A Tribute to Robert Heinlein

May 25, 2023May 25, 2023David Sadowski Leave a comment

Robert Heinlein volunteered at the Illinois Railway Museum for many years.

Robert Heinlein, one of the giants in the railfan community, passed away on April 30, 2023, at the age of 84. You can read his obituary here.

Bob Heinlein was very knowledgeable, always cheerful, and continually went out of his way to share what he had learned to help others. He will be sorely missed.

Mr. Heinlein was a contributor to Central Electric Railfans’ Association Bulletin B-146, Chicago Streetcar Pictorial: The PCC Car Era, 1936-1958, of which I was a co-author. Unfortunately, he was not properly credited for several of his photographs, which were mistakenly attributed to the late Charles L. Tauscher (who was also an excellent photographer).

My co-author, the late Jeff Wien used twelve duplicate slides he had obtained in 1959 for the book, including the image on the cover. He was under the impression he had gotten these from Tauscher, but they were actually photos taken by Bob Heinlein. After the book was published, Bob informed Jeff of the error and loaned him the original slides, which I scanned. These images appeared in our previous post Loose Ends (February 2, 2021) with proper attribution.

Some of Mr. Heinlein’s images also appeared in my book The North Shore Line, which appeared earlier this year. Fortunately, he did see the book and I am told he enjoyed it.

The last time I met Mr. Heinlein was about a year ago, when I happened to run into him and his family by chance at the East Troy Railroad Museum. He was enjoying a ride on one of their restored trolley cars, and remarked how it would have been even more fun if they were running on the “L” twenty feet off the ground. That is how I would like to remember him.

He was an excellent photographer, going back to the early 1950s. In this post, we are sharing some of his own work, and other pictures from his vast collection, as a way of offering our condolences to his family, and as a tribute to the memory of a life well lived. We thank his son Kevin Heinlein for sharing these pictures with our readers.

I also would like to thank everyone who attended our recent program for my book The North Shore Line at Union Station on May 19th for the Railroad and Shortlines Club of Chicago.

Keep those cards and letters coming in, folks.

-David Sadowski

PS- You might also like our Trolley Dodger Facebook auxiliary, a private group that now has 1,205 members.

Our friend Kenneth Gear has a Facebook group for the Railroad Record Club. If you enjoy listening to audio recordings of classic railroad trains, whether steam, electric, or diesel, you might consider joining.

FYI, the Hoosier Traction Facebook Group celebrates electric transit in Indiana and the Midwest. It also supports the activities of the annual Hoosier Traction Meet (although not affiliated with the North American Transit Historical Society, which organizes that event).

On June 21, 1958, the Chicago Transit Authority offered free rides between Halsted Street and Cicero Avenue on its new rapid transit line in the median of the Congress (now Eisenhower) expressway. Robert Heinlein, then 20 years old, was working in the Public Information department and helps pass out literature. The new line opened the next day, replacing the Garfield Park “L”. This picture appeared in the July 1958 issue of the CTA Transit News, an employee publication.

CTA 7163 is southbound at Clark, Halsted, and Barry in July 1957. A version of this photo, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 170 of B-146, mistakenly credited to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7162 is southbound on Clark Street at LaSalle Drive in September 1957. A version of this photo, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 177 of B-146, mistakenly credited to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7171 is northbound on Clark Street, passing Wrigley Field. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7138 at Schreiber and Ravenswood, near Devon Station. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7192 at Kinzie and Dearborn in 1957. The yellow car behind the PCC, while commonly considered a Packard, is technically a 1956 Clipper Constellation hardtop, made by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7193 is northbound on Clark, just north of Ridge, at around 5961 N. Clark in July 1957. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, was incorrectly credited to Charles L. Tauscher on page 158 of B-146. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7151 is southbound at Clark Street and Chicago Avenue, passing by what is now the former Cosmopolitan Bank Building, designed by the firm of Schmidt, Garden & Martin and built in 1920. The northern portion of the building was a 1930 addition, and was redone in 1995, in a style matching the original portion. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7180 is southbound on Clark Street, passing by the coal company that was once located next to Wrigley Field. You get a good view of the Milwaukee Road freight tracks, since abandoned, that headed north of here. This was once part of a line that offered commuter rail service on the north side. The portion north of Wilson Avenue was taken over by the “L” in the early 1900s. Originally known as the Evanston Extension, it was gradually elevated as well. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7214 heads south on Route 22 – Clark-Wentworth. Since the Cubs were in the middle of a home stand, the date may very well have been September 4, 1957. The Cubbies would lose two of their three next games to the Cincinnati Redlegs (“Reds” was apparently too sensitive a name politically then) on their way to finishing the season with a record of 62 wins, 92 losses, and 2 ties. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7191 passing by Wrigley Field. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7189 is southbound on Clark Street just south of Irving Park Road in July 1957. The Wunders Cemetery is at right. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 165 of B-146, where it is incorrectly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7190 at Clark and Seminary by Wrigley Field in July 1957. The “coke” advertised here wasn’t Coca-Cola, but coal, used for heating homes and businesses then, but phased out soon afterwards. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 167 of B-146, incorrectly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7178 heads south on Clark Street near Wrigley Field in September 1957. The Milwaukee Road railroad tracks running by the ballpark were used for freight and connected with the CTA “L” just north of Irving Park Road. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 166 of B-146, where it is incorrectly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7190 heads south on State Street, crossing the Chicago River. Work on the new Chicago Sun-Times building is well underway. It opened in 1958. The following years, Field Enterprises bought the Daily News, and this building became its headquarters as well. It is now the site of the Trump International Hotel and Tower. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7200 is turning south from Devon onto Broadway in 1957. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

