CTA 192 at 63rd Place and Major (5700 W.) in June 1952, after the prewar PCCs had been removed from the 63rd Street route. Some postwar PCCs would also be used on this line before streetcars were abandoned in 1953. Major was the end of the private right-of-way on the west end of this route.
63rd Place and Major today. After streetcars were abandoned, bus service on this portion of the line was relocated to 63rd Street. The same terminal at Narragansett and 63rd Place remained in use, however. We are looking west.
The older house in the middle of the picture (5714 W. 63rd Place) also appears in the 1952 image.
Here is another generous helping of classic Chicago streetcar photos from the latter part of the Chicago Surface Lines era as well as the early days of its successor, the Chicago Transit Authority. We even have one picture from before CSL days.
As always, if you can help identify locations, or have interesting facts or reminiscences to add, don’t hesitate to drop us a line. You can leave comments on this post, or write us directly at:
thetrolleydodger@gmail.com
FYI, there will be additional posts in this series coming up in the near future, so watch this space. To see previous posts, use the search window on this page.
-David Sadowski
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CSL 1812 at Harrison and Central, ready to head back downtown. That’s Columbus Park at rear. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Harrison and Central today. Now there is a turnaround loop for CTA buses just west of Central.
75th and Vincennes in the 1940s. At left, CSL 241 heads south on through route 22 – Clark-Wentworth, while 2774 heads west on the 74-75 route. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Vincennes and 75th today. We are looking northeast.
CSL 3304 is heading westbound at Armitage and Cicero on route 73. This picture was originally identified as being at Grand, but the buildings do not match up, and there actually was no direct track connection between the Armitage and Grand streetcar lines. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Armitage and Cicero today. We are facing east.
CSL 3278 is identified as being at 51st and Western, on the 51-55 line. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 2904, 3110, and 2908 at the Blue Island Station (car house), showing its fireproof concrete and brick construction. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 5998 on the Archer line.
This photo of CSL 2589 is at Michigan and 121st on the Riverdale line, crossing the Blue Island branch of the Illinois Central electric suburban service (today’s Metra Electric). There is another picture of the same car in our post Chicago Streetcars in Black-and-White, Part 6 (May 11, 2015), which explains why 2589 has “keep to right” scrawled on it. That was to warn drivers not to try passing the car on the left while on the bridge over the Little Calumet River, where the line was single track. 2589 was a so-called “Robertson” car, built by St. Louis Car Company in 1901. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
Michigan and 121st today.
The interior of CTA 3034 as it appeared in March 1951. This car was built by Brill in 1914. You will find more than a dozen copies of the Rider’s Reader in our E-book The “New Look” in Chicago Transit: 1938-1973, available in our Online Store. (Chicago Transit Authority Photo)
CSL 3304 is westbound at Armitage and Campbell on route 73, having just passed under the Logan Square branch on the “L”. That looks like a Model A Ford at left.
CSL 3111 is westbound at 18th and State, just west of the South Side “L”. I see a 1940s Cadillac at left. Andre Kristopans: “Note also the nominal WB track has no overhead!” (Joe L. Diaz Photo) M. E. adds, “Andre Kristopans points out the westbound track has no trolley wire. That is because this photo shows the eastern terminal of the 18th St. line. The streetcar will switch over to the westbound track to continue west. Behind the streetcar is the 18th St. station on the South Side L. The streetcar’s destination sign says Leavitt – Blue Island, which was the sign on a streetcar in an photo posted previously. You also have a photo at 18th and Sangamon. Together with your earlier photos, It seems the photographer was all over the 18th St. line that day.”
CSL 1520 is southbound on Sheffield at Belmont. It’s hard to make out the sign, but that’s the Hotel Sheffield Manor. (Joe L. Diaz Photo) Steve adds, “Photograph chicago160 with car 1520, faces northwest from the southeast corner of Belmont and Sheffield; a location with which I am very familiar. “Ben Hartman Drugs” is now “Big City Tap” (a 4:00 am bar), occupies the edifice on the northwest corner there. A particularly intriguing bar, “Trader Todd’s”, with a fun karaoke night, is on the ground floor of the Sheffield Manor hotel. The car is signed for Taylor-Western, which I believe means it is on the Taylor-Sedgwick-Sheffield line.”
Belmont and Sheffield today. We are looking northwest.
CSL 3304 passes 3310 at Montrose and Western. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 2808 on the 74th-75th Street route. I spy a 1940s Ford at left. Andre Kristopans: “2808 is at 75th and Exchange. IC South Chicago branch is in background.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 3192 is heading south on Wabash on route 4 – Cottage Grove. We are just south of Harrison. The building to the right of the streetcar has an interesting ironwork facade. It is now the Leviton Gallery, and is located at 619 S. Wabash. Jeff Wien adds, “CSL through Route Number 1 was BROADWAY-COTTAGE GROVE which terminated at Lake Park and 55th. CSL Route 4 was COTTAGE GROVE and it terminated at Cottage Grove and 115th. Prior to the CTA, many of the cars ran without route numbers, just route names and destinations. Since car 3192 is signed up to go to Lake Park & 55th, I would say that it is a Route 1 car, not a Route 4. I realize that I am being very trivial on this point. Meanwhile, the streetcar behind it is a Nearside which would be running on Route 4 Cottage Grove.”
Wabash just south of Harrison today. The “L” has been relocated just north of here to soften out a curve.
CSL 3095 is heading west on the 18th Street line at Jefferson. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 3116 on the 18th Street line. Andre Kristopans: “3116 is at 18th and Sangamon. The railroad is a Burlington branch from the main at 15th down to the “Lumber District” branch along Blue island and Cermak, and was very recently (2015) torn out.” (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
18th and Sangamon today. We are looking northeast.
Chicago City Railway car 2169 on the 75th Street route. According to Central Electric Railfans’ Association bulletin 27 (July 1941), this car was part of an order of 69 closed cable trailer cars (with double door in bulkheads) built by Wells-French in 1896. These cars were electrified in 1908, and most were renumbered. My guess is we are at 75th and South Chicago. This picture would have been taken between 1908 and 1914, when CCR became part of the Chicago Surface Lines. If I am reading B-27 correctly, this car would originally have been numbered 2129. It was scrapped after CSL was formed. Bob Lalich adds, “I agree, Chicago City Railway car 2169 is at 75th and South Chicago Ave. It appears that the Grand Crossing grade separation project was underway, judging by the construction shacks.”
75th and South Chicago today.
CTA 6167 on the 67-69-71 line. Andre Kristopans: “6167 is at (the) 71st/California terminal.”
CSL 3314 on the 67-69-71 line. Andre Kristopans: “3314 (is) WB at 67th at Rhodes.”
CSL 5637 on Stony Island on December 1, 1946. Bob Lalich: “CSL 5637 is a little north of 93rd St. The open space immediately east of Stony Island was a small quarry. CVS high school at 87th and Jeffery can be seen in the background to the right of the car.”
CSL 2755 clatters over the Illinois Central’s South Chicago branch at 79th and Exchange. (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
CSL 1401 on the 87th Street line by the Gresham station on the Rock Island. The line ended east of the station and there was no direct track connection to Vincennes on the other side of the RI. We published another photo taken at the same location in our previous post Chicago Surface Lines Photos, Part Four (November 27, 2015) (Joe L. Diaz Photo)
