Before there were buses on Chicago's city streets, people traveled the transit routes by electric streetcars. The Illinois Railway Museum.

Before and after the invention of the internal combustion engine, people traveled across and around their citties in North America by electric streetcars. The various routes operated by the public transit companys, were often refered to as "trolley Lines" due to theoverhead trolley wire hanging over the streets. Chicago operated their electric streetcars until 1958. Seen here on display, is a Chicago Surface Lines 1936 vintage "Modern" streamlined electric streetcar. These cars were designed by a group appointed by then U.S President Franklin D. Roosevelt known as the "president's Conference Commitee". It was an attempt to lure people back on to using public transit, as the personal automobile was rapidly taking over and public transit companys were losing money.

Although not operable and still quiete a ways off from a complete restoration, CSL 1936 PCC streetcar # 4021 makes a fine display. It has been restored to it's original CSL 1936 "Blue Goose" color scheme.