In September 1957, CTA PCCs 7220 and 7211 pass each other on Clark Street at Delaware near the Newberry Library and Washington Square Park, also known locally as “Bughouse Square.” A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 181 of B-146, mistakenly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7156 heads south on Broadway at Lawrence in Uptown on February 15, 1957, the last day of streetcar service on Broadway. The film Giant, starring James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor, opened in the US on November 24, 1956, and was playing at the Uptown. You can see the Green Mill lounge a bit south of the Uptown. The Riviera Theater would be just out of view to the left here. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 244 of B-146, mistakenly credited to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7164 is northbound on Clark at Addison in July 1957, crossing the Milwaukee Road tracks near Wrigley Field. A version of this photo, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 166 of B-146, incorrectly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7222 by Wrigley Field (Clark and Addison) in July 1957. This picture appears twice in CERA B-146, on the cover and on pages 134 and 167, taken from a duplicate slide. On page 167, it is incorrectly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. This is the original Red Border Kodachrome. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7149, signed for Clark and Schreiber (Devon Station). Note that the route number is 22 with a red slash through it. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

CTA 7211, still in its original paint scheme, heads south at Clark Street and Irving Park Road in September 1957, near the entrance to Graceland Cemetery. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 164 of B-146, where it was incorrectly attributed to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

In September 1957, CTA 7160 passes by the Rainbo building at left, located in the 4800 block of north Clark Street. A skating rink opened there that year. To the right, you see St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery. We are looking north. A version of this image, taken from a duplicate slide, appears on page 162 of B-146, where it was incorrectly credited to Charles L. Tauscher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

Although signed for the south portion of Route 36, which was replaced by buses in December 1955, PCC 4406 is actually on Clark and 16th Streets. Since 4406 was used (along with red car 225) on a fantrip on October 21, 1956, my guess is this picture was taken on that day. It was common practice to put incorrect signs up on trips, although on most of the pictures I have seen from that trip, it says “Chartered.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)

Wouldn’t you just know it? Without even realizing it I am sure, someone walked right into Bob Heinlein’s shot in this September 1957 view of CTA PCC 4390 (which would end up being one of the last cars used in June 1958). What to do, but wait for another car to come along, and take another picture (see Heinlein008).

Chicago Aurora and Elgin cars 413 and 453 are looping at the DesPlaines Avenue Terminal, sometime between 1953 and 1957. (Robert Heinlein Photo)

We are looking west from the Wells Street Terminal towards the dual bridges over the Chicago River. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

Trackwork near the Met bridge was somewhat complex. Tracks to the right fanned out, leading to the Wells Street Terminal. The tracks at left connected to the Loop “L” via Van Buren Street. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

This is the only photo I have seen that shows the interior of the Met bridge interlocking tower. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

This was scanned from an original North Shore Line 8x10" nitrate negative, taken circa 1930. Determining the location presented many challenges, yet this has now been determined with the aid of other fans. The car is 714, and it is signed as a Chicago Local on the Shore Line Route. Since the North Shore tracks are not adjacent to the Chicago and North Western, we must be north of North Chicago Junction. We cannot be south of Highland Park, as there is freight present here. A sign on the high-level platform indicates that freight trains have to come to a stop, most likely to make sure part of the platform gets flipped up for the sake of clearances. A similar arrangement existed at high-level stations of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin. As all the Shore Line tracks in Waukegan ran on the street, that pretty much narrows it down to North Chicago. The Thomas J. Killian Plumbing Supply company building at left clinches it, and the location is between 16th and 17th Streets, looking north. The Chicago and North Western's tracks were a short distance east of here, to the right out of view of this photo. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

This was scanned from an original North Shore Line 8×10″ nitrate negative, taken circa 1930. Determining the location presented many challenges, yet this has now been determined with the aid of other fans. The car is 714, and it is signed as a Chicago Local on the Shore Line Route. Since the North Shore tracks are not adjacent to the Chicago and North Western, we must be north of North Chicago Junction. We cannot be south of Highland Park, as there is freight present here. A sign on the high-level platform indicates that freight trains have to come to a stop, most likely to make sure part of the platform gets flipped up for the sake of clearances. A similar arrangement existed at high-level stations of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin. As all the Shore Line tracks in Waukegan ran on the street, that pretty much narrows it down to North Chicago. The Thomas J. Killian Plumbing Supply company building at left clinches it, and the location is between 16th and 17th Streets, looking north. The Chicago and North Western’s tracks were a short distance east of here, to the right out of view of this photo. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

