Long-ago CTA express bus lines

[ajcalcote]

Here is a short list of the CTA express bus lines that operated in the late 1980's, particularly 1987, when I was in kindergarten (5 years of age):

#6-Jeffery Express (now operates as #6-Jackson Park Express to 79th and Lakefront)

#14-South Lake Shore Express, rush hour in peak direction (now operates daily, as #14-Jeffery Express, in both directions)

#20-Madison (continues to operate today, 24/7)

#49-Western (continues to operate today, 24/7)

#56-Milwaukee (continues to operate today, 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.)

#61-Archer/Franklin Express (eliminated; replaced by the Orange Line)

#62-Archer Local & Express (the local route continues to operate today)

#80-Irving Park (continues to operate today, early morning to late evening)

#99-Stevenson Express (eliminated; replaced by the Orange Line)

#99M-Midway Airport Express (eliminated; replaced by the Orange Line)

#127-NW/Madison (later became #127-Madison/Roosevelt Circulator in 2006, eliminated in 2008)

#162-Pulaski/Stevenson Express (eliminated; replaced by the Orange Line and transformed into the #53A South Pulaski Limited, which was also eliminated in February of 2010)

#164-Narragansett Local & Express (eliminated; replaced by the Orange Line and transformed into the #55N-55th/Narragansett, which continues to operate today)

If you never, EVER, got a chance to ride on any of the above eliminated bus lines, unfortunately, you are now out of luck.

[Busjack]

You certainly don't go far enough back. The real death knell of some of them (and most limited buses) was 1973. One can throw into that various versions of the 152 Addison Express and Limited, 72 North Limited (substitute for the Humboldt Park L), 63 Limited (at least I have a sign), 3 King Drive/South Park Limited or Express, 126 Jackson Express or Limited, 131 Washington Express.

Also if you are implying that X20, X49, and X80 are running after the doomsday of Feb. 2010, you are wrong--only the locals survive. Also, if Milwaukee ever had an express bus (maybe you are referring to the 19 from Logan Square to the Devon-Canfield area, and apparently there was a Milwaukee Limited at one time north of Logan Square), that died when the L was extended to Logan Square in 1970.

Stuff like the 6 Garfield Express and 111A Vincennes Express were canceled (or at least no longer went downtown) with the opening of the Dan Ryan line in 1969.

30 South Chicago was labelled Express into the 1970s, even though it wasn't.

The above is based on my own recollection, refreshed by my 1969 CTA map.

I mentioned in a previous post that I did not know about the 85B Central Limited, but it does show up on my 1969 map.

Of course, you also don't mention any effect of the North LSD renumberings in about 1976, nor restructuring in about 2003, as well as the conversion of 158/158A into 120/121/125.

Do your research.

[New Flyer]

also 100 Jeffery Manor Express still running,

69 Cumberland Express

40 Oharexpress both eliminated when Blue Line was extended to Ohare

152 Addison Express use to SB in Am NB in pm

[jajuan]

You certainly don't go far enough back. The real death knell of some of them (and most limited buses) was 1973. One can throw into that various versions of the 152 Addison Express and Limited, 72 North Limited (substitute for the Humboldt Park L), 63 Limited (at least I have a sign), 3 King Drive/South Park Limited or Express, 126 Jackson Express or Limited, 131 Washington Express.

Also if you are implying that X20, X49, and X80 are running after the doomsday of Feb. 2010, you are wrong--only the locals survive. Also, if Milwaukee ever had an express bus (maybe you are referring to the 19 from Logan Square to the Devon-Canfield area, and apparently there was a Milwaukee Limited at one time north of Logan Square), that died when the L was extended to Logan Square in 1970.

Stuff like the 6 Garfield Express and 111A Vincennes Express were canceled (or at least no longer went downtown) with the opening of the Dan Ryan line in 1969.

30 South Chicago was labelled Express into the 1970s, even though it wasn't.

The above is based on my own recollection, refreshed by my 1969 CTA map.

I mentioned in a previous post that I did not know about the 85B Central Limited, but it does show up on my 1969 map.

Of course, you also don't mention any effect of the North LSD renumberings in about 1976, nor restructuring in about 2003, as well as the conversion of 158/158A into 120/121/125.

Do your research.

Given that he does state in his post that he was in kindergarten in 1987, it's not really a surprise that he doesn't go back to the 1970s or earlier for past express/limited bus routes that were either eliminated or restructured. I do agree that it should be cleared up that in regards to Madison, Western and Irving Park there were no express routes operating on those corridors in the 1980s and that it's the locals that still operate and exist today. The X49 Western Express came into existence in December 1998, the X20 Washington/Madison Express in 2005, and the X80 Irving Park Express in 2002 along with the X55 Garfield Express (which also was eliminated in Feb. 2010). He also says in his post that his list was a partial list, so he can be cut some slack that he didn't do a total and complete blow by blow of all express routes ever existed that are now no more today.

