Month: March 2013

CA&E cars 130 and 139, on CERA Fantrip #46 (July 14, 1946). Location is 5th street in Milwaukee. (Author's collection)

Roarin’ Elgin on the North Shore?

By Editor on March 31, 2013 • ( 6 )

A long time ago, I heard a rumor that some CA&E equipment ran on the North Shore Line during World War II. Today’s picture might show just that, but as with most things, the situation is a bit more complicated… Read More ›

Car #144 at Vincennes and 80th, on an ERHS fantrip June 15, 1958. The very last Red Car operated on the Chicago streetcar system. (Photo by Bob Selle)

Red Rocket Redux

By Editor on March 28, 2013 • ( 1 )

Our March 13 feature The Old Math (144 = 225) helped prompt this sequel, where we present more Chicago streetcar fantrip photos circa 1954-58. Except for one, these pictures are from the CTA Historical Photo Collection. Even a partial list… Read More ›

Indiana Railroad #55, reincarnated as Lehigh Valley Transit #1030, seen here in Alletown PA on an August 28, 1941 NRHS fantrip. This was the beginning of the car's 10-year career here. (Author's collection)

A Tale of Two High Speeds

By Editor on March 26, 2013 • ( 1 )

There were three series of high-speed, lightweight interurban cars built during the Depression era. There were 20 “Red Devils” built for the Cincinnati and Lake Erie in 1930, one of which raced an airplane in a famous publicity stunt. There… Read More ›

April at CERA: Illusion Travels By Streetcar

By Editor on March 24, 2013 • ( 1 )

Our April CERA program will feature Illusion Travels by Streetcar, a 1953 Mexican film directed by Luis Buñuel. It tells the story of a Mexico City streetcar conductor and motorman, who, learning that their old car #133 is about to… Read More ›

CTA 5002 westbound at Laramie, December 1947. The four experimental articulated cars were patterned after the earlier BMT "Bluebirds" in New York. While they were ordered by CRT in their waning days, the fledgling CTA and the City of Chicago stage-managed this behind the scenes, as they also did with the CSL order for 600 "Green Hornet" streetcars. Car 5001 was already on CRT property before CTA took over on October 1, 1947. (Photographer unknown)

Somewhere West of Laramie

By Editor on March 22, 2013 • ( 1 )

This 1923 ad copy became more famous than the Jordan Playboy, the car it promoted: SOMEWHERE west of Laramie there’s a bronco-busting, steer roping girl who knows what I’m talking about. She can tell what a sassy pony, that’s a… Read More ›

IT 285, 1950s (Author's collection)

Mystery Photo of the Day – Illinois Terminal, 1950s

By Editor on March 20, 2013 • ( 2 )

Here is a vanished bit of small town Americana, trundling through Yesterday’s Main Street. This is Illinois Terminal, and we can say it’s the 1950s, looking at the autos, but WHERE was this mystery photo taken? Let us know your… Read More ›

The five original Kenosha PCCs, all ex-Toronto, lined up outside the carbarn (4606-4609-4616-4615-4610).

ex-SEPTA PCC 2185 Enters Service in Kenosha

By Editor on March 18, 2013 • ( 0 )

If you want to ride a PCC streetcar in regular service, you can still go to Boston, Philadelphia, or San Francisco, but since 2000, you can also ride them in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on a loop track of slightly less than… Read More ›

People take pictures of each other...

CERA Inspection Trip #206 In Pictures

By Editor on March 15, 2013 • ( 2 )

CERA sponsored a fantrip on the CTA rapid transit system on November 18, 2012, highlighting both the “old” and the “new.” The old was represented by a train made up entirely of 2200-series cars from 1970. These are the last… Read More ›

CTA #225 masquerading as 144, on an Illini Railroad Club fantrip in December, 1956 (George Foelschow collection) Location is on Dearborn near Washington.

The Old Math (144 = 225)

By Editor on March 13, 2013 • ( 1 )

Ten years before the “New Math,” 144 was equal to 225, at least for one day. The occasion was a December 1956 Chicago fantrip, using one of the last surviving Red Pullman streetcars. Red Cars were phased out of regular… Read More ›

CTA Brown Line Loop shuttle, March 8, 2013

CTA Brown Line via Subway

By Editor on March 9, 2013 • ( 1 )

While half the 91-year-old Wells Street bridge over the Chicago River is being replaced this week, railfans have a rare opportunity to ride the CTA Brown Line (formerly Ravenswood) “L” trains in the State Street subway. This is the first… Read More ›