CTA Skokie Swift train at Dempster Street station. Skokie Illinois. January 2004.

CTA Skokie Swift train at Dempster Street station. Skokie Illinois. January 2004.
Originally uploaded by Eddie from Chicago

I took this photo in January of 2004, on location at the Chicago Transit Authority's Dempster Street yellow line terminal in north suburban Skokie Illinois.

This line began operations as the CTA Skokie Swift Line on April 30th, 1964 after a 5 mile section of the bankrupt and abandoned Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee interurban railroad's Skokie Valley Mainline had been salvaged and repaired by the Chicago Transit Authority for rapid transit service connecting the citties of Skokie and Evanston Illinois.

2004 was the last year that the segment from Dempster Street in Skokie, until the railroad crossing at East Prairie Road at the Evanston border, would be operated under overhead catenary wire and rooftop mounted Pantographs.

In September of 2004, the entire line was converted to 100% third rail operation. However, many of the old former Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad catenary wire girder support bridges are still in place yet.