[New Flyer]

the 42 wasn't an express route

[Sam92]

A few more....

19 Devon-Northwest Express- discontinued with the Blue Line extention to Jefferson Park

X21 Cermak Express - Discontinued and incorporated into present-day 21 Cermak Route and pink line service

X38 Michigan Express- Temporary replacement for Green Line service during reconstruction

[Guest]

You certainly don't go far enough back. The real death knell of some of them (and most limited buses) was 1973. One can throw into that various versions of the 152 Addison Express and Limited, 72 North Limited (substitute for the Humboldt Park L), 63 Limited (at least I have a sign), 3 King Drive/South Park Limited or Express, 126 Jackson Express or Limited, 131 Washington Express.

Also if you are implying that X20, X49, and X80 are running after the doomsday of Feb. 2010, you are wrong--only the locals survive. Also, if Milwaukee ever had an express bus (maybe you are referring to the 19 from Logan Square to the Devon-Canfield area, and apparently there was a Milwaukee Limited at one time north of Logan Square), that died when the L was extended to Logan Square in 1970.

Stuff like the 6 Garfield Express and 111A Vincennes Express were canceled (or at least no longer went downtown) with the opening of the Dan Ryan line in 1969.

30 South Chicago was labelled Express into the 1970s, even though it wasn't.

The above is based on my own recollection, refreshed by my 1969 CTA map.

I mentioned in a previous post that I did not know about the 85B Central Limited, but it does show up on my 1969 map.

Of course, you also don't mention any effect of the North LSD renumberings in about 1976, nor restructuring in about 2003, as well as the conversion of 158/158A into 120/121/125.

Do your research.

Correction!!! The L was extended to Jeff PK in 1970, not Logan Square.

[New Flyer]

Lets not forget the 23Express which replaced the Lake Street portion of the Green Line

[artthouwill]

How about the 38 Michigan Express (during the Green Line reconstruction).

Then there was the X99 Chicago Manufacturing Express that ran between 95th Red Line and the Ford Plant near 130th & Torrence. Hmmm, a bus route serving an area where there is an auto plant (whose employees get a discount) and a bunch of auto part suppliers.

[MetroShadow]

Lest we forget the NW and Union Station routes (120-123) and the Water Tower Express.

[ChicagoNova]

Lest we forget the NW and Union Station routes (120-123) and the Water Tower Express.

Those are still in service.

[Sam92]

How about the 38 Michigan Express (during the Green Line reconstruction).

Then there was the X99 Chicago Manufacturing Express that ran between 95th Red Line and the Ford Plant near 130th & Torrence. Hmmm, a bus route serving an area where there is an auto plant (whose employees get a discount) and a bunch of auto part suppliers.

Mentioned the X38 in an earlier post along with the X21 and another route

[andrethebusman]

First express was 62X-Archer Express in 1948. Started as a day & evening, 7 day a week. Sunday and evening dropped when Archer changed from streetcar to bus.

30X-South Chicago Express started as 25X-South Chicago Express, replacing 5-Cottage Grove/South Chicago streetcars Mon-Fri rush, AM NB, PM SB, South Park/63 to Ewing/108. Renumbered 30X circa 1952 along with local route. Extended to 116/Burley 1959, became full day & evening 1961 replacing local service

Did anybody mention 43X-Stock Yards Limited from Indiana/40th to Exchange/Packers in the Yards replacing the Stock Yards L? Did not last very long, to about 1963, replaced by Mon-Fri daytime local trips into the Yards (locals had been running into the Yards Mon-Fri rush only since the L ended)

In CMC days there was a 1-Hyde Park Express from Wacker via Michigan-24th-South Park-thru Washington Park-Hyde Park to 57th, essentially a branch of #3 complementing the 2-Hyde Park local. This ended 2/53 when CTA reorganized CMC.

Also, CMC had a 6-Garfield/Marquette Express Mon-Fri rush branch off the 6-Garfield Express from Wacker via Michigan-Garfield-Loomis-Marquette to St Louis. CTA reorganized this into the 110-Marquette 63/Loomis to Marquette/Kostner in 1953.

Addison used to have both Limited and Express. Both ran via Addison-Lake Shore-Michigan, non-stop Roscoe to Walton, but Express also made limited stops Cicero to Lake Shore while Limited ran local there. Limited was EB Mon-Sat AM rush, WB Mon-Fri PM rush, Express (actually Addison Heights Express) was Mon-Fri AM rush only EB only. During the times Limited ran, it replaced locals. In 1973 downtown service was severely reduced. All EB Limiteds were eliminated and re[placed by locals to Lake Shore only, PM rush Limiteds were cut back to Harlem only and locals from Lake Shore started that ran to Cumberland. Then in 1976 all downtown service ended, and remaining AM rush EB Expresses were renamed Limited with no change in stops, but they were soon dropped altogether.