This was also scanned from an original North Shore Line 8x10" nitrate negative, taken at the same time as the previous photo and shows a slightly different view of the same scene. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

This was also scanned from an original North Shore Line 8×10″ nitrate negative, taken at the same time as the previous photo and shows a slightly different view of the same scene. (Robert Heinlein Collection)

The North Shore Line grade crossing at Taylor Avenue in Racine, WI on December 16, 1931. You can see the shadow of the photographer, his view camera, and an assistant. This was scanned from the original 8×10″ negative. (NSL Photo, Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

The view of the North Shore Line tracks, looking south towards 21st Street in Racine, WI on March 11, 1930. Scanned from the original 8x10" negative. (NSL Photo, Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

The view of the North Shore Line tracks, looking south towards 21st Street in Racine, WI on March 11, 1930. Scanned from the original 8×10″ negative. (NSL Photo, Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

A view of the North Shore Line tracks looking north along the Skokie Valley Route near 16th Street in North Chicago on March 22, 1934. Scanned from the original 8×10″ negative. (NSL Photo, Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

The number 4391, in railfan circles, is most widely known as that of the only surviving postwar Chicago PCC streetcar. But this is a different 4391, namely a Chicago Rapid Transit Company “L” car, built circa 1923-24. We see the interior, complete with ads for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Bayer Aspirin, as it looked on May 27, 1937. Scanned from the original 8×10″ negative. (CRT Photo, Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

The view looking northeast along Lawrence Avenue (4800 N.) at Kimball Avenue (3400 W.) on January 28, 1929, in the Albany Park neighborhood. The Chicago Rapid Transit Company’s Ravenswood “L” Terminal is at right. The Terminal Theater, seen in the distance, was located at 3315 W. Lawrence, and had 2,389 seats. Presumably it took its name from the nearby “L” terminal. It was built by the Ascher Brothers chain and opened on January 7, 1926. It eventually became part of the Balaban and Katz chain, and closed on April 18, 1963. It was also known as the New Terminal, as it had replaced a smaller Terminal Theater nearby, built in 1915. Scanned from the original 8×10″ negative. (CRT Photo, Robert D. Heinlein collection)

It’s not clear exactly where this early 1900s photo was taken, but Greenwood, Franklin, Edinburgh, Columbus, and Seymour are all Indiana communities, located south of Indianapolis. Presumably the interurban shown was the Indiana Public Service, a predecessor of the Indiana Railroad, formed by Samuel Insull in 1930, combining five electric railways. (Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

North Shore Line coach 178 at the Highwood Shops in the mid-1950s. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

North Shore Line car 169 is northbound at the Wilmette station in the early-to-mid 1950s. This is now the site of a Panera parking lot. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

North Shore Line cars 154, 190, and 155 are stopped by the Lake Forest station on July 24, 1955. This was a Central Electric Railfans’ Association fantrip just prior to the abandonment of the Shore Line Route. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

This, and the following photo, were taken at the Mundelein Terminal in December 1960, showing different views of a two-car Skokie Valley Route train with 701 and 719. (Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

A northbound two-car North Shore Line train at Kenosha, WI in December 1960. (Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

North Shore Line 724 heads up a two-car train at 5th Street and Harrison Avenue in Milwaukee on September 24, 1961. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

North Shore Line 772 is a southbound Chicago Express on June 9, 1955, on a short stretch of street running in Highland Park. Service on the Shore Line Route would end about six weeks later. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

On July 10, 1955, North Shore Line car 409 is at the north end of the Shore Line Route, on the border between North Chicago and Waukegan. This car is now at the Illinois Railway Museum. Service on the Shore Line Route ended about two weeks after this picture was taken. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

Family was very important to Robert Heinlein, and often accompanied him on his railroad excursions. Here, his young daughter Donna poses for him on a North Shore coach at the Mundelein Terminal on December 1, 1962.

Although this photo has motion blur, it does help identify the location of the next picture, taken right after it. North Shore car 163 is at the front of a two-car train in Kenilworth, about a block north of the historic fountain designed by George W. Maher. It is leaving street running and entering private right-of-way where it will run parallel to the Chicago and North Western. (Robert D. Heinlein Photos)

North Shore Line Silverliner 756 is on the Skokie Valley Route, but where? The Kutten Oil Company was located at 3510 Wilmette Avenue in Wilmette, near Glenview. Robert D. Heinlein took this picture on September 1, 1958.

Knollwood was a stop along the Libertyville-Mundelein branch, named for a nearby farm. This is in an unincorporated area of Lake County, just west of Lake Bluff, at the intersection of Waukegan Road and Rockland Road. The train, which includes car 712, is heading east. The popular Silo restaurant is not too far east of here in Lake Bluff. Photographer Robert D. Heinlein captured this view on June 17, 1962.

The same location today.

