A few years later, service to the fourth ‘L’ – Northwestern Elevated – was connected to the Loop, and by 1921 amid multiple connections and extensions in all directions the ‘L’ assumed a shape much like that of the ‘L’ today. Repair and upkeep of the vehicles is provided thr… Bilevel cars were originally steam heated, and the Burlington cars continued to be steam heated until 1973 and 1974. Such a commuter rail service would make Cornell's property attractive to buyers. METRA HISTORY It is possible that 1848 was the first year when people commuted into Chicago by train. Today, the eight lines of the Chicago ‘L’ span 224.1 miles and serve on average 620,471 people per weekday, with 63,339 of those boardings in the Loop alone. Chicago built its first rail connection in 1848 to connect the Windy City with the lead mines of Galena, Illinois. And 20 out of the 25 new Burlington cars were equipped with control cabs. Projects like the Red Line Extension Project to the underserved South Side of Chicago, often raise some degree of controversy with the public. Ride along as The Great Train Story presents 2,200 miles of scenery and stories from Chicago to Seattle along 1,400 feet of winding track. If one thing’s for sure, though, the Chicago ‘L’ – noisy, wonderful, iconic, colorful, innovative, convenient or inconvenient – isn’t going away anytime soon. History of the L Beginning in the 1870s, as Chicago grew at an incredibly rapid pace, private companies laid rail tracks downtown and began introducing streetcars pulled by horses. Despite this rapid expansion, however, the ‘L’ had yet to serve the central business district, due to regulations requiring a majority of owners’ permission to build downtown. By the late 1960's and early 1970's, the commuter railroads were no longer able to afford expenditures for capital improvements. It also led to the creation of a transportation system that, at its apogee, consisted of a web of streetcars, diesel buses, electrified trolleybuses and elevated railways and subways. An unlucky man runs after the last “L” train on the Chicago Avenue platform before the strike shut down service on Oct. 24, 1945. People say that things look different from a train. An unlucky man runs after the last "L" train on the Chicago Avenue platform before the strike shut down service on Oct. 24, 1945. Enter magnate Charles Tyson Yerkes. The Rock Island line was finally completely modernized, with new bilevel cars and F40PH locomotives, and rebuilding of track which had badly deteriorated. Mostly during the 1950's, the steam railroads converted to diesel operation. Chicago ranks second (behind New York City) in terms of the volume of commuter rail passengers carried each day. On any given day, about 1,300 trains carrying freight and passengers pulse across its urban landscape. The railroad never actually reached Galena, and soon became part of the Chicago & North Western Railroad. The Great Train Story follows the winding railroad journey between Chicago and Seattle, passing through the Midwest, the Plains States, the Rockies, the Cascades and into the Pacific Northwest. Massive train stations and depots dotted the entire region. Metra took over and ended up buying the lines in 1987. The last steam locomotives built new for the former Chicago & Alton Railroad were five 2-8-2s delivered by the American Locomotive Company in 1921. Commuter service was established on other area railroads, as they were built, and the service remained rather stable throughout the years. Since the 1920's, the ‘L’ has undergone significant changes and expansions, including the State and Dearborn subway connections in the 30’s and 40’s, the creation of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in 1945, construction on the Dan Ryan and Congress Expressway medians, retirement of wooden cars and creation of air-conditioned cars, the extension to O’Hare and Midway airports, and the discontinuation of on-board conductors, among many others. Sure enough, through clever financial maneuvering, Yerkes was able to earn a majority approval and construct much of the Union Loop by 1897. Visible are the stages of the Parmelee Transfer which shuttled between all Chicago railroad terminals. And most of the Rock Island rush hour commuter trains continued to use the "Al Capone" cars from the 1920's. Chicago's railroad stations featured superb architecture with marble floors and staircases, while restaurants, newsstands and shops filled the concourse areas. 4,200 union employess from the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway employees (AFL) were on strike for two hours on Oct. 24 in a protest about not receiving back pay. The Chicago and Northwestern passenger depot in 1893. The RTA subsequently signed purchase of service agreements with the various railroads. Chicago Transit Authority - CTA Buses & Train Service - 1-888-YOUR-CTA - CTA Original: Clips from films in the Warren Thompson Collection, the … But complete modernization of the Rock Island had to wait. Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) is a member-based business organization that represents Chicago's most dynamic mixed-use district - the Loop - and advocates for the rapidly growing central business district. 1905: Chicago Defender debuts 4. According to Curbed Chicago, eleven rail lines came into the city by 1860. So the suburbs along those lines formed "Suburban Mass Transit Districts", which would acquire new equipment using public money. Learn more about our membership benefits and hear directly from CLA members about their experience. At that point, the RTA started operating service on the routes. The elevated tracks, voted one of the seven wonders of Chicago by Tribune readers in 2005, have become a Chicago icon with worldwide recognition, with the downtown Loop at the center of it all. 1909: Burnham's Plan of Chicago 9. The City of Chicago granted Parmalee the exclusive franchise for station transfer trade moving passengers and … But the RTA and Metra enabled the C&NW locomotives to finally be replaced with new F40PH locomotives. The railroad that became the Milwaukee Road began as the Milwaukee and Waukesha Railroad in Wisconsin, whose goal was to link the developing Lake Michigan port City of Milwaukee with the Mississippi River.The company incorporated in 1847, but changed its name to the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad in 1850 before … 4,200 union employess from the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway employees (AFL) were on strike for two hours on Oct. 24 in a protest about not receiving back pay. And so the first 'L' train (then Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad) was built in 1892, and its inaugural journey took place on June 6, spanning 3.6 miles in 14 minutes. The Burlington Route needed to modernize its E9 locomotives and steam heated bilevels, and acquire additional bilevels to accommodate increased ridership. C&NW was the first commuter railroad to adopt head end power for cars, with electric heating, and was the first railroad to adopt push pull operation. Find maps, schedules, service alerts, plan a trip, jobs, news and more! 1901: Chicago freight tunnels 3. 1906-08: Chicago's baseball dynasty 5. Footage in chronological order. Chicago was the fastest-growing city in the country during the late 19th century, and as downtown became increasingly congested with horses, carts and carriages, people began to realize they needed a more efficient means of transportation. Prior to then, only 6 cars had cabs, requiring the turning of locomotives for most commuter trains. In 1897, the New York Academy of Medicine warned that the noise and disturbance from elevated tracks “prevented the normal development of children” among other dangers, and throughout its construction police and community leaders spoke against it for its potential to collapse or electrocute passengers.*. Chicago is, as one writer put it, a “city of travelers.”1 The city’s sheer sprawl made that moniker inevitable. A recent documentary "Chicago by 'L'" featuring Geoffrey Baer on WTTW, underscores the beauty and interconnectivity of the public transit lines of Chicago. The electric-powered train designed to transport guests around the fair was, remarkably, the first instance of the very same technology used on the Chicago 'L' today and around the world. But the Rock Island was financially less healthy than the other railroads. Take a ride back in time on the green and cream CTA buses, trains, trolleys (and horses!) The building was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. 1904: Ravinia Park opens 3. 3 MIN READ - If you are missing your commute, "ride the rails" with the CTA and read up on the iconic mode of transportation for any Chicagoan. Later lines connected the city with … And the Milwaukee Road needed newer more powerful locomotives to replace the FP7 and F9 locomotives, and additional equipment to accommodate increased ridership. Possibilities include Orange and Yellow line extensions, an airport express from State Street to O’Hare, or even an additional line to the currently 'L'-less southeastern part of the city. In 2006, commuter line extensions would be opened to the towns of Elburn and Manhattan. Hyde Park was annexed to the city of Chicago in 1889, and IC electrified its commuter service in 1926. The history of Chicago transportation wound up being dictated by its natural setting. Information about CTA bus and train service in and around Chicago. With these cost cutting measures, the C&NW service was able to be profitable during much of the 1960's and early 1970's. With the advent of this third-rail electric technology, the potential stock of the 'L' skyrocketed, and the second and third ‘L’ trains – Lake Street Elevated and Metropolitan West Side Elevated – were quickly constructed in 1893 and ’95. An iconic building and a marvel of modern transportation for nearly a century, Chicago’s Union Station was originally designed by Daniel Burnham and completed