16 Lake Street

[tonytavell]

Does anybody recall the 16 Lake Street route ?

[Guest]

Does anybody recall the 16 Lake Street route ?

Yes, one thing I remember was, they used 96 inch wide buses since most of the route operated under the Lake st. rapid transit, the more traditional 102in. wide buses were not permitted to run on Lake st. because the L structure did not allow for wider CTA vehicles to operate where they could pass each other safely. In the very early days streetcars ran on Lake. then, GM old looks were used and were replaced in the late 60s by 3700 series Flxible New Looks, #3700-3729. In 1991 the Flxibles were replaced by the TMC RTS 96in. bus, #4900-4914. The #16 Lake route operated out of North ave., Kedzie and Chicago ave. garages.

[Busjack]

Does anybody recall the 16 Lake Street route ?

Yes.

So you don't have to ask, I also recall:

• 1 Drexel-Hyde Park to South Shore-83rd
  
• 2 Hyde Park to 57th-Museum Dr.
  
• 5 Jeffery (via 43rd and Indiana) to 100-Bensley via Yates (or various other terminals around there)
  
• 38 Indiana to Wabash-Wacker
  
• 55 55 Street to 55-Morgan and Museum
  
• 63 63 Street to Naragansett via 65th
  
• 152 Addison Express with a stop at the Wrigley Building
  

[geneking7320]

I think there may be a legend that in the streetcar days a trolley raced the Lake Street "L" to the Loop.

I don't know which motorman (L or streetcar) won.

:lol:

[Busjack]

I think there may be a legend that in the streetcar days a trolley raced the Lake Street "L" to the Loop.

I don't know which motorman (L or streetcar) won.

Hadn't heard that one, but the trolley probably had to run over a lot of horse carts to keep up. :P

[trainman8119]

Yes.

So you don't have to ask, I also recall:

• 152 Addison Express with a stop at the Wrigley Building
  

I can add some too !!!

How about 76 Diversey via Stockton to Adams-Wabash

10 Lincoln-Larrabee

13 SW Skokie

14 Devon-Cicero

40 O'Harexpress

41 Elston-Clybourn

153 Wilson-Michigan

156 Wilson-La Salle

just to name a few !!!!

[Busjack]

I can add some too !!!

10 Lincoln-Larrabee

just to name a few !!!!

That brings back that a bunch of us went to the Tap Root Pub the last week it was open, and saw the Lincoln-Larrabee bus in front, and took it, thinking that it would eventually get us downtown, where we could transfer to the Dan Ryan L.

Also reminds me of

• 58 Ogden Randolph
  
• 70 Division to NW Station
  
• 136 Douglas Park to ?
  
• 157 Union Station via Ohio (oh, that one still exists)
  

Don't forget the bus to "EAST TERMINAL" B)

[T8H5307A]

Don't forget the bus to "EAST TERMINAL"

Or the buses to "WEST TERMINAL, SOUTH TERMINAL , NORTH TERMINAL , AND cta SPIRIT OF CHICAGO

[BusHunter]

Yes.

So you don't have to ask, I also recall:

• 1 Drexel-Hyde Park to South Shore-83rd
  
• 2 Hyde Park to 57th-Museum Dr.
  
• 5 Jeffery (via 43rd and Indiana) to 100-Bensley via Yates (or various other terminals around there)
  
• 38 Indiana to Wabash-Wacker
  
• 55 55 Street to 55-Morgan and Museum
  
• 63 63 Street to Naragansett via 65th
  
• 152 Addison Express with a stop at the Wrigley Building
  

Since you recall the #152 express, do you know it's downtown routing? I know it went downtown on a routing similar to the #145/#146, but how far did it travel on Michigan and where did it turn around?

[Busjack]

Since you recall the #152 express, do you know it's downtown routing? I know it went downtown on a routing similar to the #145/#146, but how far did it travel on Michigan and where did it turn around?

I remember getting on it. However, my recollection of the signs is much foggier. A 1969 map I have says Congress.

[Busjack]

Or the buses to "WEST TERMINAL, SOUTH TERMINAL , NORTH TERMINAL , AND cta SPIRIT OF CHICAGO

However, the ones I remember were all caps, and much dirtier.

Which reminds me of another thing. A 55 bus was broken down and another pulled up, and cranked its sign to EAST TERMINAL. Several CTA employees were talking and one said that it was a 77th bus. At first I was going to but in saying that there was no bus on 77th, but I thought the better of it, and later learned that the reference was to a garage.

[geneking7320]

Yes.

So you don't have to ask, I also recall:

• 1 Drexel-Hyde Park to South Shore-83rd
  
• 2 Hyde Park to 57th-Museum Dr.
  
• 5 Jeffery (via 43rd and Indiana) to 100-Bensley via Yates (or various other terminals around there)
  
• 38 Indiana to Wabash-Wacker
  
• 55 55 Street to 55-Morgan and Museum
  
• 63 63 Street to Naragansett via 65th
  
• 152 Addison Express with a stop at the Wrigley Building
  

Do you also remember Northwestern Station via Drexel Route 1?

How about Union Station via Indiana Route 38?

Don't forget 63 65-Harlem.

:lol:

[Busjack]

Do you also remember Northwestern Station via Drexel Route 1?

How about Union Station via Indiana Route 38?

Don't forget 63 65-Harlem.

The first two, yes; I think we discussed the origin of the weird signs. I think others also commented that 157's sign was "157 Union Station via Ohio Route 157."

The third, no.

[jajuan]

Since you recall the #152 express, do you know it's downtown routing? I know it went downtown on a routing similar to the #145/#146, but how far did it travel on Michigan and where did it turn around?