This slide was taken early in the morning, and had to be lightened considerably. It was dated January 21, 1963 on the mount, but may actually have been taken on the 20th (the film was not processed until the following month). As such it was one of the final opportunities to shoot an Electroliner at the Milwaukee Terminal, which prompted one fan to jump into the inspection pit for his shot. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

This slide, showing a southbound North Shore Line Electroliner at speed, was marked as having been taken January 21, 1963 at Washington Street in Waukegan. That would place it after the abandonment the night before, but it seems likely to have been taken on the last full day prior to the shutdown, January 20th. Research shows the two Electroliners were moved back to the Highwood Shops one last time at night. Since this roll of film was not developed until the following month, the date was stamped on the slide mount some time after the fact. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

North Shore Line 747 is at the head of a train at Lake Bluff, signed as a Skokie Valley Route Chicago Limited. This slide was marked January 21, 1963, but is more likely to have been taken the day before. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

Illinois Terminal car 285 is on the last trip at Champaign, IL on June 11, 1955. Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “285 was built by St Louis Car in 1914. It was rebuilt as a parlor car in 1924 and restored as a coach in December 1928. It was air conditioned in August 1938 and (received) new seating in December 1952. It was sold for scrap to Hyman Michaels Co. on May 16, 1956.” (John F. Humiston Photo, Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

Illinois Terminal 285 is at Cerro Gordo, IL on its last trip prior to abandonment of this interurban route on June 11, 1955. For the occasion, locals dressed up in turn-of-the-century costumes. Some of the riders may have been old enough to remember when interurban service began here. (John F. Humiston Photo, Robert Heinlein Collection)

Illinois Terminal 285 is at Champaign, IL on its last trip on June 11, 1955. (John F. Humiston Photo, Robert Heinlein Collection)

This and the next picture: The Elgin and Belvidere Electric Company interurban operated from 1907 to 1930, connecting those two cities. It was extended to Rockford in 1927 but fell victim to the Great Depression and the rise of the automobile. When the Illinois Railway Museum (originally based in North Chicago) needed a new home in the early 1960s, they based their new main line on this former interurban right-of-way (and were able to purchase most, but not all of it by paying the back taxes). Amazingly, one of the original Elgin and Belvidere motormen lived long enough to operate a trolley at IRM. (Robert D. Heinlein Collection)

Work is underway erecting trolley poles at the Illinois Railway Museum site in Union. The time frame here could date from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

Former North Shore Line line car 604 at work one wintry day at the Illinois Railway Museum. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

Indiana Railroad high-speed lightweight interurban car 65 at the Illinois Railway Museum. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

Two trains running at the Illinois Railway Museum, circa 1971. At left, North Shore Line cars 160 and 714. The steam loco at right is labeled Tuskegee, but I am not sure if this is the Tuskegee Railroad 101 in the museum’s collection. (Robert D. Heinlein Photo)

Bob Heinlein and his brother Don at East Troy in May 2022.

Our Latest Book, Now Available:

The North Shore Line

FYI, my new Arcadia Publishing book The North Shore Line is now available for immediate shipment. My publisher decided to expand it to 160 pages, instead of the usual 128. That’s a 25% increase, without any change to the $23.99 price. I am quite pleased with how this turned out.

From the back cover:

As late as 1963, it was possible to board high-speed electric trains on Chicago’s famous Loop “L” that ran 90 miles north to Milwaukee. This was the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad, commonly known as the North Shore Line. It rose from humble origins in the 1890s as a local streetcar line in Waukegan to eventually become America’s fastest interurban under the visionary management of Midwest utilities tycoon Samuel Insull. The North Shore Line, under Insull, became a worthy competitor to the established steam railroads. Hobbled by the Great Depression, the road fought back in 1941 with two streamlined, air-conditioned, articulated trains called Electroliners, which included dining service. It regained its popularity during World War II, when gasoline and tires were rationed, but eventually, it fell victim to highways and the automobile. The North Shore Line had intercity rail, commuter rail, electric freight, city streetcars, and even buses. It has been gone for nearly 60 years, but it will always remain the Road of Service.

Each copy purchased here will be signed by the author, and you will also receive a bonus North Shore Line map. Books will ship by USPS Media Mail.

Chapters:
01. Beginnings
02. The Milwaukee Division
03. The Shore Line Route
04. The Skokie Valley Route
05. The Mundelein Branch
06. On the “L”
07. City Streetcars
08. Trolley Freight
09. The Long Goodbye
10. The Legacy

Title The North Shore Line
Images of America
Author David Sadowski
Edition illustrated
Publisher Arcadia Publishing (SC), 2023
ISBN 1467108960, 978-1467108966
Length 160 pages

The price of $23.99 includes shipping within the United States.

For Shipping to US Addresses:

New Compact Disc, Now Available:

CTA-1
The Last Chicago Streetcars 1958
# of Discs – 1
Price: $15.99

Until now, it seemed as though audio recordings of Chicago streetcars were practically non-existent. For whatever reason, the late William A. Steventon does not appear to have made any for his Railroad Record Club, even though he did make other recordings in the Chicago area in 1956.

Now, audio recordings of the last runs of Chicago streetcars have been found, in the collections of the late Jeffrey L. Wien (who was one of the riders on that last car). We do not know who made these recordings, but this must have been done using a portable reel-to-reel machine.

