Historic CTA Cars 4271-4272 Make Rare Appearance

[chicagopcclcar]

The CTA announced on April 26, that they wil celebrate the 100th anniversary of "L" service to Wilmette, IL on Saturday, April 28, with a display appearance of the two historic "L" cars, 4271 and 4272. The cars are not in the best of operational condition, but they certainly won't have to move very far for this display exhibit. Here is a part of the CTA announcement:

"Officials from the Chicago Transit Authority and the Village of Wilmette will celebrate the 100th anniversary of 'L' service to the North Shore community on Saturday, April 28.

"CTA President Forrest Claypool, Wilmette Village President Chris Canning, and members of the Wilmette Chamber of Commerce, Wilmette Historical Museum and North Shore Community Bank will mark the 100th anniversary with a celebration at the historic Linden 'L' station, at the corner of Linden Avenue and 4th Street. The event runs from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m........

"The historic Linden station was built in 1913 and was used until the early 1990s, when a larger station was built to the east, opening in 1993. A few years later, the historic station was leased to North Shore Community Bank, which performed a careful exterior renovation. The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as being historic in a Memorandum of Agreement between the CTA and the State Historic Preservation Office.

"Today, the Linden station is the third-busiest among the eight Evanston branch Purple Line stations, with just over 1,000 riders on an average weekday. The station saw over 319,600 passengers in 2011.

"The 100th anniversary event will feature CTA's two historic train cars, which were built in 1923 by the Cincinnati Car Company for the Chicago Elevated Railways, one of CTA's predecessor companies. The cars were formally called the 4000-series but were affectionately nicknamed the "plushies" because of their luxurious interiors with green plush seats. The cars also featured steel carbodies with canvas-covered wooden roofs, while the insides were appointed with mahogany trim, electric fans, lights with glass lampshades, and porcelain handholds for standees.

"The cars ran in 'L' service until 1973. Following their retirement, they were fully rehabbed, repainted in a historic livery from the 1940s, and outfitted with historic displays inside. Today, the cars make occasional appearances at special events."

Wow, an hour and a half...so don't be late.

David Harrison

[Busjack]

The thing that surprised me is that the press release contained the admission that Wilmette fought it in 1912. Also, that CTA brass would show up north of Juneway Terrace.

[chicagopcclcar]

The thing that surprised me is that the press release contained the admission that Wilmette fought it in 1912. Also, that CTA brass would show up north of Juneway Terrace.

I too noticed the reference to the original objections and thought the inclusion seemed straight from "Chicago 'L'.org" or from Bruce Moffat's book. I know not of your "Juneway Terrace" reference.

David Harrison

[Busjack]

I too noticed the reference to the original objections and thought the inclusion seemed straight from "Chicago 'L'.org" or from Bruce Moffat's book. I know not of your "Juneway Terrace" reference.

David Harrison

There are much closer sources, but whatever.

The reference was to the northern city limits, and comparing to that the 5000 series rollout was at Midway, because Rahm was not going to the 54th Yard in Cicero. Apparently, he's not going to his native municipality, either, but Claypool is.

[Guest]

I wonder if CTA will also bring the historic bus collection.

[chicagopcclcar]

I wonder if CTA will also bring the historic bus collection.

Personally I doubt it...has there ever been any CTA bus service to Linden Station? Whereas there has been "L" service naturally. The Historic Cars are actually stored in the shop building at Linden Yard, hence my joke about not having to move them very far. Now if the cars have to go to Skokie Shops for any kind of inspection, and if they're going to requalify motormen, then that means a goodly amount of mileage. Wonder if they could use a conversion coupler and just tow the Historic Cars out of the shops and up to the platforms....maybe using the tunnel.

David Harrison

[7944]

This train series ran for 50 years?. Wow!

[Busjack]

This train series ran for 50 years?. Wow!

Don't know about the particular cars, but an even number of about 75 of the series ran until 1974, and the series started in 1924. The last ones were kept around to run the Evanston Express when it still had overhead wire north of South Blvd.

Surprisingly, they were all taken out of service at about the same time without any equipment shortage.

What may be more surprising is that most of the wooden cars lasted about as long, according to sources (entered service in the 1890s or 1900s, and lasted until the PCCs were received in the late 1940s through 1950s).

[7944]

Don't know about the particular cars, but an even number of about 75 of the series ran until 1974, and the series started in 1924. The last ones were kept around to run the Evanston Express when it still had overhead wire north of South Blvd.

Surprisingly, they were all taken out of service at about the same time without any equipment shortage.

What may be more surprising is that most of the wooden cars lasted about as long, according to sources (entered service in the 1890s or 1900s, and lasted until the PCCs were received in the late 1940s through 1950s).

As an 8 year old, I remember waiting for the train on Lake street at Central going downtown with my Mom. So what pulls in at the station? A brand new 2 car consist of 2200 series. It blows my mind that was 43 years ago and some are still in service.I wish that the CTA would upkeep the maintenance of the 2200 series to last another 7 years. I also realize that the budget problems of the CTA would prohibit upkeep for multiple years.

[RJL6000]

Don't know about the particular cars, but an even number of about 75 of the series ran until 1974, and the series started in 1924. The last ones were kept around to run the Evanston Express when it still had overhead wire north of South Blvd.

Surprisingly, they were all taken out of service at about the same time without any equipment shortage.

What may be more surprising is that most of the wooden cars lasted about as long, according to sources (entered service in the 1890s or 1900s, and lasted until the PCCs were received in the late 1940s through 1950s).

The series that lasted in revenue service until November of 1973 actually was first ordered in 1922. The numbering started with car #4251. It ended in 1924 with car #4455. There was an earlier series of steel-bodied cars that entered service in 1915 that were numbered #4001 to #4250 - all of those were retired in 1964 when the 2000s arrived from Pullman Car Company.

Of all the cars that entered service after the CTA took over the 'L' operations, the 2200s have been the longetivity champs. They've been in service for over 42 years, surpassing the entire 6000-series PCC fleet: While the first of the 2200s went into revenue service concurrently with the opening of the Dan Ryan line in 1969, the first of the 6000s entered revenue service on the Logan Square line (part of which now makes up part of the Blue Line) only in September of 1950; the 6000s were officially retired in December of 1992 (by which time all of the 6000s that remained in revenue service were numbered higher than 6600, delivered in 1958 and 1959, while 6101-6102 and 6599-6600 were retained for charters at the time).

[CURRENTZ_09]

Will CTA present any printed material, if so can some inbox me

[Busjack]

I got there pretty late to check this out, but did get to go through the cars.

The "Antique CTA Train" sign made me think they were demonstrating 2208, next to it.

The kids found the whistle and fare register cords pretty quick.

I also noted that while the ATC was in the south car, the other one was on a display case and the corresponding box in the north car was empty. So, if it is going anywhere, it better be in one direction.

The other things I noted in the pictures:

• The one with the trolley buses said that the operators had difficulties, and had pictures of them stuck in a snowstorm and stopping short of a flood.
• The one of the Twin Coach bus with the CTA decal was in color and indicated that there was an orange stripe above the chrome strip on the side. The B & W pictures in Lind's book certainly don't reflect that.

[Kevin]

Some photos from today's event, which was followed by a race across the system with record holder Adham Fisher of Leicester, England.

More Photos…

[Guest]

Im sorry I missed out! It looked like it was a great event. I had a Daddy/Daughter Girl Scout Bowling outing with my daughter today. But Im glad everyone had a good time. When is the official opening of the Oakton Station?

[busfan2]

Thanks for posting the pictures. I wish I could have made it down there today. I think it is really cool that an event like this was held. When Milwaukee celebrated 150 years of mass transit there were a few promotions but no parade and no signature event. I think it is great that there are preserved vehicles in the Chicago area and...well I'm envious of that and I hope that it's not taken for granted.

[chicagopcclcar]

I got there pretty late to check this out, but did get to go through the cars.

The "Antique CTA Train" sign made me think they were demonstrating 2208, next to it.

The kids found the whistle and fare register cords pretty quick.

I also noted that while the ATC was in the south car, the other one was on a display case and the corresponding box in the north car was empty. So, if it is going anywhere, it better be in one direction.

The other things I noted in the pictures:

• The one with the trolley buses said that the operators had difficulties, and had pictures of them stuck in a snowstorm and stopping short of a flood.
• The one of the Twin Coach bus with the CTA decal was in color and indicated that there was an orange stripe above the chrome strip on the side. The B & W pictures in Lind's book certainly don't reflect that.

What is a fare register cord?

I really didn't pay any attention to the cab signal apparatus. ATC is "automatic train control"...refers to the system. The boxes are the ADU...."aspect display unit" and this is the box you probably saw. There's one in each cab so the train CAN operate in both directions. The ADU in the car is there for public enlightenment, not for operation. When the CTA installed cab signals in the two historic cars, they were quite proud of having fashioned a home-made system that could work with air brakes, display all the then-correct aspects, and still enforce a penalty braking. The inside car display was at the "A" end the last time I rode the car. Saturday the display was at the "B" end so the system might have been worked on and may be non-operational at present. Remember the cars have not been out on the road for almost two years. For Saturday's display, the cars did not have to go out on the road.

David Harrison

[Busjack]

What is a fare register cord?

The fare register was apparently applied from a station.*

Anyway, the fare register is the box over the door on the #2 end with the numbers. It has a cord hanging from it with a wooden hand hold, which the conductor can pull, but there also is a cord going the length of the ceiling (visible in picture 1). Anyway, someone must have found it, as one could hear it "clanking."

*Update: CERA 115, page 112 says: "a Sterling Meeker fare register, used in stations of the Northwestern Elevated, compliment the interior of each car." This looks more like a streetcar application, but apparently was not.

I really didn't pay any attention to the cab signal apparatus. ATC is "automatic train control"...refers to the system. The boxes are the ADU...."aspect display unit" and this is the box you probably saw.

What I first notice in the cab of the back car was a sign saying essentially to toggle a switch to turn on the ATC before proceeding. Then I saw the ADU, which, if memory serves me, is of the type retrofitted into the PCC L cars.

I saw the one on the display case, then, on the way out, I looked through the window on the cab door on the north car, and saw that the box was empty. This, of course, assumes that it is the same box.

[chicagopcclcar]

The fare register was apparently applied from a station.*

Anyway, the fare register is the box over the door on the #2 end with the numbers. It has a cord hanging from it with a wooden hand hold, which the conductor can pull, but there also is a cord going the length of the ceiling (visible in picture 1). Anyway, someone must have found it, as one could hear it "clanking."

*Update: CERA 115, page 112 says: "a Sterling Meeker fare register, used in stations of the Northwestern Elevated, compliment the interior of each car." This looks more like a streetcar application, but apparently was not.

What I first notice in the cab of the back car was a sign saying essentially to toggle a switch to turn on the ATC before proceeding. Then I saw the ADU, which, if memory serves me, is of the type retrofitted into the PCC L cars.

I saw the one on the display case, then, on the way out, I looked through the window on the cab door on the north car, and saw that the box was empty. This, of course, assumes that it is the same box.

Thanks, I found the fare register in the photo. Took a bit of looking..it's on p. 113 and that's Vol. II. I've seen it on the car but I didn't pay any attention to it. When I worked and conductors collected fares, the conductor wore a metal vest thingy that had several pulls and associated bells that he used to ring up fares, reduced fares, and transfers. I have no idea when that fare register was used. Some old "L" cars also had a coasting meter that measured how proficient the motorman was at saving electricty.

The cord in the center running lengthwise is the "communications cord." Before the CTA era, there was a conductor or trainman in between each car. When the rear trainman closed his set of doors, he pulled the cord which rang a bell, "ding, ding" in the car ahead. The next trainman/conductor did the same. This was called "passing the bell." When the bell rang in the front car, the motorman knew all the doors were closed and he could proceed. The CTA, being real interested at reducing manpower costs, reduced the number of trainmen. They installed "zone keys" whereby conductor/trainmen could control more doors. Finally they installed a system of relays and one conductor could control the entire dooors of a train, the "click, clack" you could hear at the front cab...the click being the door relay in the car, the clack being the power relay when all of the door relays are closed. Today's trains are solid state...so no clicks. I wonder how many people yesterday thought the cord was "stop requested" like in buses. The other lengthwise cord above the advertisments is the "emergency brake cord."

David Harrison

[Busjack]

The cord in the center running lengthwise is the "communications cord." Before the CTA era, there was a conductor or trainman in between each car. ...

I've seen references to "communications cords," but other in that car, don't remember then in other cars. One testing 40 year old memory may be tough, though.

If you go to chicago-l.org, 4000 Series Gallery 17 4414, there isn't one there, and that supposedly depicts operating conditions.

chiciago-l.org has pictures of preserved 4290 (gallery 2) and 4420 (gallery 10), and while we don't know what the preservationists did, it isn't visible in those interior shots, either.

[chicagopcclcar]

I've seen references to "communications cords," but other in that car, don't remember then in other cars. One testing 40 year old memory may be tough, though.

If you go to chicago-l.org, 4000 Series Gallery 17 4414, there isn't one there, and that supposedly depicts operating conditions.

chiciago-l.org has pictures of preserved 4290 (gallery 2) and 4420 (gallery 10), and while we don't know what the preservationists did, it isn't visible in those interior shots, either.

That's too easy....all of the pictures you referenced show the cars after the CTA has converted them to one conductor operation so the communication cords were all removed. The CTA did this early in its history....the late 1940s. I said that in my post too....

"The CTA, being real interested at reducing manpower costs, reduced the number of trainmen. They installed "zone keys" whereby conductor/trainmen could control more doors. Finally they installed a system of relays and one conductor could control the entire dooors of a train, the "click, clack" you could hear at the front cab...the click being the door relay in the car, the clack being the power relay when all of the door relays are closed."

David Harrison

P.S. Remote door operation started North South (all 4000s) Oct. 1, 1950.

Complete conversion of all 4000s to remote door operation, North South, Feb. 2, 1951.

[Busjack]

That's too easy....all of the pictures you referenced show the cars after the CTA has converted them to one conductor operation so the communication cords were all removed. The CTA did this early in its history....the late 1940s. I said that in my post too....

Well, then the CTA must have stuck them back in these two cars in 1974 or so, unless you are saying that for some weird reason they were not taken out.

Of course, this series didn't have leather seats, either, but these two cars did.

[chicagopcclcar]

Well, then the CTA must have stuck them back in these two cars in 1974 or so, unless you are saying that for some weird reason they were not taken out.

Of course, this series didn't have leather seats, either, but these two cars did.

True. The mechanical guys are always trying to find stuff to add to these cars....the cords and their fittings also looked brand new, again indicating that they've been recently added. The front end was also sporting brand new air hoses and couplings....like what are they going to couple up with??????

The seat covering is interesting. IRM wanted to remove the "pleather" and restore the green plushy to their cars. They finally located a firm that could do the material, but the minimum order was more than IRM could use, so IRM contacted all the other museums and got enough orders to make the job worthwhile. According to one source, the "pleather" might be naugahyde.

David Harrison

[Busjack]

Sun-Times article that the cars will be out for a 100th anniversary trip Saturday.