Chicago City Railways...

[Guest]

Yesterday I posted about seeing a string of Pullman RTA bilevels sitting at the 47th st yard.

What I saw later that night was just as interesting. I was assigned to CFD Amb. #87. Last night

we were dispatched to 6232 So. Wabash. When we found the address, I noticed a building what looked like a

closed up streetcar barn one building south. It had three bays, so naturally I looked at the top of the

structure, it read "CCRYco". Does anyone have an idea when this barn operated? its history?.

If it were daytime I wouldve taken a photograph. But being nighttime and not the most safe area of the

city, we didnt stick around long enough to take a closer look.

Some lost Chicago Transit history maybe???

[Busjack]

It certainly does appear to be lost. I don't recall anything in Lind about that.* From your saying that it had bays, it is unlikely that it was just a substation. But given that address, it would seem to have something to do with the 63rd Street line.

_________________

*Given that CCRy goes back to 1859, while Lind's book doesn't have too much before 1906, I suppose it can't be taken as definitive evidence of what came before then.

[Guest]

It certainly does appear to be lost. I don't recall anything in Lind about that.* From your saying that it had bays, it is unlikely that it was just a substation. But given that address, it would seem to have something to do with the 63rd Street line.

_________________

*Given that CCRy goes back to 1859, while Lind's book doesn't have too much before 1906, I suppose it can't be taken as definitive evidence of what came before then.

Definitely not a substation. It appears to be an old streetcar barn. It looks similar for example, to the Blue Island or North Avenue carbarns. Its not a huge building, its a smaller carbarn. I urge anyone who is in that area to take a look. It was night when I saw it, not a well lit area but Im certain it is a CCRYco structure.

[jeffthor]

Looked up the building I think you are talking about on the Chicago Department of Zoning Web site. The Cook County Assessor's Office has a picture of the building at 6238 S. Wabash. although it is at an angle, not head on. It does look a smaller version of the building at the old North Avenue garage. The Assessor's Office says the building is 96 years old, and they have been pretty accurate on the buildings I've researched.

CityNews Chicago has the same information and more. They state the building was built in 1913, but my guess is they are just doing the math based on information from the Assessor's Office.

Here is the link to the Assessor's Office: http://w28.cityofchicago.org/website/zoning/liability.html?Submit=Accept

Or if you would rather just take the direct route to CityNews Chicago, this is the link: http://www.newschicago.org/index.php?search_by=structid&structid=02015312038000&search=single_chicago&menu=chicago&display=all

The picture is from 2000. It haven't noticed any newer pictures or updated information anywhere on their site, even where I know there has been new construction. Google street view has more current images, but there isn't a street view available for the 6200 block of S. Wabash. At least now you have a 9 year old, daylight picture of the building.

jt

[Busjack]

If built in 1913, I'm surprised Lind didn't mention it. However. I looked at the CTA track map on page 340 of his book, and there is a loop off State Street and a call box in a building indicated about there.

As far as how it looks, it looks more like one bay at 69th, which also would be consistent.

[happymcwn]

nice city.....

[prb511]

Re: 6230 So. Wabash CCRY&Co

hi everyone. i an the new owner of this building / property/ structure. i also was looking for a bit of history / information on it. if you have and information please contact me. Thank you all

[Busjack]

Re: 6230 So. Wabash CCRY&Co

hi everyone. i an the new owner of this building / property/ structure. i also was looking for a bit of history / information on it. if you have and information please contact me. Thank you all

As noted above, somehow it flew under the radar, and is not mentioned in Lind's book. It is not even noted as a car house in the 1948 CTA map in that book; just a streetcar loop and a notation that there was a phone in the building. Apparently it was associated with the State (or Broadway-State) streetcar line, and the collision between the PCC street car and gasoline tanker occurred on the State Street side of it.

Another strange thing on the map is there streetcar tracks on 61st between Cottage Grove and State that appear connected to that loop, even though 59-61 is marked as a bus route. On the other hand, the tracks on 63rd don't seem to have a direct connection.

Just wondering, for what can you use it?

[andrethebusman]

The little building was a wreck car or line car house. The tracks on 59th were occasionally used (as on the day of the big wreck) to bypass the viaduct at 63rd, which was prone to flooding. SB cars would go to 63rd loop, turn north, west on 59th, south on Wentworth, east on 69th, south on State, NB reverse. But getting back to the building, there was a track into it off the loop. CSL motorized line and wrecker crews in the teens, so it was usually used by trucks.

[Busjack]

...The tracks on 59th were occasionally used (as on the day of the big wreck) to bypass the viaduct at 63rd, which was prone to flooding. SB cars would go to 63rd loop, turn north, west on 59th, south on Wentworth, east on 69th, south on State, NB reverse. ...

The track map supports the 59th routing, but then what was the point of showing the track on 61st between Cottage and State?

[prb511]

As noted above, somehow it flew under the radar, and is not mentioned in Lind's book. It is not even noted as a car house in the 1948 CTA map in that book; just a streetcar loop and a notation that there was a phone in the building. Apparently it was associated with the State (or Broadway-State) streetcar line, and the collision between the PCC street car and gasoline tanker occurred on the State Street side of it.

Another strange thing on the map is there streetcar tracks on 61st between Cottage Grove and State that appear connected to that loop, even though 59-61 is marked as a bus route. On the other hand, the tracks on 63rd don't seem to have a direct connection.

Just wondering, for what can you use it?

I havent determined a specific use for this property but i would like to preserve the original look and feel of the structure. there is something about this building that i really fell in Love with. I have been contacted by a couple of industries that would like to use it to large transport storage (semis, trucks, boats..) or manufacturing. i have yet to decide.

I am also looking to determine an approx. age or time period of this building and of course..history.

Thanks for responding

Prb511

[Busjack]

....

I am also looking to determine an approx. age or time period of this building and of course..history.

Thanks for responding

Prb511

The only clue based on a posting of a picture* is that the architecture is essentially the same as the 69th, 77th, and Archer barns, which were built around 1907. 69th and Archer are now gone, but you can get an idea from the side of 77th behind the jersey barriers at about 7701 S. Vincennes.** You also have to imagine that you have one bay and 77th and Archer used to have three doors per bay instead of the more recent one wide garage door per bay. Lind's book has a picture of 77th before it was modified on page 359.

Post #4 had a link to that the building was built in 1913.

My recollection of 69th being similar was a bit better, as it did not get the wide doors.

Lind's book indicates that the barns built after 1907 were based on Board of Supervising Engineers standards. That was one group that did the engineering for the underlying streetcar companies.

____

*I'm sure you don't need a Google Streetview of what you own, but for the rest of us....

**Streetview.

[prb511]