Catcher/ Retriever safety mechanism. 1951 CTA Marmon Herrington trolley coach. The Illinois Railway Museum. Union Illinois USA. August 2006.

I took this photograph in the Museum's Bus Garage in August of 2006. This was an overlooked everyday sight for the local Chicago Transit Authority bus commuters that rode on the electric trolley buses on Chicago city streets. Chicago had Electric Trolley Buses on certain routes (Mainly Northside) From April 17th 1930, until March 24th 1973. This bus is a 1951 trolley coach from the Marmon Herrington Corporation. These were the last trolleybuses ordered new for the CTA, and were the last in service. Trolleybuses used spring loaded poles and overhead wires just like the electric streetcars of years past. Electric streetcars used one pole to draw power from the overhead wires, and completed the circuit through the rails in the street. Electric trolleybuses used two poles, as they required both a hot and ground wire connection. This spring loaded safety mechanism would activate by pulling a trolley pole down if it came off the overhead wire, wich actually happened quiete often due to the bumps in the streets. I grew up in Chicago during the 1960's and 70's, and had witnessed the final years of service for these fine examples of electric propulsion on Chicago city streets. Just as people who came before me mourn the loss of electric streetcars in Chicago, 33 years later I miss the CTA electric buses. Thanks to the Illinois Railway Museum, I can ride them once again.