by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White. Historic photos of Chicago trains and buses. Despite innumerable changes in the railroad industry, it''s still America’s railroad capital. And Metra assumed direct operation of most commuter lines, with only the Union Pacific (formerly Chicago & North Western), and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (originally the Burlington Route) continuing to operate their lines under purchase of service agreements. In 1996, Chicago's first commuter rail line in 70 years opened between Chicago and Antioch, via the Wisconsin Central Railroad, known as the North Central Service. The Galena & Chicago Union Railroad opened in 1848, originally between Chicago and Oak Park, and was Chicago's first railroad. In 1974, with the railroads losing money on the commuter trains, and other transit systems losing money, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) was formed. "That idea of riding through the backyards and back porches of the city is still very much the same experience that people would have had 100 years ago." Paul Cornell, a real estate developer in the area, sold land to IC to build the railroad, under the condition that IC introduce the commuter service. Yerkes believed that the ‘L’ was destined to extend downtown, and eventually decided that he would be the man to do it. The terminal railroad stations built in Chicago during the mid to late nineteenth century were somewhat more elaborate. And the two rush hour only commuter operations in Illinois, the Norfolk & Western (now Southwest Service), and the former Gulf Mobile & Ohio (now Heritage Corridor), received new bilevel cars and F40PH locomotives, replacing former long distance equipment previously provided by those railroads for use on those lines. Since 1972, all Amtrak services in Chicago originate and terminate at Chicago Union Station, fulfilling Burnham’s 1909 vision of all intercity trains using the same station without confusing station transfers, complicated rail car movements, difficult baggage forwarding and complex ticketing previously endured by generations of travelers. Chicago is more complex in terms of its history, infrastructure, and operations than any other railroad city. At that point, the ‘L’ was just an ordinary steam powered train on raised tracks. In 1950, the Burlington Route was Chicago's first commuter railroad to introduce bilevel commuter cars. The line originated with the Chicago and Alton Railroad, then was part of the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio, which merged with Illinois Central. *For more information, see: Borzo, Greg. From this humble beginning the city would rapidly grow to become the Railroad Capitol of America. This program, established in 2016, is modeled after similar programs at other transit agencies and will establish guidelines and protocols for future preservation, maintenance and repair efforts for the current Heritage Fleet and those vehicles which may join it in the future.Funding for the program comes from revenue generated by CTAgifts.com (our online gift shop) and private charters. 1. 1900: Flow of the Chicago River reversed 2. And so the first 'L' train (then Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad) was built in 1892, and its inaugural journey took place on June 6, spanning 3.6 miles in 14 minutes. History Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Minneapolis Railroad. The Pioneer was the first locomotive to operate a train in Chicago. And in 1955, the Chicago & North Western introduced bilevel cars. 656 converted to GM&O No. Mass transit ridership was at its highest level in Chicago around the time of this cartoon; so high that the Chicago Rapid Transit Company—a private corporation formed in 1924 by the merger of Chicago’s competing “L” companies—was forced to start running longer trains … Most of the public concerns today are far better grounded in reality. These maps are zoomable, and satellite views are available. from Chicago's public transportation past. 1908: Garfield Park Conservatory opens 7. Chicago's first real commuter railroad was the Illinois Central Railroad, which began operating on July 21, 1856, with 4 daily round trips between Chicago and a new suburb known as Hyde Park. The Illinois Central needed to replace its venerable 1926 electric cars. CHICAGO'S RAILROADS/GOOGLE MAPS Google Maps has this cool feature, which allows anybody to create custom maps where meaningful locations can be indicated. A grand building worthy of the city’s status as a national railroad hub, it is a treasured part of Chicago history and a… Lemont (1853) and Lockport (1863) are the oldest depots in the Metra system and were there when President Lincoln’s funeral train passed through. The Central Depot, built in 1856 for the Illinois Central and Chicago & Alton Railroads, was used until the early 1890s. Elevated tracks appeared to be the right choice, as subways were too expensive to consider. Elevated tracks appeared to be the right choice, as subways were too expensive to consider. 