BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

'CHICAGO SURFACE LINES'


Pictured below in a company photo, and led by fleet number 6511, are five 1946 GM Model TD 4506's and part of a shipment of 20 coaches numbered 6501 to 6520 delivered to the Chicago Surface Lines of Chicago, Illinois in June of that year.

Notice the immediate post war 'no frills' accoutrements, the spiffy driver's uniforms and the fact that these buses did not have the motorized forced air roof circulators required on those that were sold in New York State.

While a glare blocks the destination sign on number 6511, it reads 'Garfield Park/Chicago'.

A brief history of Chicago Surface Lines;

The Chicago Surface Lines (CSL) was operator of the street railway system of Chicago, Illinois, from 1913 to 1947. The firm is a predecessor of today's publicly owned Chicago Transit Authority.

The Authority, which took over the CSL operation in 1947, had abandoned the remaining trolley lines, which were "bustituted." Before that, CSL had introduced gasoline buses for light routes in 1927, and trolley buses to the northwest side starting in 1930.

The Chicago Surface Lines was primarily a trolley operation, with approximately 3100 streetcars on the roster at the time of the CTA takeover. It purchased small lots of motor buses, totaling 693 at the time of the CTA takeover, mostly consisting of smaller buses used on extension routes or to replace two-man streetcars.

Photo borrowed for educational purposes only.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY




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[Cyberider]

Good info and photo, Mr. Linsky! Those uniforms certainly gave me a lot of respect for bus drivers when I was a kid. Hard to have the same feeling about a guy wearing shorts and a baseball cap even if he is a good driver. Will have to dig out my lone CSL book and review as it's been awhile. All streetcars and no buses in it..