These important recordings will finally fill a gap in transit history. The last Chicago Transit Authority streetcar finished its run in the early hours of June 21, 1958. Now you can experience these events just as Chicagoans did.

As a bonus, we have included Keeping Pace, a 1939 Chicago Surface Lines employee training program. This was digitally transferred from an original 16” transcription disc. These recordings were unheard for 80 years.

Total time – 74:38

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More Chicago PCC Photos – Part Three

October 7, 2015December 31, 2016David Sadowski 6 Comments

Although signed for Clark-Wentworth, this shot of 4160 is actually on Madison in Garfield Park. (CSL Photo) George Trapp says he got this picture from the late Robert Gibson.

This is the third of four installments featuring Chicago PCC pictures from the collections of George Trapp. You can find Part One of the Chicago PCC series here, and Part Two here. We also posted some of Mr. Trapp’s photos of historic Chicago buses here.

Thanks to Mr. Trapp’s generosity, we now have at least another 150 additional images of Chicago PCC streetcars. Nearly all of these are previously unknown to me. Mr. Trapp has been collecting these type of pictures for nearly the last 50 years, and has let us borrow some of them so that we might feature them here and add them to our electronic book Chicago’s PCC Streetcars: The Rest of the Story, available through our Online Store.

The fourth and final batch of Mr. Trapp’s PCC pictures will feature both the prewar Chicago PCCs and the experimental cars that preceded them. We will have those posted in the next few days, so check this space.

We also wish to thank the great photographers who took these pictures originally. We have provided attribution for each photo where we have the information.

Of course, the deluxe hardcover book Chicago Streetcar Pictorial: The PCC Car Era 1936-1958, published in June by Central Electric Railfans’ Association, is the premier volume covering the rise and fall of the modern streetcar in the Windy City. That book contains hundreds of great color photos and is a must-have for anyone who is interested in the subject, or even anyone who is interested in knowing what Chicago’s disparate neighborhoods looked like in a bygone era. While I am proud to be a co-author of that work, B-146 is available directly from the publisher. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Trolley Dodger Press is not affiliated with CERA.

In my humble opinion, B-146 is a fantastic bargain and a great value for the money, and I urge you to get a copy if you have not already done so.

My more recent E-book, available on a data disc in PDF format, is intended as a very unofficial supplement and companion to that noble work. One advantage that an electronic book has over a printed one is that more information can be added to it as things become available. We have already added numerous photos, maps, etc. to it, and the material from the Trapp Collection is a tremendous addition, which we are very grateful to have.

On top of that, we are adding another section of photographs to the book covering Chicago’s rapid transit system as it appeared early in the CTA era. That will give the reader a very clear idea of how badly the system was in need of improvement and modernization, a factor in the process by which CTA ultimately decided to eliminate streetcars.

With the E-book, we are not attempting to duplicate anything covered in B-146, which mainly showcases color photography. But there are still lots of great black-and-white photos that deserve to be seen, and lots of other information which could not be included even in a 448-page book. Chicago once had the largest streetcar system in the world, and chances are it will be a long time, if ever, before anyone has the “last word” about it.

If you have already purchased our E-book, and wish to get an updated copy with the additional information, this can be done at little or no cost to you. We always intended that it would be improved over time and offer an upgrade service to our purchasers on an ongoing basis.

As always, clicking on each photo with your mouse should bring up a larger version of the picture in your browser. You may be able to magnify this if you then see a “+” on your screen.

Chicago’s postwar PCCs were built by Pullman-Standard (310 cars) and the St. Louis Car Company (290 cars). You can readily tell which ones are which, since the Pullmans are more squarish in appearance, especially the windows, and the St. Louies have more curved lines.

Finally, if you have any interesting tidbits of information to share about the photos you see here, don’t hesitate to let us know, either by making a comment on this post, or by dropping us a line to:

thetrolleydodger@gmail.com

Thanks.

-David Sadowski

Thanks to the generosity of George Trapp, all of the photos in today’s post are being added to our E-book Chicago’s PCC Streetcars: The Rest of the Story.

Car 7089 at South Shops.

PCC 7090 at 81st and Halsted.

St. Louis-built 7071 at 81st and Halsted. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

PCC 7096 at 81st and Halsted. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

PCC 7068 at 81st and Halsted on June 9, 1947. (James J. Buckley Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

CSL 7068 on Western. A woman with a very striking 1940s outfit has just gotten off. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

A close-up of the previous picture.

7062 as new at St. Louis Car Company.

A St. Louis Car Company photo of 7062’s interior.

Another St. Louis Car Company photo of a 7062’s interior.

Car 7052 heading north on Clark near Lincoln Park. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

7047 at 81st and Halsted. (James J. Buckley Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

7094 southbound on Wentworth at about 44th. That’s the old Stockyards “L” in the rear. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

7047 at 81st and Halsted.

CSL 7047 at 77th and Vincennes. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 7035 at South Shops in 1947. (CSL Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

A St. Louis Car Company picture of 7035. With some retouching and airbrushing, it was used in the photo that follows.

The result.

