A favorite north suburban railfan photo location close to My work and worthy of a lunchtime visit, is the Chicago Transit Authority yellow line railroad crossing at Kostner Avenue in north suburban Skokie Illinois. The yellow line is also known as "The Skokie Swift" line, and operates over a salvaged and restored 5 mile section of the former interurban railroad Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad. This segment from Howard Street in nearby Evanston to Dempster Street in Skokie, was once part of the North Shore's Skokie Valley Mainline.
After the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee went out of business for good in January of 1963, the Chicago Transit Authority purchased the 5 mile section seen here, and opened it for business in April of 1964 as their Skokie Swift line.
The line was converted to 100% third rail operation in September of 2004, but for now anyway...the old North Shore overhead catenary wire support beams are still in place between East Prairie Road and Dempster Street in Skokie.
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