Celebrating 1892 start of Chicago's L railway system
Jun 6, 2021 08:07:00 #
Although New York City was the first to operate an elevated railway, Chicago is the only city in the U.S. that still has elevated trains in its downtown area.
Chicago L by Paul Sager, on Flickr
The city’s first elevated rail line, constructed by the privately-owned Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad, began transporting passengers on June 6, 1892, on a four-mile stretch of track between Congress Avenue just south of downtown and 39th Street. The service, a small steam locomotive that pulled four wooden coaches, was an immediate hit and was extended another four miles the following year to accommodate visitors attending the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition in Jackson Park, the Expo famous for the White City.
CTA L Tracks
In 1895, the Metropolitan West Side elevated line was the third L company to begin rapid transit operations in Chicago, but the first to use electricity to power its trains. Shortly thereafter, the remainder of the lines switched to electric service.
Wrigleyville Spring
The "L" operated as a network of private businesses until 1947 when the City of Chicago purchased the majority of the private rapid transit operators and consolidated them under the newly-formed Chicago Transit Authority. The CTA was required to be financially self-sufficient. All maintenance and upgrades had to be paid for out of the fare box—out of the pockets of transit riders. This resulted in constantly increasing fares and some service cutbacks. Still, Loop commuters were using the CTA at rates near 80% as late as the mid-1950s.
Adams / Wabash L Station
Chicago’s resolve to rebuild itself after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 resulted in an unprecedented period of growth and expansion for the city. Although subways were the choice in other growing cities like New York and London, Chicago selected elevated railways because they were cheaper to construct and did not require much digging.
Under the L Tracks
Today there are 1,492 rail cars operating on eight routes, 224 miles of track, and nearly 230 million passengers transported per year (pre-pandemic), Chicago’s rapid transit system is the second-largest and second busiest system in the U.S.
Under the L Tracks
The first full circuit of the Loop was completed in 1897. Its steel structure was designed by bridge designer John Alexander Low Waddell. The iconic riveted steel-plate form resembles that of the Eiffel Tower (1889) and the original Ferris Wheel (1893).
Wrigleyville Spring
All of Chicago’s trains were either elevated or at street grade until the 1940s. With funding from the Federal Works Agency—part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal—the State Street Subway, now part of the Red Line, opened in 1943. The Dearborn Street Subway, now part of the Blue Line, opened in 1951, following a construction delay during World War II.
Lake Street L
The CTA continues to introduce new services and to modernize tracks and stations. In 1984, L service to O’Hare Airport began. In 1993, the CTA started rail service to Midway Airport. Also in 1993, the CTA renamed the rail lines to the colors we know today. This made the system easier to navigate for visitors.
Adams / Wabash L Station
Both the CTA and the four original privately-owned transit companies always referred to their trains as the “L,” meaning that the nickname (short for elevated railway) dates back nearly 130 years. It is thought that rapid transit operators in Chicago preferred “L” because it was different from elevated service in New York City, which went by the nickname “the el.”
Adams / Wabash L Station
Images in this post all use Canon L-series lenses, most of the EF variety on digital and film EOS bodies, some with older FD manual focus versions mounted to a Sony mirrorless body. Details of the cameras and lenses can be accessed from the host Flickr pages via the URL links of each title.
Western Station
Chicago L by Paul Sager, on Flickr
The city’s first elevated rail line, constructed by the privately-owned Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad, began transporting passengers on June 6, 1892, on a four-mile stretch of track between Congress Avenue just south of downtown and 39th Street. The service, a small steam locomotive that pulled four wooden coaches, was an immediate hit and was extended another four miles the following year to accommodate visitors attending the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition in Jackson Park, the Expo famous for the White City.
CTA L Tracks
In 1895, the Metropolitan West Side elevated line was the third L company to begin rapid transit operations in Chicago, but the first to use electricity to power its trains. Shortly thereafter, the remainder of the lines switched to electric service.
Wrigleyville Spring
The "L" operated as a network of private businesses until 1947 when the City of Chicago purchased the majority of the private rapid transit operators and consolidated them under the newly-formed Chicago Transit Authority. The CTA was required to be financially self-sufficient. All maintenance and upgrades had to be paid for out of the fare box—out of the pockets of transit riders. This resulted in constantly increasing fares and some service cutbacks. Still, Loop commuters were using the CTA at rates near 80% as late as the mid-1950s.
