service ever crossed the Wells Street viaduct which I’m guessing is what whoever wrote the caption thought this was. It is actually the Lakeside Belt Line crossing South 60th Street, a short distance north of where I live. Today, you’d never know it was there!”

On May 16, 1953, Milwaukee Electric 921 is on the long trestle on the line to Wauwatosa.

Milwaukee Electric 994 is on the Howell line in Milwaukee on August 12, 1955.

Milwaukee streetcar 962 is on the West Allis route on September 14, 1953.

Chicago Aurora and Elgin car 407 at Green Valley in Lombard at Brewster Avenue.

CA&E car 411 heads up a train in Wheaton.

CTA 2891 is heading west, crossing First Avenue in suburban Maywood in November 1951. The Refiner’s Pride gas station at rear was run by “Montana Charlie” Reid. He operated a chain of such stations in the western suburbs here. He also owned Montana Charlie’s Chuck Wagon, a restaurant in Villa Park. Although Charlie himself is long gone (he died in the early 1980s), his name is still used on a flea market in Bolingbrook, Montana Charlie’s Little America. (Truman Hefner Photo)

The Refiner’s Pride gas station on first Avenue in Maywood was part of a chain that included this location in Forest Park, and included a small convenience store. The Forest Park location is still in business as Refiners Citgo. (Forest Park Review Photo)

From the Chicago Tribune, September 19, 2004: “As for the real Montana Charlie, he is described as an exciting character with a colorful, almost improbable background. Montana Charlie Reid “was born and raised on the North Side of Chicago but while in his early teens, during the previous turn of the century [19th to the 20th], he yearned to be a cowboy,” Donahue says. “So he got on his horse and rode it all the way to Montana, where he got a job on a ranch.
“He learned trick riding and became involved with traveling carnivals and circus acts. As he went through life, he tried his hand at various other things — including chauffeuring an oil tycoon. When his employer died, he left his estate to Montana Charlie.”

CTA 2920 at the ground level Harrison Street station on the Westchester route in May 1951.
(Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2889 heads south into an open cut near the Roosevelt Road station in March 1951, while passing several cars in storage nearby.
(Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2863 is at the Roosevelt Road station on the Westchester line in April 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2721 is eastbound, west of the DesPlaines Avenue station in April 1951. The gas holder at right was a longtime Forest Park landmark. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2904 approaches the Roosevelt Road station in January 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2908 is eastbound, having crossed First Avenue in Maywood. The old Refiner’s Pride gas station is in the background. The date given here (June 1952) must be wrong, as the Westchester branch quit in December 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2823 is between First Avenue and DesPlaines Avenue, having just crossed over the DesPlaines River. The date given (October 1952) must be wrong, as the Westchester branch quit in December 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2922 crossing railroad tracks near DesPlaines Avenue. The date given is January 1952. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2859 and one additional car are southbound, having just stopped at the Roosevelt Road station on the Westchester route. The date given (March 1952) must be incorrect, as service on the Westchester “L” ended the previous December. Notice the two tracks went down to one here, for the rest of the line, which ended at Mannheim Road and 22nd Street. (Truman Hefner Photo)

In April 1951, CTA 2731 heads south, about to cross Madison Street just west of Bellwood Avenue in suburban Bellwood. A black-and-white version of this picture appears in my book Chicago’s Lost “L”s. Just north of here, the Westchester branch merged with the Chicago Aurora & Elgin main line. As far as I know, the house at right is still there.
(Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2820 is on the CA&E main line in Bellwood in February 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2834 is westbound, just west of DesPlaines Avenue, in April 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2899 is at the Roosevelt Road station in February 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2806 and another car are in an open cut near the Roosevelt Road station in February 1951. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2814 crosses Harrison Street in April 1951.
(Truman Hefner Photo)

This slide was definitely mislabeled. It was actually taken on the CA&E main line, just west of 25th Avenue. I believe the train is westbound. (Truman Hefner Photo)

CTA 2817 is just east of 25th Avenue, where the Chicago Great Western had a freight yard, on the CA&E main line. The train is eastbound. (Truman Hefner Photo)

Here is a nice view of the Douglas Park yard at 54th Avenue in 1966, showing the old right-of-way that extended west of here until the line was cut back in 1952. The occasion was a fantrip.

Here is an excellent early photo of the Met “L” station at Gunderson, courtesy of LeRoy Blommaert. Gunderson is a side street running north-south in Oak Park, located between East Avenue and Ridgeland. When the “L” came through here, it was a new development, and hence, got its own station. The East Avenue entrance to the Blue Line station at Oak Park Avenue is its nearest contemporary replacement.

This real photo postcard recently sold for $60.99 on eBay. I did not win the auction. It shows a Chicago Union Traction streetcar signed for Evanston. Not sure if this was before or after service terminated at the city limits, so it could actually have terminated in Evanston itself.

Here is a mystery photo for you. Where was this picture of North Shore Line car 420 taken? Zach E.: “The mystery photo of CNS&M 420 was taken at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.”

There have been only a few times when “L” trains fell off the structure… this derailment, which happened on December 7, 1966, is one of them, at the curve near 40th and Indiana. David Harrison: “Yes… there were two things important about this incident… the last cars of an 8-car SB derailed. The two cars stayed on the structure for three blocks, after being derailed…. before they finally left the structure. That shows how ‘L’ cars are rather safe thanks to their weigh and low center of gravity, plus guard rails and timber guards. CTA rules at that time did not require to motorman to check his train after an emergency stop. The motorman testified he didn’t feel his train’s performance was different. Perhaps two blocks of running was at a low speed because of the curve at Wabash/40th. CTA rules were changed after this incident.” Caron Stewart adds, “Two people died in this accident. The train was going southbound during the morning rush. If it was going north towards downtown during this time the injuries most likely would have been higher.”

Another slide I did not win. This was one of those fantrips held on the CA&E after passenger service was abandoned. Unfortunately the photographer used “grade Z” film (probably Anscochrome).
Chicago Aurora and Elgin Electric Interurban Coach #453
Original Color Slide Photographer Credit: Unknown
Maywood, Illinois 26 October 1958