I spotted this really rare Chicago color photograph from 1948 recently, at an internet photo site known as Dave's Electric Railroads.
This photo was taken on West 63rd Place east of the trolley terminal loop at South Narragansett Avenue. Chicago's Clearing neighborhood near Midway Airport and the adjoining suburban villages of Summit and Bedford Park Illinois, apparently was largely undeveloped yet during the 1940's.
Two 1936 streamlined PCC (President's Conferrence Commitee design) electric city streetcars originally built for the Chicago transit predecessor company Chicago Surface Lines, are viewed working the West 63rd Street for the post 1947 succesor company Chicago Transit Authority. These cars are still wearing the original 1936 blue, cream and red color scheme, but with later full width horizontal striping added during the 1940's for safety and visibility by motorists.
The Chicago Transit Authority operated electric streetcars on the 63rd Street line until 1953. The former trolley loop site at West 63rd Place and South Narragansett Avenue is still in use today as a CTA bus terminal. The Clearing neighborhood did eventually develope and is very built up today.
2 comments:
l lived in Gary,Indiana until 1957 my family had friends in Chicago l remember riding the electric red streetcar on West 63rd with my mother and her friend also the PCC Green streetcars--l felt bad when l read they were taken off.
l enjoyed the Chicago electric streetcar--l rode them with my family until 1954 - the red streetcars and also the Green--l felt bad when they were taken off - l was 10 years old
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