Not The Last 2200 Charter, You Can Count On That

[chicagopcclcar]

I caught up with a privately sponsored Budd 2200 series 'L' charter on the south side along east 63rd Street. First, the four car charter selected itself in to the Cottage Grove terminal. The 'L' structure over east 63rd has undergone much rehabbing since its former days as the Jackson Park branch. For over ten years CTA iron workers changed the truss girders to through girders by welding and bolting angle pieces where the girders attach to the cross bents. Then in the Green Line Rehab, the cross bents and support columns were changed out for those you see here.

At the entrance to the Lower 63rd St. yards, the old double track incline has been changed out to a more modern single track structure. The incline is used only by work trains as no revenue cars are stored in the lower yard. Rails, ties, steel, are among the commodities store there. The yard has even restored its connection to mainline railroading, the Norfolk Southern in this case, but the connection is never used for shipping new cars.

East 63rd was built in 1893 and took the Alley L to the Columbian Exposition Worlds Fair. In fact the tracks crossed Stony Island and went about 500 ft. into the fairgrounds. The ciity's original charter expected the Alley L to build "through the blocks" to get from the alley behind S. Prairie Ave. to the Fair, but property owners along east 63rd gave their consent for the elevated to use the street.

DH

[SE CTA Fan]

David:

Great pictures, thanks for posting.

One question on the 63rd St structure and the Green line rebuid ... so, are the lattice girders mostly the original girders that were in place when the line was built in 1893? I can see the extra supports that were added to the girders where they attach to the bents, I'm just wondering if what's left of the girders is basically the original pattern.

I'm hoping to add a very short stretch of 63rd St. to my layout and I am thinking of doing it in the pre-rebuild structure. But, I don't have a lot of close up photographs to tell for certain. Or, do you have any pre-renovation photos you can share?

Thanks

SE CTA Fan / Terry

[chicagopcclcar]

David:

Great pictures, thanks for posting.

One question on the 63rd St structure and the Green line rebuid ... so, are the lattice girders mostly the original girders that were in place when the line was built in 1893? I can see the extra supports that were added to the girders where they attach to the bents, I'm just wondering if what's left of the girders is basically the original pattern.

I'm hoping to add a very short stretch of 63rd St. to my layout and I am thinking of doing it in the pre-rebuild structure. But, I don't have a lot of close up photographs to tell for certain. Or, do you have any pre-renovation photos you can share?

Thanks

SE CTA Fan / Terry

Yes, those are the very original truss girders from 1893. They did change out the upright columns and cross bents in the Green line rehab....but, to save money they did not change out the uprights and bents beneath stations and on the curve at Calumet Ave. That type of truss might have been on a line in Brooklyn, but no where else. Dr. J. A. L. Waddell, bridge engineer who designed the north side 'L' said the design was inadequate, back in the 1890s. Also, when built, the 'L' over 63rd St. at Dorchester Ave. was the highest point on the 'L' as it was crossing the already raised embankment of the Illinois Central Railroad. All other railroads in the city crossed by the 'L' were on the ground.

DH

[chicagopcclcar]

Here's a great shot of that March 03 charter by Rob Schreiner.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=427346&nseq=15

DH