Adams / Wabash L Station
Chicago’s resolve to rebuild itself after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 resulted in an unprecedented period of growth and expansion for the city. Although subways were the choice in other growing cities like New York and London, Chicago selected elevated railways because they were cheaper to construct and did not require much digging.
Under the L Tracks
Today there are 1,492 rail cars operating on eight routes, 224 miles of track, and nearly 230 million passengers transported per year (pre-pandemic), Chicago’s rapid transit system is the second-largest and second busiest system in the U.S.
Under the L Tracks
The first full circuit of the Loop was completed in 1897. Its steel structure was designed by bridge designer John Alexander Low Waddell. The iconic riveted steel-plate form resembles that of the Eiffel Tower (1889) and the original Ferris Wheel (1893).
Wrigleyville Spring
All of Chicago’s trains were either elevated or at street grade until the 1940s. With funding from the Federal Works Agency—part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal—the State Street Subway, now part of the Red Line, opened in 1943. The Dearborn Street Subway, now part of the Blue Line, opened in 1951, following a construction delay during World War II.
Lake Street L
The CTA continues to introduce new services and to modernize tracks and stations. In 1984, L service to O’Hare Airport began. In 1993, the CTA started rail service to Midway Airport. Also in 1993, the CTA renamed the rail lines to the colors we know today. This made the system easier to navigate for visitors.
Adams / Wabash L Station
Both the CTA and the four original privately-owned transit companies always referred to their trains as the “L,” meaning that the nickname (short for elevated railway) dates back nearly 130 years. It is thought that rapid transit operators in Chicago preferred “L” because it was different from elevated service in New York City, which went by the nickname “the el.”
Adams / Wabash L Station
Images in this post all use Canon L-series lenses, most of the EF variety on digital and film EOS bodies, some with older FD manual focus versions mounted to a Sony mirrorless body. Details of the cameras and lenses can be accessed from the host Flickr pages via the URL links of each title.
Western Station
Jun 6, 2021 08:09:09 #
Jun 6, 2021 08:26:18 #
jaymatt wrote:
Excellent patterns in these shots; I enjoyed seeing them.
👍👍👍
Jun 6, 2021 08:39:55 #
Nice set. A little sandblasting and painting would do it well. Love the art deco signage!
Jun 6, 2021 08:50:06 #
Great presentation and enjoyed the history lesson Paul. I took the L many times over the years from O’Hare into the city for business…..quickest way to get there. Thanks for posting.
Jun 6, 2021 08:54:38 #
Jun 6, 2021 08:57:07 #
Excellent narrative and photos of a unique rail system. The riveted plate system would seem to be a magnet for creeping rust entry. Looks like a big maintenance job will be in order soon. Will sandblasting and paint be enough to save it or does the problem go deeper ??
Jun 6, 2021 09:04:26 #
Thanks for the back-story and photos. I was only in Chicago once, but was amazed by that elevated train system.
Jun 6, 2021 09:45:44 #
Nice shot. I remember sitting in a pub (tilted kilt, I think) a block over from Michigan Avenue and watching the L come by. There may have been a stop out front?
Jun 6, 2021 10:05:16 #
Great compositions, Paul. You also put a lot of texture and rust to very good use! I enjoy the lessons you include in your post, too. It is nice to learn things every day.
Jun 6, 2021 10:52:22 #
Thank you John, BassmanBruce, Steve, Goober, Bill, Hereford, ELNikkor, tradio, Carol! The Red Line runs up the alley behind the buildings on the other side of my street. Somehow, in 30 years of living in Chicago and now 20 years in this unit, I'd never taken pictures of the tracks until starting last spring. For the platform shots, those are as recent as April with the city still pretty much under lockdown. Things are changing fast now.
Jun 6, 2021 10:53:25 #
tradio wrote:
Nice shot. I remember sitting in a pub (tilted kilt, I think) a block over from Michigan Avenue and watching the L come by. There may have been a stop out front?
You were probably at / near the northeast 'corner' of the loop by Lake Street that is both an elevated and subway stop.
Jun 7, 2021 02:24:23 #
Jun 7, 2021 05:38:06 #
Jun 7, 2021 07:09:53 #
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