Chicago Transit Authority St. Louis Car Company 1948 built electric trolley bus on West Montrose and North Tripp Avenues. Chicago Illinois. April 27th, 1968.

 

I found this historic 1960's era electric trolleybus photograph from the Chicago Transit Authority at my Link Page "Tom's Trolleybus Pictures", which is located to the right of your computer screen at www.trolleybuses.net.

 

Electric trolleybuses are one thing that I fondly remember from my own childhood growing up in Chicago Illinois during the 1960's and early 1970's era. I still miss them today as well.

 

Most of Chicago's electric trolleybus routes, were located on the north side of the city. The majority of these were actually east / west routes. Most of them were former electric streetcar routes that were converted for electric bus operation, by adding an extra overhead wire on each side of the street, and paving over the now discontinued streetcar tracks in the pavement.

 

The electric trolleybuses built in 1948 from former streetcar builder St. Louis Car Company, were mainly assigned to the CTA Route # 78 / Montrose Avenue line.These buses operated in CTA service until the late 1960's, and were replaced on Montrose Avenue by the 1951 built Marmon Harrington trolleybuses.

 

Electric trolleybus operations ended on Montrose Avenue during January of 1973.

 

I resided on the near southwest side of Chicago, and rode the CTA Rt # 52 / Kedzie - California bus line. This was Chicago's final "New" trolleybus route, and entered service in December of 1955. Electric trolleybus operations on this route ceased in March of 1969, and Rt # 52 was converted to diesel and propane bus operation.

 

Thanks.

Eddie K.