Belmont-Kimball

People looking back as John Craib-Cox describes the intricacies of this Skidmore Owings & Merril-designed subway station.

Belmont-Kimball 2

Graham enthusiastically describes the architecture and history of this subway station.

Belmont-Kimball Ceiling

From the fare controlls at the Belmont subway station at Kimball, you can clearly see the consistent, open, clean design of this 60s-era station.

Kimball Subway

Northbound tunnel, from north end of Belmont station.

Kimball Subway

Southbound tunnel, from north end of Belmont station.

Belmont Kimball Profile

From above the southbound track looking south under Kimball Avenue, the Belmont station produces interesting sight lines.

Belmont-Kimball

Paid area behind fare controls and agent's booth

Belmont-Kimball

Fare controls from public station area. Modified for installation of new fare controls, station looks almost like it did when open except for the new turnstiles.

Belmont-Kimball

This is the singular subway station entrance at Belmont-Kimball, from bus turn around. Tour group visible on right.

CTA Motorman

Smiling like all CTA workers do at all times, this motorman is wishing us a happy station stop while moving his train north toward Logan Square.

California Sign

This bright red sign, colored as such from when this was an "A Station" on the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line, contrasts from the primed 108-year-old vintage gray railings from this Metropolitan West Elevated RR stop.

California span

The tour group learns about the historic station house at California/Milwaukee, with the track structure extending endlessly behind them.

California profile

California on the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line has a common, imposing profile crammed into an alley just southeast of its entrance.

California cornice

The subtly ornamental corners of the original station house (and vintage foyer extension) is tightly placed between the support structure of this elevated railroad. Space was clearly at a premium.

California cornice 2

Another view showing how the station house was so tightly crammed under the tracks at California, not uncommon on this 1895 route.

Logan Square 'L'

These tracks extending north from the California station head toward its original Logan Square terminal (now subway instead). The fact that this is a vibrant Mexican community is evident in the Spanish-language signs.

California-Milw Turnstiles

These three turnstiles (one exit only) are all that are nestled into the tight space of this station house. Many years of modifications to a mostly-untouched station house are evident here.

California entrance

One of the entrances to the station house at California-Milwaukee.

Californa platform

Facing southeast toward downtown Chicago, the inbound platform takes on a low profile, being just a simple neighborhood station.

California railing

A contrast to the ornate, 1895 railing pieces at the left, a simple welded steel railing is seen on the right, blocking off what used to be a stairwell (demolished).

2200s at Central/Ike

The abandoned Central Avenue station on the Congress expressway transit line is passed by these two 2200-series cars headed west to Desplaines Ave. in Forest Park.

Congress platform

Looking lonely and plain in its abandonment, the long canopy and its repeating support structure seems to go on forever west toward the end of the station.

Wires at Central

Some snipped off old wires hanging from the canopy ceiling at the Central station are presumably uncharged. I didn't touch them to find out though.

Dual warnings

Old meets new with these two signs warning of the dangers of going down to the tracks (those primarily being electric current).

Central platform

More lonely platform space at abandoned Central.

Central floor

The terra cotta (cooked earth) tiles that mark the edge of the simple concrete platform at Congress have a pattern that both contrasts with and looks good next to the tracks and ties.

Congress platform split

The pattern is interesting here too, created by the terra cotta tiles and tracks visible at this angle, interrupted by the split in the platform sections.

Central Signal

This signal on the Congress (Forest Park) branch of the Blue Line is set up for trains to comfortably go through, as the little white arm is down.

Closed stepwell

This stepwell leading down to Central Avenue is caged over, as the station here is abandoned.

No more tokens

The interior of the window for fare collection at the abandoned Central station on the Congress line is visible behind the caging that closes off the booth.

Abandoned booth

This was the booth at Central. Turnstiles have been removed, but it's evident how narrow the entryway was.

Charter at abandoned Central

Our charter train is seen here berthed at the abandoned Central Ave station. Note the destination sign on the headcar was simply broken, as the rear pair of cars did say that we were not in service.

Overpass

This long sidewalk went at track level over Central Avenue to steps on the east side of the street. The fence to keep passengers off the tracks is gone, so it's wide open and a little scary.

Damen deboarding

The tour group, having just stepped off our train, walks NE on the inbound platform at Damen. The skyscraper in the background is The Coyote at North/Milwaukee/Damen.

