Digital Live Sound Video: Southbound CTA Skokie Swift train crossing Oakton Street. Skokie Illinois USA. Late September 2009.

I photographed this digital live sound video after work one night, in late September of 2009. We are in north suburban Skokie Illinois, looking north at the CTA Yellow Line / Skokie Swift rapid transit railroad crossing on Oakton Street. A southbound Skokie Swift train enroute to the Howard Street station in nearby Evanston Illinois, speeds past My camera. Notice the bright sparks coming from the 3rd rail and the 3rd rail shoes on the cars trucks. From the lines opening in April of 1964, until September of 2004, the portion of the line from Dempster Street to East Prairie Road utilized overhead Catenary wire. In 2004, the entire line was converted to 100% 3rd rail operation. Prior to the Januar 1963 abandonement and shut down due to bankruptcy, this was a portion of the former Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee electric interurban railroad's Skokie Valley Mainline. After the abandonement, the CTA salvaged the 5 mile segment between Dempster Street in Skokie and Howard Street in Evanston to become the Skokie Swift line.