cta1743.jpg (336k) Standard post-1939 CRT livery is demonstrated on lead car 1743. In this excellent action photo, taken in June 1957, newly-repainted 1906 Jewitt car 1743 heads up a seven car Evanston Express passing Lawrence on Track 1 of the North-South Route. The other six cars have the same color scheme, but are weathered and faded. A lack of ready cash precluded such luxuries as paint and contributed to the rundown of property. The overhead wires are used by freight-carrying "L" trains. (Photo by George Krambles)
	cer2895.jpg (135k) Ex-Metropolitan "L" car 2895 is seen laid up in a yard in the Chicago Elevated Railways era. Originally numbered 895, the car was built in 1906 by Pullman, part of an order for 50 motor cars with enclosed vestibules, manually-controller pneumatically-operated sliding doors, and steel and wood underframes with steel-reinforced wooden bodies. Car 2895 served for over 50 years, scrapping in early 1958. (Photo from the CTA Collection)
	crt2711.jpg (198k) Car 2711, seen in Logan Square Yard circa the mid-1920s-1930s, had long a interesting life. Built in 1894 by Barney & Smith as car 711, the car was part of the 55-car order for the Metropolitan West Side Elevated's first motor cars, which were also the first electrically controlled and driven "L" cars in Chicago. Damaged by fire, the car was rebuilt in 1904 by American Car & Foundry, during which its design was modified with closed vestibules, air-powered doors, feasibly side frames, and the "monitor-style" roof common to many Met motor cars. Car 2711 was the last of this first group of Met motor car to be retired, serving well into the CTA. It was scrapped in February 1957. (Photo from the CTA Collection)
	mwserr876.jpg (160k) Metropolitan West Side Elevated car 876 is brand new in this view, recently delivered from the Pullman company on the South Side of Chicago. Now equipped with third rail shoes (these were not installed at the factory), the car is awaiting entry into service on the shop lead at the Met's Centre Avenue Shops complex. This side view gives an excellent view of the car's shape and lines. Although lacking the more detailed, fancy stripping of earlier cars, the gold stripes and ornate serifed lettering still gives the car a dignified look. 876 was built in 1906, among the last cars the Met ordered, and was scrapped by CTA in June 1957. (Photo from the CTA Collection)
	cer1034.jpg (146k) Car 1034 is in 61st Street Upper Yard in 1913, shortly after through-routing between the North and South sides began. The car's exterior is covered in advertisements for the White City, an amusement park located a short distance from the yard at 63rd and South Park [King Drive], a precursor to the exterior ad wraps of today. The car, built as car 34 by Pullman as part of the Northwestern Elevated first order of motor cars in 1898, has had side destination sigh curtains recently installed. The end destination sign boxes on the roof would be removed shortly. The "S" painted on the cornerpost of the car indicates it's a smoking car. Car 1034 was among the last group of the original Northwestern motor cars with be retired, in June 1955. (Photo from the CTA Collection)
	crt1708.jpg (178k) Part of an order of 35 motor cars, Northwestern car 708 was built by St. Louis Car Company in 1903. These cars had steel underframes and enclosed vestibules with folding side doors. A peculiarity of this car series was a unique door inside the vestibule that completely folded around the motorman's cab -- located on the left side of the platform, in deference to the Northwestern's left-hand running -- when it wasn't in use. The car was renumbered 1708 in 1911, and all of the cars from this series were assigned to the Chicago & Oak Park Elevated in 1913 (the Northwestern had a controlling interest in he C&OP by this time). Although on its original rails, the car was technically "off line" when it was photographed here in Wilson Avenue Yard. The car was retired in 1954. (Photo from the CTA Collection)
	nwerr24a.jpg (152k) Northwestern Elevated car 24, undergoing restoration, is coming out of its barn at the Illinois Railway Museum on August 4, 2016, making its first movement under its own power. The car's last prior operation under its own power is believed to have been in 1957 on its trip to the Illinois Electric Railway Museum (predecessor to IRM) at North Chicago. Ahead of it on the track is another retired CTA car, 2433 -- a 76 years' newer cousin. (Photo by Tim Peters)
	nwerr24b.jpg (188k) Car 24 is seen on August 8, 2016 on its first trip to the west end of the railroad at the Illinois Railway Museum, making its first trips on the museum's mainline; it made its first in-service runs at the Museum Showcase event on September 17, 2016. (Photo by Tim Peters)
	nwerr24c.jpg (179k) Northwestern Elevated Railroad car 24 is at the Illinois Railway Museum station platform on August 8, 2016. The car was renumbered 1024 by the CRT and retired under that number by CTA; IRM renumbered it back to 24 as part of its restoration work. At this point it's not cosmetically completed but is close, lacking only small details like its letterboard lettering. (Photo by Tim Peters)
	nwerr24d.jpg (155k) In this October 8, 2016 view, car 24 is now lettered but the striping has not been added yet. Interestingly, as in the old black and white photos of the era, if the light angle is wrong the lettering disappears. (Photo by Tim Peters)