Damen station house

The facade isn't quite vintage on the entryway, but this station is the most beautiful and preserved of the original Metropolitan West stations. John Craib-Cox lectures the tour group on the left with much enthusiasm.

Damen crossing

At the Damen station in Wicker Park, the station platform and track structure is imposing as it crosses over North Damen Avenue, a truly Chicago sight and fixture.

Damen side

This is the side of the original 1895 station house. You can see what the original style was, as well as that it's been through 108 years of existence. The entryway is almost as old, but the brick facade has been replaced.

Tour under Damen 'L'

The 'L' station at damen shadows and covers the tour group. A half-block south is a strip mall called Robey Station (the original name of this 'L' stop), and the restaurant visible behind the crowd is called Blue Line. Clearly people in this neighborhood recognize the importance of rapid transit.

Group under endless track

The track structure heading southeast into downtown from the Damen 'L' station is complex and imposing. Definitely a thing of beauty though. The texture of the paint-protected structure is visible at the left.

Damen 'L' structure

A more clear view of the repeating pattern of the 'L' structure as it heads southeast toward the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway.

Damen map & sign

This specially-made map of the present-day CTA Blue Line routes and connecting buses with the Damen 'L' station has an old-timey look and feel to it, reminiscent of days where people went out to cabaret shows and speakeasies.

Damen lamp

These lamps, throughout the station house and at platform level, are of a very old vintage. In this photo, you can clearly see that the bulbs are rated at 56 watts, and are of a special "Street Railway" variety manufactured by Philips.

Damen turnstiles

A neatly-aligned row of turnstiles at the Damen/Milwaukee station contrasts with the old agent's booth seen at the right, and the 1895 station interior.

Main stairs at Damen

These steps lead up to a mezzanine platform where you can walk left to steps to trains to downtown, or right to steps to trains to Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. Art adorning the station walls is from neighborhood students.

Damen NB-N steps

These steps lead up to the northbound platform at Damen/Milwaukee. This view is facing at the northernmost steps up to trains from the station house.

Damen NB-S steps

These steps lead up to the northbound platform at Damen/Milwaukee. This view is facing at the southernmost steps up to trains.

Damen lamp and Coyote

This very old lamp fixture (not a vintage pole) is attached firmly to the northbound platform at Damen. This view shows the lamp with The Coyote building in the background.

Happy tourgoers at Damen

The group here inspects the Damen station as we're guided through its history, architecture, and significance.

CTA Logo

The updated-historic CTA logo is now being printed on many CTA materials today, including on updated schedule signs at stations such as this one. The original logo said "Metropolitan Transit" in the banner.

John speaks at Damen

John Craib-Cox, an expert with historic architecture, talks to the tour group at Damen from atop a bench on the O'Hare-bound platform.

Damen tower

This old switch tower at Damen-Milwaukee is not used for switching trains anymore, as the branch that used to split off and head west here no longer exists. At one time, that branch, when operated as a shuttle, stopped north of the tower, and passengers transferring would have to walk through that door there on the left, then down some steps to track level, and walk to the auxilliary terminal further northwest.

North extension of NB platform

This extension of the northbound Damen platform leads out to an auxilliary exit north of North Avenue. This was done to make it easier for passengers who used the Humboldt Park branch to connect to the streetcars on North to get to where the demolished line would formerly take them.

Canopy over end of platform extension

I'm not sure why a canopy was placed here at the far end of the platform, as trains stop much further back on the platform. You can see here the high-barrier exit gate.

Lake-Milwaukee split

To the left here you can see a subway tube splitting off from where the Blue Line runs. This tube actually quickly dips under the inbound track (on other side of concrete tube wall on left) and ends abruptly, as does one that splits off from the other side. This would have connected to a Lake Street Subway proposed in the 40s to replace the Lake Street Elevated.

Lake-Milwaukee split, no flash

To the left here you can see a subway tube splitting off from where the Blue Line runs. This tube actually quickly dips under the inbound track (on other side of concrete tube wall on left) and ends abruptly, as does one that splits off from the other side. This would have connected to a Lake Street Subway proposed in the 40s to replace the Lake Street Elevated.

Lake-Milwaukee split

Telephoto magnified view of tube under Lake Street west of Milwaukee. This tube actually quickly dips under the inbound track (on other side of concrete tube wall on left) and ends abruptly, as does one that splits off from the other side. This would have connected to a Lake Street Subway proposed in the 40s to replace the Lake Street Elevated.

LaSalle-Congress

The northeast stairwell leading from this subway station was sometimes closed during off-hours. The gate is open this Sunday afternoon.

LaSalle-Congress

Farecard machines at LaSalle-Congress mezzanine

LaSalle-Congress

Turnstiles on the mezzanine

LaSalle-Congress

Vintage 1950s agent booth (notice a custom-made sign was cut to label this to say "Customer Assistant" in present-day Helvetica).

AVM

Automated Vending Machines are what Chicagoans use to pay their fare before reaching turnstiles. Value can be added to both Transit Cards and Chicago Cards, the latter of which uses a radio transponder to communicate with turnstiles, speeding boarding.

Where to stick it

This is where people can pay with their farecards and coins on a turnstile at the LaSalle-Congress subway station.

Careful with those stilettos

Either in the 1950s women were unfamiliar with escalator safety and were grossly underexposed to modern people-moving implements, or the CTA had some hilariously sexist assumptions.

LaSalle-Congress Escalators

LaSalle-Congress was one of two very deep stations on the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, in the part under Congress Street, near the Chicago River. So people weren't all huffing and sweaty by the time they got to/from their trains here, CDOT installed escalators going both up and down, uncommon in Chicago subways.

LaSalle-Congress Platform

The tour group being welcomed and introduced to its guides stands excitedly on the platform under LaSalle and Congress streets.

LaSalle-Congress tube

The subway tube leading east from the LaSalle station on the Blue Line.

2200s at LaSalle-Congress

Charter train berthed at LaSalle-Congress waits to take on its load of tour guests.

Paulina-Congress junction

You can see a portion of the tracks that used to head east from Paulina & Congress to the Marshfield transfer station before heading to the Loop. Service from downtown to Wicker Park & Logan Square via Loop 'L' is long gone. The tracks heading north along Paulina from here are being rebuilt now (new concrete supports visible) to take trains from 54/Cermak to the Loop via Lake Street in the future.

Paulina rebuild

You can also here clearly see the concrete supports in preparation for the replacement of the Paulina tracks.

Racine-Congress

Graham Garfield explains features of this Congress (Eisenhower) Expressway station, in a very tight space.

Racine-Congress

The station name is visible here with UIC buildings in the background

Racine-Congress

This view looking west on the outbound platform shows the extraordinary length of this multi-entrance station.

Racine-Congress Sign

This platform sign indicates where trains go from the perspective of whoever can read it, and makes it easy for people on trains to tell what stop they're at.

Racine-Congress exit

This exit onto Racine over I-290 is framed by the structure supporting the exit ramp from the platform (about an eighth of a mile long).

Racine-Congress House

Glass-block windows adorn the ceramic-tiled baby blue walls at Racine-Congress.

Racine-Congress Ramp

You can clearly see the long 1/8-mile ramp down to the platform from Racine here. There is a similar ramp to the auxilliary exit at the other end.

Racine-Congress Booth

The style of this booth is stronly reminiscent of mid-century modern design in the early 1950s.

Racine-Congress Turnstiles

Pay here for trains.

Racine-Congress station house

A wide view of the small station house at Racine/Congress.

Racine-Congress Sign

This sign indicates for exiting passengers that they're walking out onto Racine. Notice there is a dimmed "--OUT-->" on the right of the sign, likely lit during pay-on-train hours way back in the day.

Wrong Way

At Racine/Congress, this turnstile is exit-only and indicates that trying to enter here is the wrong way to go.

Racine-Congress

You can see in the back that a train to the Loop is on its way to the station now, by the signs behind the turnstiles.

2200 interior

The tour train at this time is in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway. Then the Congress Superhighway, this expressway was the first in the world to combine its cause with rapid transit.

2200 interior, blurred view outside

As we skip stops on the Congress branch, the view is blurred by our speed.

Douglas incline

The incline of tracks you see to the left brings trains to 54 Av / Cermak Rd up to the Douglas Branch from the Congress Branch. This view is a perfect example of what the view is like from inside an 'L' car.

Tour group in cab

The tour group crowds into the cap in car 2229 to get a rare glimpse out the front windows from the cab of the train.

Not in service

Looks depressing that this train is not in service, but really it was just our charter for this tour. Depressing maybe, however, if you were one of the people waiting for a train on the platform only to get this one on its way to the yard.