1902: First trunnion bascule bridge opens 1. The line to Elgin diverged in Wheaton, crossing over the Chicago & Northwestern tracks. 5296 in 1947. Scenes of Chicago's CTA L Train from 1948-1970. Stay Connected, Be Informed, Expand Your Reach. After the purchase of Chicago & Alton by Gulf Mobile and Ohio, the Alton name was gone forever. Get travel inspiration, tips and exclusive offers sent straight to your inbox. The history of Chicago becoming a mecca of the railroad industry predates the industry itself. 55 W. Monroe St., Suite 2660, Chicago, IL 60603 With its head end powered bilevel cars and push pull operation, C&NW set a trend which was adopted by all other commuter railroads as they began their modernization programs. Preserved by the Chicago & North Western Railroad it now resides in a place of honor at the Chicago History Museum. Chicago & North Western's train #214, the eastbound "Peninsula 400" (Green Bay - Chicago), hustles through Kenilworth, Illinois with gallery cars on January 24, … But controversy has followed the 'L' throughout its history. 1909: Grant Park declared “Forever Open, Cle… TripAdvisor, We recommend using Adobe Reader to open PDFs downloaded from our site. And the former Burlington E9 locomotives were finally replaced in 1992. Van-Car Corporation, a Rail-Trailer subsidiary, was placed under contract to manage Trailer Train Company with Operating Headquarters in Chicago and Management Headquarters in Philadelphia. In addition, double track expansions would enable the Southwest Service and the North Central Service lines to become full service Metra lines. 1907: Albert Michelson becomes the first American Nobel Prize winner in science 6. The Milwaukee West and Milwaukee North lines, which date from the 1870s, are Chicago area remnants of the once-mighty Milwaukee Road, which had a long and storied history that ended in bankruptcy in 1980. The first railroad in Chicago was the Galena & Chicago Union, which was chartered in 1836 to build tracks to the lead mines at Galena in northwestern Illinois. In 1961, the Milwaukee Road introduced its first bilevel commuter cars, with modernization completed in 1964. At that time, frequencies on those rush hour operations were doubled from one to two daily round trips. And unlike the other commuter railroads, C&NW discontinued many of its local stops in Chicago, where paralleling CTA operations existed. The Aurora branch had a branch to Batavia which diverged at Batavia Jct., located just west of Eola Rd. Initial service was primarily rush hour only, over a single track railroad. But no money was invested in new commuter locomotives. The complex network of railroads in Chicago, the railroad center of the nation, can be a challenge to untangle. Pictured on top is a model of C & A No. During the heyday of passenger trains, Chicago was the undisputed rail center of the United States and its railroad stations were the gates to everywhere. That changed quickly with the invention of the third-rail electrical power system at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park. The Chicago "L." Arcadia Publishing: Chicago, IL (2007). On August 25th, 1902, the railroad began revenue service, between Chicago and Aurora. Trailer Train’s first president was James Newell, Vice President Operations, Pennsylvania Railroad who championed the pool concept of piggyback car ownership. From these trains, the view is amazing. Rather, older F7 and E8 locomotives were kept operating through rebuilding. The railroads would then continue to operate the commuter trains, subsidized by the RTA and operating according to RTA standards. Risky Business (1983) features the "L" in several erotic sequences The Rock Island replaced its various older locomotives with some E8 and E9 locomotives acquired second hand from Union Pacific in 1969. The tracks were realigned and electrified, with service to Central Street in north Evanston commencing in May 1908. Still, as it was in the 1890's, it's hard to say just what the future of the ‘L’ really is. /, Revolution Physical Therapy & Weight Loss, Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad, 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park, voted one of the seven wonders of Chicago by Tribune readers in 2005. And the Rock Island Railroad acquired 20 bilevels in 1965, and 10 more in 1970. The first trip carried no passengers. Evanstonians couldn't have been happier -- in 1901 the St. Paul had reduced its Evanston-Chicago service to 14 trains a day, making transit to Chicago much less convenient. 1903: Iroquois Theater fire 2. The Burlington equipment was rebuilt with head end power and electric heating. But in the late 1950's the Chicago & North Western launched an ambitious program to modernize its commuter service. Print. Today, Chicago is the only city in the U.S. that still has elevated trains in its downtown area. 1908: House numbers change 8. 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