Sheridan Express and Outer Drive Express were also somewhat complex. Sheridan Express ran SB Mon-Fri AM rush, but NB Mon-Fri AM and PM rush and Saturday AM rush. Outer Drive Express ran SB Mon-Fri AM rush to noon, Sat AM thru PM rush, NB after the AM rush thru noon and PM rush, Saturday after the AM rush thru PM rush (this was because one upon a time you could not get off at Foster NB in the morning rush). AM rush Sheridan Expresses were changed over to Outer Drive Expresses via Foster in the 1970's, also Mon-Fri PM rush SB Outer Drive Expresses were started about the same time. IN the "great reorganization" the afternoon gap in ODX service was closed, and Sheridan Expresses (by then 146) were eliminated.

Another route with a somewhat complex history is Wilson-Michigan Express. Originally ran SB in AM rush only Mon-Sat. Saturday service dropped in 1961. In 1970 NB service added, but Lake/Garland to Wilson/Ravenswood only, and from Keeler Garage to compensate for severe reduction in PM rush Addison Limiteds. All-day service started with the "great reorganization". Wilson-Outer Drive Express originally rush only SB AM, NB PM, but a few northbound trips in the AM rush also. 1970 rerouted via Wilson-Marine-Irving Park-LSD (except NB AM rush trips) then dropped when 146-Marine/Michigan Exp started. Wilson had a tremendous amount of service into the 1970's!

[andrethebusman]

Then there was the X99 Chicago Manufacturing Express that ran between 95th Red Line and the Ford Plant near 130th & Torrence. Hmmm, a bus route serving an area where there is an auto plant (whose employees get a discount) and a bunch of auto part suppliers.

X99 ran from 95/Ryan via 95th-Michigan-103rd-Torrence-126th to Ave O. Its main purpose was to serve the parts plants north of Hegewisch. Its demise was because the auto industry does not have a set work schedule, but hours (especially for the parts suppliers) vary wildly week to week based on production needs. This week they might work 12 hour shifts, next week six hours, based on how many cars Ford is putting out that week.

[andrethebusman]

X21 Cermak Express - Discontinued and incorporated into present-day 21 Cermak Route and pink line service

X21 was a "temporary route" while the Douglas L was shut down on weekends. Originally ran 54th Av to Calumet, then extended to North Riverside Mall replacing the 25, then unsuccessfully extended downtown, the back to Calumet. When Douglas resumed weekend service, the X21 went away.

[Busjack]

...

Sheridan Express and Outer Drive Express were also somewhat complex. ..

Another route with a somewhat complex history is Wilson-Michigan Express. ...

Mostly number float, but I remember that when the Helvetica roll signs were installed (around 1976) there were readings for both 146 Sheridan Express and 146 Marine-Michigan Express, even though it was still Sheridan Express at that time (express essentially to Wilson).

The other bizarre number shift was that Wilson-Michigan was 153, then with those signs the Express became 145, but some time after that,153 was killed and there were 145 and 146 express and local.

[andrethebusman]

Here is another one - Stony Island. Originally the 28 ran to 47th/Indiana (later 47th/Wentworth). Got extended all hours to Union Station, further to Paulina/Congress weekday rush as "28-Stony Island Express", but soon discovered to be unnecessary except rush hours. At that point express was cut to rush only, as "X28-Stony island Express", while all-hours locals to 47th reverted to 28-Stony Island. Recently rush locals were dropped and only downtown service runs those hours, but downtown service went back to just 28-Stony Island.

[andrethebusman]

Mostly number float, but I remember that when the Helvetica roll signs were installed (around 1976) there were readings for both 146 Sheridan Express and 146 Marine-Michigan Express, even though it was still Sheridan Express at that time (express essentially to Wilson).

The other bizarre number shift was that Wilson-Michigan was 153, then with those signs the Express became 145, but some time after that,153 was killed and there were 145 and 146 express and local.

The new numbers were in use about a year before the services were reorganized. In the reorganization, the old 145 expanded to all day & evening (local evenings and Sundays, but still 145), old 146 and 148 dropped, as was 153, and new 146-Marine/Michigan started, again local evenings and Sundays.

Remember when 7400's were new, there was a plan to renumber expresses then? They had signs for "150-Sheridan/LaSalle Express", "151-Sheridan Express via Wilson", "151-Sheridan Express via Foster", "153-Wilson/Michigan Express", "154-Marine/Michigan Express" and "156-Wilson/LaSalle Express"!

[andrethebusman]

Here is another good one - Washington: Originally in the last days of CMC you had locals all day & evening with expresses weekday rush. CTA expanded expresses to weekday & Saturday daytime and eliminated locals these hours, except for weekday rush hours when both locals and expresses ran for a while. Then Sunday locals were dropped, and evening locals were replaced by expresses. In 1973 Saturday service went away, as did weekday evenings, leaving only weekday daytime expresses. In 1976 renamed "131-Washington" with no change in stops, discontinued 1982, brought back by political pressure during rush hours only soon after, dropped again 1992, resurrected as X20 in 1998, this time as a local via Madison west of Central Park. Finally put to death permanently in 2010.

[Busjack]

The new numbers were in use about a year before the services were reorganized. In the reorganization, the old 145 expanded to all day & evening (local evenings and Sundays, but still 145), old 146 and 148 dropped, as was 153, and new 146-Marine/Michigan started, again local evenings and Sundays.

Remember when 7400's were new, there was a plan to renumber expresses then? They had signs for "150-Sheridan/LaSalle Express", "151-Sheridan Express via Wilson", "151-Sheridan Express via Foster", "153-Wilson/Michigan Express", "154-Marine/Michigan Express" and "156-Wilson/LaSalle Express"!

CTA5750 had posted his sign roll of those, although the only one I remember having ever been displayed in revenue service was 150.

The signs to which I referred were at the time when CTA also had car cards that "the express routes are getting their own numbers" but had nothing to do with restructuring. I just though it curious that looking at the side roll sign from inside the bus, there was a 146 Marine visible in the roller when the 146 Sheridan Express was displayed.

[andrethebusman]

If somebody was running a 150 sign, he shouldn't have been. The 7400's at North Park and Limits also had the traditional "LaSalle-Sheridan Express" readings!

[Busjack]

If somebody was running a 150 sign, he shouldn't have been. The 7400's at North Park and Limits also had the traditional "LaSalle-Sheridan Express" readings!

5750 also established that. However, I had the feeling that Limits drivers didn't know what they had.

When the signs were changed, I rode one Sheridan-LaSalle Express (one of the 1960s era GMCs) with blank signs on the front and side, and the route on a sheet of paper in the windshield, but I was able to get to the side sign and roll it to 136, and told the driver that he had it.

Before that, though, the 150s, while not predominant, were also not rare.

[TripleTransit1]

The only express routes I miss are the "X" routes, such as the X3, X4, and X49.

[Busjack]

The only express routes I miss are the "X" routes, such as the X3, X4, and X49.

I've mentioned before that reinstating X9 and X49 would make more sense than messing with the BRT consultants.

However, these, being denoted by X in front, as opposed to more traditional express routes (such as those via Lake Shore Drive) that have their own numbers, in effect brings up whether there is or was a distinction between the old Limited* and Express routes that Andre mentioned. A principled distinction would be that express routes have express segments with no stops, while limited routes have limited stops, and hence the Xs would have been Limiteds. However, in practice that never held up, with such examples as Archer and South Chicago Express, and, of course, Addison Express and Limited both going downtown, but having different stopping patterns on Addison.

But maybe to get back to your point, while there was a stink (at least in postings here) about killing X3, X4, and X55, it seemed to have escaped people that the Jeffery Express had not simultaneously been killed, maybe because it was 14 instead of X15.

___________

*Limited had a green background box in the destination sign, Express a red one, usually to the exclusion of a route number, such as (green)63 Limited (black)Naragansett, or (red)Archer Express(black)Cicero-63.

[TripleTransit1]

I've mentioned before that reinstating X9 and X49 would make more sense than messing with the BRT consultants.

However, these, being denoted by X in front, as opposed to more traditional express routes (such as those via Lake Shore Drive) that have their own numbers, in effect brings up whether there is or was a distinction between the old Limited* and Express routes that Andre mentioned. A principled distinction would be that express routes have express segments with no stops, while limited routes have limited stops, and hence the Xs would have been Limiteds. However, in practice that never held up, with such examples as Archer and South Chicago Express, and, of course, Addison Express and Limited both going downtown, but having different stopping patterns on Addison.

But maybe to get back to your point, while there was a stink (at least in postings here) about killing X3, X4, and X55, it seemed to have escaped people that the Jeffery Express had not simultaneously been killed, maybe because it was 14 instead of X15.

___________

*Limited had a green background box in the destination sign, Express a red one, usually to the exclusion of a route number, such as (green)63 Limited (black)Naragansett, or (red)Archer Express(black)Cicero-63.

The only reason why the 14 didn't get killed was to make way for BRT's Jeffery Jump. I didn't even know there was a predecessor to the X3 before I saw a bus sign of it on Google. The only "X" route that still exists is the X98 Avon Express (which is surprisingly on Bus Tracker), and that route BARELY even runs. I <3 the X routes growing up, and I have always wanted to ride one of the routes. Unfortunately, thanks to the 2010 budget cuts, THAT dream got shut down.