Chicago elevated tracks. 1936.

Chicago elevated tracks. 1936.
Originally uploaded by Eddie from Chicago

I spotted this old photograph on the internet recently.

We are facing west above Lake Street in downtown Chicago Illinois, during the year of 1936. It appears that an outbound electric interurban train from the now long gone Chicago, Aurora And Elgin Railroad, is entering on to the Lake Street elevated rapid transit trackage from the junction at Lake and Wells Street.

The Chicago, Aurora And Elgin Railroad, entered in to Chicago from west suburban Forest Park Illinois, over the Garfield Park elevated line of The Chicago Rapid Transit Company, and from 1947 until 1953 over the successor company, The Chicago Transit Authority.

The Chicago, Aurora And Elgin spent it's last few years or so in bankruptcy, after a handful of attempts to either purchase the railroad, or convert the passenger operation to motor bus operation had failed. The C,A & E quit the passenger business for good before the evening rush hour on Friday, July 3rd 1957, in a controversial move that left many passengers stranded that day. The C,A & E's freight operation continued until 1959.

The old Chicago, Aurora And Elgin mainline righyt of way, was converted to The Illinois Prairie Path bicycle trail during the 1970's.
Several former Chicago, Aurora And Elgin Railroad wooden and steel interurban passenger train cars, are preserved and operated today at The Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin Illinois, and at The Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois.