I took this photo one morning around 6:30 AM, at the Chicago Transit Authority Yellow Line / Skokie Swift station at Dempster Street in north suburban Skokie Illinois. The very bright morning sunshine glints off of the stainless steel
sides of the Yellow Line rapid transit train. Prior to September of 2004, this
line was operated under overhead catenary wire from Dempster Street to East Prairie
Road in the village of Skokie due to a local city ordinance. Skokie officials had
a major fear of electrocution accidents involving pedestrians. The Skokie Swift
cars seen here still retain their overhead roof walks for now, from the days
when rooftop Pantographs were used for the overhead wire.
The Skokie Swift route was actually salvaged from the abandoned Chicago, North
Shore & Milwaukee Railroad. This is the only remaning operational segment of
the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad's Skokie Valley Mainline today.
The remainder of the Skokie Valley Mainline today, is pretty much a High Tension
Electric Utility corridor, with heavy overhead power line towers.
The CTA Yellow Line / Skokie Swift operates from Howard Street Station in downtown
Evanston Illinois, to the Dempster Street Station in Skokie Illinois. These are
the only two station stops on the route today, but there is talk about possible
future expansion to the Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie Illinois.
This CTA rapid Transit line opened for business in April of 1964.
Dempster Street station was originally named "Niles Center" station.
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