4160 northbound at Clark and Illinois in 1948. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4158, a southbound Broadway-State car, at Clark and Armitage in 1949. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4158 entering the Clark-Howard loop on July 15, 1953. (Thomas H. Desnoyers Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

I can’t make out the car number (41xx) but this is a Pullman heading southbound on route 36 on Broadway and Rosemont, with the old Granada Theatre in the background. The Granada, one of the great Chicago movie palaces, was built in 1926 and demolished around 1990. It was located at 6427 N. Sheridan Road and had 3,443 seats. To the right, just out of view, would have been a Chicago Motor Coach bus garage. This picture was taken in 1948. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

4157 southbound on Clark at Lincoln Park. (Chicago Transit Authority Photo)

4157 and 4156 being delivered to South Shops. CSL records indicate the date is January 18, 1947. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

Another view of 4157 and 4156 being delivered to CSL on January 18, 1947. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

4151 northbound at Clark and Webster in 1947. Not sure what a French laundry does. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4109 southbound on Clark and Lincoln Park. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4122 northbound at Clark and Surf in 1947. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4144 southbound on Clark near Irving Park. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4137 is southbound on Clark near 16th, going under the St. Charles Air Line. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

4162 heads south on the Wabash bridge over the Chicago River, most likely in 1948. A new bridge on State Street opened in 1949.

4112 at the Madison-Austin loop in 1948. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

4132, newly repainted in Everglade Green and Cream, leaves the Madison-Austin loop on June 17, 1951. Note the difference in the roof treatment between this and some other cars in this paint scheme. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

4112 southbound at Clark and LaSalle in early 1947. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4112 going through track work northbound at Clark and Victoria, most likely in the summer of 1947. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4097 southbound at Clark and North Avenues in the spring of 1947. The building at rear is the Chicago Historical Society, now the Chicago History Museum. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4089 at the Madison-Austin loop on November 17, 1951. Note the unusual off-center placement of the car number. George Trapp says these are the same sort of “fuzzy” numbers that were applied to buses as well. (Thomas H. Desnoyers Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

George Trapp thinks this photo of 4076 is either on Vincennes or the wide part of Clark. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 4076 at 81st and Halsted in October 1946. (William A. Raia Collection)

CSL 4075 at Clark and Granville in late 1946. George Trapp notes, “(This) car has (the) cream standee window band, all cars delivered like this (were) repainted in early 1947 to match later deliveries.” (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4079 westbound on Madison at either Sangamon or Morgan. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4067 on October 8, 1946 at the Pullman plant. It was delivered to CSL on the 24th.

CSL 4067 southbound on route 22. (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 4065 southbound at Clark and Pratt. The car at right is a body style known as a “fastback.” (Edward Frank, Jr. Photo)

4066 crosses the old Milwaukee Road freight tracks near Wrigley Field. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

CSL 4062, the first postwar PCC delivered, as new at 77th and Vincennes, most likely in September 1946. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

4065 being delivered at South Shops. The date would be October 19, 1946 according to CSL records. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

A CSL photo of brand new 4062. It was put into “preview” service in the Loop for a few days in September 1946 to introduce the postwar PCCs to Surface Lines riders.

4062 at the Pullman plant on September 3, 1946, just prior to being shipped to Chicago. It arrived there on the 9th.

A CSL photo showing the interior of 4062 as new.

A Surface Lines photo showing a side view of 4062, built by Pullman.

More Chicago PCC Photos – Part Two

October 1, 2015October 20, 2015David Sadowski 10 Comments

CTA 7100, as repainted. George Trapp notes, 7100 “may be (the) first painted in the ugly Everglade Green and Cream.” If so, this picture was probably taken in 1951. CTA chose a darker color green for repainting, since they were having difficulty matching the lighter Mercury Green paint, which had a tendency to fade over time. There were some variations in the roof treatment on some cars, and you can see examples of that in CERA Bulletin 146. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

Today we offer a third installment of pictures from the collections of George Trapp. You can find Part One of the Chicago PCC series here, and we also posted many photos of historic Chicago buses here.

Thanks to Mr. Trapp’s generosity, we now have close to another 150 additional images of Chicago PCC streetcars. Nearly all of these are previously unknown to me. Mr. Trapp has been collecting these type of pictures for nearly the last 50 years, and has let us borrow some of them so that we might feature them here and add them to our electronic book Chicago’s PCC Streetcars: The Rest of the Story, available through our Online Store.

Mr. Trapps’ photos are an embarrassment of riches. Since there are too many to post all at once, check this space in coming days from further installments in this series.

This time out, a few of the pictures are in color, and we have done some restoration work on them. When older color prints have faded or have developed a color cast, sometimes we can correct for this using today’s computer technology.

In my humble opinion, B-146 is a fantastic bargain and a great value for the money, and I urge you to get a copy if you have not already done so.

As always, clicking on each photo with your mouse should bring up a larger version of the picture in your browser. You may be able to magnify this if you then see a “+” on your screen.

thetrolleydodger@gmail.com

Thanks.

