Illinois Rail Museum - PCC Fan Trip
Sunday, May 6, 2001

This tour was hosted on some older cars, owned by the Illinois Rail Museum, that clearly resemble PCC street cars.  If you've ever been inside one of the old-fashioned street cars, you'd recognize the interior of these trains instantly. 

I, being only 22, never had the pleasure up until a recent visit to San Francisco - where vintage refurb'd cars run on their "F Line - Market Street Railway" MUNI line.  One of San Francisco's MUNI cars is actually painted to resemble the old CTA cars, which were the big dog of the litter of city car designs - many of the parts from Chicago's originals going into elevated trains later built, like the ones used in this trip.  Of course, you can see the real deal (with the streetcars) out at the Illinois Rail Museum.

Anyway, here are the pictures from this rail tour...  Click on them for the full-size view (note that the panoramics are pretty big).

Train entering Howard (Red/Yellow/Purple Lines - North Side Main Terminal)
This is a photo of the train entering the Howard station to head south, switch over, and pick us up on the inside northbound track (coming from the Howard Yard).

Dempster (Purple Line / Evanston)
This picture shows a northbound Purple Line train to Linden stopped at the station next to the outbound-facing 3-car tour train.

Interior of 6600 car
I don't remember if I was in the front car or the middle car on this one, so it could be either 6655 or 6656, but this is the interior.

Interior of car 22
Note the car cards in this car, which include notice of the coming of "LE Jack" and "HoDar", the cute nicknames to help people remember the reconfiguring of what later became the Red and Green Lines, going from Lake-Dan Ryan and Howard-Englewood-Jackson Park routes to their present-day configuration (Lake-Englewood-Jackson Park and Howard-Dan Ryan).

PCC cars from above at Midway (Orange Line)
This is a view from Midway Station, atop the bridge that crosses from the turnstiles to the outbound platforms (to right). 

The train is parked in the "lay-up track" which is used for deboarding of out-of-service trains, or deboarding of trains that are arriving while the other two slots are full.  Passengers at Midway ONLY board from the island platform on the right.

People boarding car 22 at Midway (Orange Line)
The doors are open at Midway on train cars that never would have otherwise seen this utilitarian platform of the present-day CTA.

Car 22 with Ford City sign at Midway (Orange Line)
Of course, there is no station at the Ford City Shopping Center (a.k.a. Mall), but the signs have always been printed this way.  One can only hope that's due to some determination to finally build that subway extension.

Cars side-by-side at Midway (Orange Line) for comparison
While decidedly less decorative, the newer 3200 series cars (left) are definitely of a cleaner, sleeker look.  I prefer nostalgic myself, but can appreciate modern, utilitarian design that also has some consideration for form (not just function).

Train waiting at Midway (Orange Line) in the shade of a post-drizzle sun
Note how clearly the "Ford City" destination sign is visible.  This is a nice side-view of the train at the Midway terminal.

Train heading toward Sheridan (Red Line - North Side Main)
One of two pictures of the cool vintage porcelain enamel sign at the Sheridan (@ Irving Park Road) stop on the Red Line.  You can see the tour train off to the right around the turn (on the north-south track that parallels Sheffield)

Train arriving at Sheridan (Red Line - North Side Main)
The other of two pictures with the porcelain sign.  This train was barreling into the station at the time this one was taken.  Note the old Evanston Express sign in the window.

A picture of the car 22 cab, in use
Sorry about the reflection, I had to stand back from the glass to get a good view.  Of course, you can't see all the controls with the motorman in the way, but it's still a cool photo, in my opinion.

Halsted (Orange Line)
Not the most exciting photograph, but the train was stopped there for a VERY short photo stop, and operating pretty much like it was in service, while a regular service Orange Line train was going through on the right there.

Nice front view of the train at Midway (Orange Line)
From on the platform edge, a nice panorama of the PCC train sitting on the layup track at Midway also shows a waiting-to-depart 3200 train off to the left.

Front profile of 6600 car with a 3200 in background at Midway (Orange Line)
Pardon me for being a little pseudo-artsy, but I thought this one looked pretty good when I took it.  And I still think it was a good idea.

Train toppled on side
This wasn't a part of the tour, but was taken from inside car 22.  This train, obviously a training tool (that assessment being based on the openings cut in the roof of the car, the car's gutted and featureless appearance, and no emergency or repair vehicles surrounding it), was visible in the Skokie shops' yard.

Garfield (Green Line - South Side Main), looking south
You can see an in-service train of 2400s heading toward Harlem/Lake (Green Line - Lake Street Elevated west terminal).

Garfield (Green Line - South Side Main), looking north
Note the new station under construction visible in the background, most visible are the elevator shafts.  The old station, where we were stopped, is going to be demolished (based on all signs), and in all likelihood its station house will be abandoned or sold (unless they dismantle and move it - since it would serve no purpose).

North/Clybourn (Red Line - State Street Subway)
The back, car 22, of our three-car train sitting at the North/Clybourn (@ Halsted) stop on the Red Line subway.  Of course, this segment isn't under State Street, in fact, it's a mile west of State.

Subway Blur (Red Line - State Street Subway)
This shot required my camera's shudder to stay open a little bit longer, creating a slight blur.  It was appropriate though, since we were speeding through the subway at high speeds with no interior lighting - always a fun trip.