North Shore Line 721 sports an interesting destination sign. The interurban ran several such “named” trains in the 1920s, in an attempt to compete with the steam railroads. The Interstate Eastern ran to Chicago’s south side, where travelers could change for eastbound trains. From 1922 to 1938, a small number of NSL trains ran south of Roosevelt Road, the usual terminus, but did not ultimately attract much ridership. I don’t think the named trains lasted beyond 1932. Where is that sign today? (Robert Heinlein Photo) Correction: J. J. Sedelmaier notes that these were two different trains, the Interstate and the Eastern. Zachary Ehlers: “The Eastern Limiteds left Chicago and Milwaukee at 10am, carrying a Parlor car. The Interstate Limited left Milwaukee at 7:15am and Chicago at 5:05pm, carrying a dining car. (Source: the 1929 PTT).”
Today we are featuring a bevy of rare black-and-white North Shore Line photos taken in the mid-1950s by the late Robert D. Heinlein. Many of these might be considered “roster shots,” attempts to document the entire fleet of cars on a railroad.
There are numerous pictures of the “Farewell to the Shore Line Route” fantrip held by the Central Electric Railfans’ Association on July 24, 1955, the day before the abandonment of service on that branch of the interurban. To some extent, all three cars operated on that trip (154, 190, and 155) were ill-fated. 155 and 190 were damaged in a fire at Highwood on August 11, 1955, along with several other cars, and were scrapped. 154 survived the 1963 abandonment of the railroad, but ultimately succumbed to years of neglect. The body of that car was dumped in a field, after being stripped for parts, and its owners touted its potential as a chicken coop for prospective buyers.
These images were shot on medium format paper-backed roll film, either 120 or 620 size. There were apparently some handling issues, as some of the negatives were light-struck. However, we have included many of these, due to their historic significance.
We could not include all of Mr. Heinlein’s black-and-white images in this post, so there are more to come in future posts. We thank Kevin Heinlein for sharing these excellent images with our readers. We are presenting them in much the same order his father had them sorted in, mainly in car number order rather than by location.
They are especially noteworthy, as they are mainly pictures taken on the Shore Line Route, which was not as well documented as the Skokie Valley Route, as it was abandoned nearly eight years earlier.
Enjoy!
-David Sadowski
PS- You might also like our Trolley Dodger Facebook auxiliary, a private group that now has 1,414 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).
Effective immediately, due to the increased cost of international shipping, we will need to quote shipping prices before sending Trolley Dodger orders outside the United States. Until now, we had a fixed price surcharge on most international orders, but we actually lost money shipping out recent orders. It is not our intention to make a profit on international shipping, and we will quote based on actual cost. Thanks.
Robert Heinlein’s North Shore Line Rarities
North Shore Line (originally Chicago & Milwaukee Electric) sweeper 3 was built in 1904 using parts from an earlier sweeper from 1899. It was retired in 1951, and the body was sold to the Illinois Electric Railway Museum in North Chicago. Presumably the sign that says “Garfield” is from the “L”. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “21 was built by McGuire-Cummings in 1908. The brooms could be removed for work service. It was retired in 1950 and sold to Chicago Hardware Foundry Co. as 238 in 1953.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
North Shore Line cars 154, 190, and 155 are at the Linden Avenue station in Wilmette on July 24, 1955. This was a Central Electric Railfans’ Association fantrip just prior to the abandonment of the Shore Line Route. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
This and the next picture: The fantrip train makes a photo stop in Lake Bluff, where the branch line to Libertyville and Mundelein started. (Robert Heinlein Photos)
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 Heinlein Photo)
The fantrip train at Linden Avenue in Wilmette.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
The fantrip train at the Wilmette station near the Chicago and North Western. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
The fantrip train at the Glencoe gauntlet.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
154 in Kenilworth, by the historic fountain designed by George Maher. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 154. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 154. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Lake Bluff. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
This and the next picture: At the Glencoe gauntlet. (Robert Heinlein Photos)
155, at the tail end of the famtrip train, turns onto Greenleaf Avenue in Wilmette. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
In the Winnetka grade separation area. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
I’m wondering if this is the 10th Street station, which in 1955 was the end of the line on the Shore Line Route. It was located on the border between North Chicago and Waukegan. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Turning onto Greenleaf Avenue in Wilmette.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
The fantrip train makes a photo stop in the short area of street running in Highland Park. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “155 was built by Brill in 1915, #19605. It was damaged by fire at Highwood on August 11, 1955, and scrapped. One end from it was used to repair 735.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
At the east end of the Libertyville/Mundelein branch in Lake Bluff. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
In the general area of Winnetka. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
I’m not sure where this might be… Highland Park or Kenilworth. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Lake Bluff, going under the Chicago and North Western tracks, where the Mundelein branch began. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
157 was built by Brill in 1915. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
156 was built by Brill in 1915. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 162 at the Wilmette Village Hall. Car 162 is now at East Troy, and is the oldest survivor of the fleet, having been delivered prior to IRM’s 160. It is undergoing restoration. I originally had the wrong location for this one. Thanks to Nick Jenkins for the correction. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 163 in Winnetka. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 157 on Greenleaf Avenue in Wilmette.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
This and the next photo show 165 in Winnetka. It was built by Jewett in 1917. (Robert Heinlein Photos)
This and the next photo show 169 in Wilmette.