-David Sadowski

Thanks to the generosity of George Trapp, all of the photos in today’s post are being added to our E-book Chicago’s PCC Streetcars: The Rest of the Story.

CSL 7100 when newly delivered. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 7108, southbound on route 22. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 7108 at 81st and Halsted on August 15, 1947. (James J. Buckley Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

Glare on the front of the car makes the number more difficult to see, but it’s 4054 at 81st and Halsted. Since the cars are all signed for CSL, this photo probably dates to 1947.

CTA 4052 southbound on Western just north of North Avenue (see the 1607 address at right), making that the old Humboldt Park “L” at the rear. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 4060, probably in 1947. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

PCC 4061, a St. Louis product, southbound on Halsted. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

CSL 4061 southbound on route 22, probably in 1947. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

A builder’s photo of Pullman PCC 4172’s interior.

A builder’s photo of Pullman PCC 4172 as new.

Another builder’s photo of Pullman PCC 4172’s interior.

A builder’s photo of Pullman PCC 4172 as new.

An early color photo of CSL 4179.

The boxiness of the Pullmans, compared to the St. Louis version, is clearly evident in this side view of CSL 4179.

4306 up in the air at the Pullman plant.

4346 is southbound on Clark at Lunt in this 1948 view. A banner on the front of the car heralds “Another New CTA Streetcar.” This one was delivered on December 29, 1947. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

This Pullman PCC is northbound on route 36 Broadway-State. Andre Kristopans adds, “on State, between Pershing and 40th. The building is the old cable powerhouse and carbarn. Note in background the two-level bridge. Bottom is CR&I from the IC to Stock Yards, top is the Stock Yards L.” (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

State between Pershing and 40th as it appears today. The building at left is the Dawson Technical Institute, part of the City Colleges of Chicago. It was established in 1968.

Remnants of the the two-level bridge Andre refers to. The lower level took the Chicago & Rock Island from the Illinois Central to the Stock Yards, on top was the old Stock Yards “L”, which closed in 1957.

Is 4233 coming or going? I guess a case could be made either way. The car doesn’t seem to have any dents, and there isn’t a logo. Yet it’s not shiny, either, although that could simply be due to the weather. That decides it- this car was scrapped on 8/20/53 and delivered on 3/6/48, so this must be its arrival. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

Pullman PCC 4259 is turning from diversion trackage on Chicago Avenue onto southbound Halsted on July 30, 1952. This would be due to the bridge carrying Halsted over the Chicago River being out of service. The landmark Montgomery Wards complex is at rear. (Thomas H. Desnoyers Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)

PCC 4232 is northbound on Clark at Armitage (on route 22) in this June 1948 view. Note the lack of either a CSL or CTA logo on the side of this car. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

It’s May 1951, and CTA 4248, newly repainted in Everglade Green and Cream, is at 119th and Morgan on the south end of route 36 – Broadway-State. There is an ad for Gibson refrigerators on the side of the car– not the same company that makes guitars. (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

The interior of a PCC on the St. Louis Car Company assembly line. Car 7227 is ahead, which means this is probably either 7226 or 7228. All were delivered to CTA on March 29, 1948.

This picture of CTA 7129 has the appearance of a posed shot. The woman at right is apparently a “Bobby Soxer.” According to the wikipedia, “A bobby sock is a type of sock that was especially fashionable in the 1940s and 1950s. Bobby socks had thick uppers that were turned down to form a thick cuff at ankle height. They were sometimes worn by girls as part of a school uniform. They were popular to wear with saddle shoes, loafers, or Oxfords.” My mother was a Bobby Soxer. 7129, delivered on January 20, 1948, is labelled as “Another New CTA Streetcar.” (Krambles-Peterson Archive)

St. Louis-built 7155 is on Ravenswood Avenue with the Chicago & North Western embankment in the background. The side sign advertises AM radio station WGN, which still offers news and sports, but very little music nowadays. (CTA Photo)

CTA 7142, “Another New CTA streetcar,” is southbound at Wentworth and 24th. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

7178 and 7199 at Devon Station (car barn) circa 1954. George Trapp says you can tell this is Devon since they had wooden beams near the front, not steel. (Charlie Preston Photo)

PCC 7179 in front of red car 5096. From the destination sign you would think we are southbound on Western Avenue. Not sure what route the older car is on. Don’s Rail Photos says, “5001 thru 5200 were built by Brill in 1905, #14318, for the Chicago City Ry. where they carried the same numbers. They were rebuilt in 1908 to bring them up to the standard of the later cars.” George Trapp adds, “car 5096 could be on way from Archer car barn to 77th shops for scrapping as these cars were taken out of service in 1948 after Archer was converted to bus. Car 7179 may be in service on Western before official date of PCC service on Western as photo looks to be in Summer of 1948, 7179 has no logo.” Andre Kristopans writes, “I would bet at Western and 71st SB. The 5000 would have been on 67th-69th going to 71st & California. It looks like they are changing crews as the conductor is walking towards the car.” On the other hand, George Trapp says, ” Andris Kristopans mentions that he thinks it was taken near 71st St. because 5096 was on the 67th-69th-71st Route. I don’t believe this to be the case as that route used one man MU cars. Also, if you enlarge the photo, car 5096 is missing its side route sign box, there’s no glass in the upper sash window opening, the front destination sign seems to be missing as well. Perhaps the conductor of car 7179 just finished throwing the switch so it could go into the 79th loop and had to wait for it to pass so he could throw it back to the straight route for 5096 to continue south to 79th Street to go East. Car 7179 looks very pristine and is missing a CTA logo so this has to be right around the Aug. 1st official debut of PCC’s on Western or possibly earlier. The run number indicates a car from Devon Depot.” (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

