BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More on "longevity"............

Like New York, the "L in Chicago used wooden rolling stock for many decades; the oldest were the open platform gate cars, the oldest of which dated back to the earliest days of electrification., in the 1890s.

Not surpsingly, given that Chicago was an "interurban town" for many years, many of the railroad roof wooden cars indeed resembled scaled-down interurban cars.

Unlike New York, steel cars would be intermixed with wooden cars on the off-peak shuttles; here would be a steel "4000" hauling a wooden trailer..

The CTA retired all of its remaining wooden rolling stock in 1957; the last in New York would operate on the Myrtle Avenue line (these were the iconic "Q" cars) in 1969, having the distinction of being the last wooden rolling stock in revenue service in the United States.....

"NYO"

["RAVENSWOOD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here are a few examples of Chicago's wooden "L" cars; thankfully, several are preserved and operate today.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?14815 (note the resemblence to the interurban equipment of that era; also, note the trolley poles, which, of course, is a must at a trolley museum)

Back in the day, many "L" cars were equipped with trolley poles, for the outer areas of certain lines where overhead was used instead of third rail.

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?14818 (the gate cars were virtually identical to those which once ran in New York)

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?96159

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["JACKSON PARK-HOWARD"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Interesting historical footnote:

The CTA retired its last prewar cars (the 4000s) in 1973.

In New York, the last prewar cars (the IND "Arnines") were retired four years later, in 1977.

The "Arnines", though prewar, were younger than the "4000s" by a number of years........

"NYO"

["EVANSTON EXPRESS"]

["AA CHAMBERS STREET"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The "Green Hornets"........

At the time the last streetcars were replaced by buses by the CTA in 1958, the "Green Hornets" had the distinction of not only being one of the last cities to employee conductors on their streetcars, but also, in 1958, the only city to utilize PCCs operated by a two-man crew.

It is also interesting to note that.some "Green Hornets" had been converted to one-man operation, only to be converted back to two-man operation, before retirement.

Sadly, only one of these handsome and unique streetcars was spared the torch.......

'NYO"

["49-WESTERN"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

The low-slung bodies of the "Green Hornets" game them an especially sleek look.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?49886

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?14872

_courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["PRE-VIEW"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

This interesting photo from 1970 shows a train of the then-new "2200"-series "L" cars at the 95th/Dan Ryan station.

Note the GREYHOUND "MC-7" above the train; this station was also a stop for not only CTA buses, but also, GREYHOUND..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?45904

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["CTA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

On this day in 1957, service on the northern half of the CTA's last streetcar line (22 CLARK-WENTWORTH) was converted to buses.

The southern half of the line was bustituted in June, 1958, ending the streetcar's long and colorful reign in Chicago..........

"NYO"

["CTA"]

[Cyberider]

Sounds like the end of the line for the Chicago PCC's. I'm looking forward to reading my "new" Vol. II of Chicago's Rapid Transit because I think there's a lot of info on how the PCC's were transformed into El cars.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

It is quite ironic (and indeed sad) that only ONE (out of hundreds) "Green Hornet" survives today (at the IRM)

Given the fact that these sleek modern cars ran for barely in revenue service for a decade, IMHO, the CTA should have used the money spent on these short-lived cars on either new buses or rapid transit cars............

"NYO"

["CTA"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an excellent gallery (over 200 photos!) of CTA's classic, iconic "6000" series cars; with their PCC-style standee windows and folding doors, they were TOTALLY unlike anything that was then running in Boston, New York, or Philadelphia........

https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/CTA_6000_Series

[Cyberider]

NYO,

Agreed, it's a shame they were in service for such a short time and that only one was preserved. Such wastefulness likely wouldn't have happened if they were owned by a private entity rather than a governmental one.

But, since they're history, there's nothing we can do about it. I am, however, looking forward to getting into my new book and reading in detail about what components from the PCC's were used to build the El cars and perhaps how many of the PCC's were used for that purpose.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

Years ago, I bought a copy of "DESTINATION: LOOP: by Brian J. Cudahy 9one of my all-time transit authors; he is also muvh into ships as well!)

Somehow, I misplaced ny copy of "DESTINATION:LOOP" years ago, and have not seen it in ages; I FINALLY decided to order another copy, which should arrive within a week.....I'm really looking forward to seeing all those great old photos that I had forgotten, but will indeed remember as soon as I see them once again!

Years ago, when I belonged to a (now defunct) transit discussion forum, I had started a topic asking why no one ever thought to establish a museum dedicated SOLELY to the preservation of PCCs, especially when there were HUNDREDS still in existence.

This discussion got QUITE interesting (as you might expect!) and made for much "in-depth" discussion!

After Chicago, Pittsburgh, a city DOMINATED by PCCs well into the 60s, destroyed many hundreds of PCCs in the 60s and 70s.......and HARDLY ANY of these still-serviceable cars were saved.

You would have THOUGHT, with a good number of trolley museums in existence then, that MORE of these cars would have been saved......far too many of these fine cars were simply discarded like yesterday's trash......WHAT A TRAVESTY, when you consider that the PCC was, indeed, the FINEST streetcarever to be built in the United States.............

"NYO"

["22 CLARK-WENTWORTH"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

A few random PCC photos from Pittsburgh..........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?91447

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?91446

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?14267

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?45485

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["SHANNON-LIBRARY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Cyberider:

A book I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to you is from the "IMAGES OF RAIL" series, "PITTSBURGH STREAMLINE TROLLEYS" (Kenneth J. Springirth)

This great little book has 127 pages and is CHOCK-FULL Of classic PCC photos (as well as some older equipment!)

I purchased my copy for $20 several months back.......MORE than worth the money!

You would really enjoy this book....a MUST for ANT true PCC fan!

"NYO"

["6 BRIGHTON ROAD"]