Speaking of 145/146, how about the locals for those two which operated via 151 between Inner Drive/Belmont and their respective south terminals, the 145 local operating Sun/holidays and 146 local evenings/Sundays/holidays.

[tonytavell]

Does anybody recall the 16 Lake Street route ?

when I said "Do you recall ?", what I mean by that is to tell me the route,the destinations,garage assignments,you know, all of the information before the CTA eliminated the 16.

[MetroShadow]

when I said "Do you recall ?", what I mean by that is to tell me the route,the destinations,garage assignments,you know, all of the information before the CTA eliminated the 16.

See the second response...

[Busjack]

Speaking of 145/146, how about the locals for those two which operated via 151 between Inner Drive/Belmont and their respective south terminals, the 145 local operating Sun/holidays and 146 local evenings/Sundays/holidays.

I remember them (mostly evenings), but didn't understand why they just weren't left as 153s.

[jajuan]

when I said "Do you recall ?", what I mean by that is to tell me the route,the destinations,garage assignments,you know, all of the information before the CTA eliminated the 16.

Weekday along Lake from Austin Blvd to Wacker and the rest of the way downtown along Wacker to Illinois Center, looping Wacker, Columbus and S Water. Late evenings ended/started at Madison/Austin. Weekends had been to Ashland only in a loop via Paulina, Madison and Ashland back to Lake. If I remember correctly that weekend service was extended into downtown with the start of the Green Line rehabilitation project of 1994-96 before the route was finally scrapped in Oct of 1997.

[BusHunter]

Anyone remember the #151's that would run to Howard on sundays, when the #147 wasn't operating at all that day. (around the late 80's) Talk about heavy ridership first they'd pick up #147's load at the North end and then pick up #151's load which would be heavy also along the Sheridan corridor south of Foster and along the inner drive and points south. Take into account #145 and #146 were locals back then on sundays, which means the riders would flock over to the #151's SB if none of those were in sight. Alot of standing loads. They'd use Americanas for the buses back then. (Don't know why they didn't use the #7100's) The weekend routings have greatly improved since then.

[jajuan]

Anyone remember the #151's that would run to Howard on sundays, when the #147 wasn't operating at all that day. (around the late 80's) Talk about heavy ridership first they'd pick up #147's load at the North end and then pick up #151's load which would be heavy also along the Sheridan corridor south of Foster and along the inner drive and points south. Take into account #145 and #146 were locals back then on sundays, which means the riders would flock over to the #151's SB if none of those were in sight. Alot of standing loads. They'd use Americanas for the buses back then. (Don't know why they didn't use the #7100's) The weekend routings have greatly improved since then.

Yes. Now the 151 is limited to Sunday evenings to Howard. Some of those last NB 147s become SB 151s after reaching Howard. So some of those 4000s on the 151 on Sunday evenings would be NP's in fact as opposed to as oppose to likely being Kedzie's at other times.

[artthouwill]

Are there any numbers between 1 - 174 that have NEVER been used for a route number by CTA? For instance, has there ever been a Rt 46 or a Rt 101?

[wordguy]

Are there any numbers between 1 - 174 that have NEVER been used for a route number by CTA? For instance, has there ever been a Rt 46 or a Rt 101?

Virtually all two-digit numbers have been used at one time or another. #46, for instance was the designation for Southport which operated from 1947 until 1981(?). Many numbers have been recycled (e.g. #6 Garfield, Jeffery Express, Jackson Park Express). Many three-digit numbers between #100 and #165, including #101, as far as I know have never been used.

[Busjack]

Many three-digit numbers between #100 and #165, including #101, as far as I know have never been used.

As Bill V. and Andre have pointed out, numbers on numbered streets basically correspond (except 21 on Cermak, because Clark-Wentworth was 22), those 94 and under were inherited from the Surface Lines, with CTA adding 96 and 97 shortly after it took over, and those over 100, except those on numbered streets, are based on the Chicago Motor Coach system, with 100 added to routes where there was conflict with the Surface Lines numbers (except CMC 4 became CTA 5, which then became 6, which then became 14). CTA has basically been filling in the holes since then based on what was near what (i.e., 26 operates near what was 27). The only other big change was in the 1970s, when the express routes were numbered, and the depot routes became 120s (technically that happened when 158 and 158A were reconfigured), LaSalle's became 130s, and Michigan's became 140s. At the time of the 1976 renumbering (discussed in connection with 5750's roll sign), many of the old through route numbers (22A Wentworth and 36A State come to mind) were changed to something close (24 and 29, which were assigned to other routes in the CSL era, but are close to numbers of other routes in their area).

The one number that has consistently not been used is 83 (for 83rd St.) although that might change if the JARC route on that street is ever implemented.

To pick up on wordguy's point, there seem to have been some "bad luck" numbers that travel between routes, and are never used for long, such as 13, 89, and 99, as well as some routes, such as on Jeffery, that have gone through various sets of numbers. There are basically more holes over 100, because much of the CMC system did not survive into the CTA era or after the 1973 cuts.

[pudgym29]

Yes. Now the 151 is limited to Sunday evenings to Howard. Some of those last NB 147s become SB 151s after reaching Howard. So some of those 4000s on the 151 on Sunday evenings would be NP's in fact as opposed to likely being Kedzie's at other times.

Correct. When returning from the Rogers Park restaurant crawl on 29 March, I boarded a #151 Sheridan southbound from Howard which had been a #147 on its last northbound run. This was at 8:45 pm, and its terminus was Union Station.

It was a 4000-series New Flyer articulated bus.