This photo of PCC 7195 was probably taken by the CTA and the car is heading south on Clark Street opposite Lincoln Park. The ad is for TV station WBKB, which was originally called W9XBK and was Chicago’s first television station starting in 1940. The B and K in WBKB stood for the owners, the Balaban and Katz chain of movie palaces. It was eventually a CBS affiliate on channel 4 and became WBBM-TV channel 2 when the FCC reassigned frequencies. There was a second WBKB then on channel 7, now WLS-TV, and there is yet a third WBKB nowadays in Alpena, Michigan, a CBS affiliate that airs on channel 11.

I believe this iconic picture of CTA 7213, leaving Clark and Kinzie on the last Chicago streetcar run in the early morning hours of June 21, 1958, is a CTA photo.

CTA 7218 is heading north on shoofly trackage at Hasted and Congress circa 1952, while the bridge that would take Halsted over the Congress (later Eisenhower) expressway was being built. There was a photo taken near this location, facing west, in our first post of PCC photos from the Trapp Collection. (Originally from the collections of Joe L. Diaz)

CTA 7254, southbound on Clark and Wacker on April 6, 1950, having just crossed over the Chicago River. (Traction Chicago Photo)

George Trapp writes, “7244 is westbound on Devon at Ravenswood, (the) car is getting ready to turn north on Ravenswood , then will turn East on Schreiber and lay over just west of Clark before making it’s run to 119th-Morgan.” Jeff Wien adds, “Car 7244 is a Broadway-State car on Devon at Ravenswood heading west. The conductor was throwing the switch so that the car would head north on Ravenswood to Schreiber. With the 36 119-Morgan destination sign, I would gather that the car was going to make a run to the south end of the line.” (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

PCC 4390, “Another New CTA Streetcar,” is heading eastbound on Roosevelt between Paulina and Ashland in 1948. Route 9 – Ashland cars ran on Paulina between Lake and Roosevelt, since streetcars were not allowed on boulevards, but Ashland never had PCCs and this car is not in service. In the background at left we see the marquee of the Broadway Strand Theatre. According to http://www.cinematreasures.org, “The Broadway Strand Theatre opened on November 10, 1917 on Roosevelt Road (then still called 12th Street) at Ashland Avenue on the Near West Side (close to what is today the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center). In its prime, this theatre had a 2/8 Kimball theater organ.
The Broadway Strand Theatre was demolished in 1998 after a long period of disuse.” A Chicago Motor Coach bus is at right, and a route 12 – Roosevelt Road red car behind the PCC. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

PCC 7267, “Another New CTA Streetcar,” stopped at a safety island southbound on route 49 – Western. (Ed Frank, Jr. Photo)

CTA 4402 at the Western and 79th terminal, ready to head back north. (Traction Chicago Photo)

The curved lines of St. Louis-built PCC 4404 are evident in this view. The car is signed for Western and Devon on route 49, meaning we are heading northbound. Likely, this picture was taken prior to the opening of the CTA loop at Western and Berwyn on August 1, 1948. George Trapp adds that this photo was probably taken “between Aug. 10th, 1948 when the car was delivered and Dec. 12th, 1948 when Berwyn became the official North terminal. Before Dec. 12th, 1948 the Schreiber Loop at the Devon Depot was the North terminal when PCC’s were put on Western and the route was cut back from Howard on the North and 111th on the South.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)

It would appear that CTA L-201 is taking PCC 7142 off to be scrapped in this scene from 77th and Vincennes. The scrap date for 7142 was May 23, 1958, which is probably about when this picture was taken. (J. Schmidt Photo)

CTA 4384 is apparently southbound on Western in the mid-1950s. and signed to go only as far as 69th, making this a pull-in.

A PCC passes the historic Pui Tak Center Building in Chinatown while heading south on route 22. The building is at 2216 South Wentworth Avenue, just south of Cermak Road. The car at left is a 1957 Buick.
There is a similar (better, actually) picture taken at this location by Charles L. Tauscher on page 211 of CERA Bulletin 146.

An undated view of PCC 4391 at the Illinois Railway Museum, probably in the 1980s.

CTA 4248 is heading north on Halsted at Root on the south side in this July 21, 1952 view. The occasion was the Democratic Convention, held at the nearby International Amphitheatre, which took place from July 21 to the 26th. The Republican Convention was held there as well between July 7th and the 11th. The Dems nominated Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson for president, and the GOP General Dwight D. Eisenhower. (Thomas H. Desnoyers Photo, Krambles-Peterson Archive)