(Robert Heinlein Photos)
169 at Highwood. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
169 in Wilmette. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 175. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 170 was built by the Cincinnati Car Company in 1920. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 176 on Greenleaf Avenue in Wilmette.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
175 in Winnetka. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 178 is stored on the middle track at Roosevelt Road on the “L”. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
178 on Greenleaf Avenue in Wilmette. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
North Shore Line coach 178 at the Highwood Shops in the mid-1950s. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 186, presumably at Highwood. Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “186 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was scrapped at Rondout on January 29, 1964.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 180 at the Milwaukee Terminal. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “188 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was damaged by fire at Highwood on August 11, 1955, and scrapped.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “189 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was damaged by fire at Highwood on August 11, 1955, and scrapped.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “190 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was damaged by fire at Highwood on August 11, 1955, and scrapped.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
The “Greenliner” style logo was painted on, while the Silverliners had logos made of aluminum and bolted on. This is car 190.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
Car 190, presumably on the 1955 farewell to the Shore Line Route fantrip on July 24, 1955.
(Robert Heinlein Photo)
190 at Highwood. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
190 at the Glencoe gauntlet. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “192 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was retired on December 31, 1955. It was scrapped at Rondout on January 29, 1964.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
193 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was scrapped at Rondout on January 29, 1964. (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “195 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was retired on December 31, 1955. It was scrapped at Rondout on January 29, 1964.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “196 was built by Cincinnati Car in August 1920, #2450. It was damaged by fire at Highwood on August 11, 1955, and scrapped.” (Robert Heinlein Photo)
This and the next picture: Don’s Rail Photos (via Archive.org): “202 was built by Jewett in 1909 as a combine. In January 1917 it was converted to a merchandise dispatch cars by removing the seating and adding doors at the former passenger end of the cars. In 1936 it was converted to use as a supply car. In August 1946 it was sold to Chicago Hardware Foundry where the body was used as a storage shed for several years.” (Robert Heinlein Photos)
North Shore Line 458 started life as Oregon Electric loco 50. Here it is in Portland on February 2, 1946. (Gordon Spafford Photo)
North Shore Line loco 459 was originally Oregon Electric 51. Here it is in Portland on December 1, 1946. (George Butte Photo)
In the 1960s, you could buy sets of duplicate slides, often taken by the late A. C. Kalmbach, of Kalmbach Publications fame. These have tended to fade badly over the years, probably due to the cheap film stock that was used for duplicating. I purchased this one recently, and took a crack at restoring it. We see a view of the North Shore Line Milwaukee Terminal, probably around 1960, looking east along Michigan Street at Sixth Street.
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
Help Support The Trolley Dodger
This is our 305th post, and we are gradually creating a body of work and an online resource for the benefit of all railfans, everywhere. To date, we have received over 1,009,000 page views, for which we are very grateful.
You can help us continue our original transit research by checking out the fine products in our Online Store.
As we have said before, “If you buy here, we will be here.”
We thank you for your support.
DONATIONS
In order to continue giving you the kinds of historic railroad images that you have come to expect from The Trolley Dodger, we need your help and support. It costs money to maintain this website, and to do the sort of historic research that is our specialty.
Your financial contributions help make this web site better, and are greatly appreciated.
