View looking north on the CTA Skokie Swift / Yellow Line tracks from the Oakton Street railroad crossing. Skokie Illinois USA. August 2008.

I took this photo during My lunch break one morning back in August of 2008.

We are looking north from the Chicago Transit Authority rapid transit railroad crossing on Oakton Street in north suburban Skokie Illinois.

This line prior to January 21st 1963, was the Skokie Valley Mainline of the electric interurban railroad Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee. After the North Shore Line was abandoned due to bankruptcy, the Chicago Transit Authority rescued and rebuilt the 5 mile segment between Dempster Street in Skokie, and the Howard Street terminal in downtown Evanston Illinois.

The line opened on April 30th 1964 as the CTA Skokie Swift line. The segment from Dempster Street to East Prairie Road in the village of Skokie Illinois, was originally operated under overhead catenary wire due to a village ordinance and a fear of electrocution accidents. In September of 2004, the line was converted to 100% third rail operation.

The old iron catenary wire support spans are still in place for the time being today.