Chicago Transit Authority 4000 Series Elevated Cars Make One Last Stand?
By Phil O’Keefe
CTA 4000 Series elevated cars 4271 and 4272 were ready to go on possibly their last fan trip at Lawrence and Kimball on the Ravenswood Branch, September 19, 1999. This paint scheme is reminiscent of Chicago Rapid Transit Company colors of the late 1930's. The cars were "married" in pairs and "modernized" by the CTA in the 1950s with roof top headlights, marker/tail lamp boxes on the ends, and small oval windows on the doors.
On Sunday, September 19, 1999, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) ran an unpublicized fan trip using their two 1920’s vintage 4000 Series elevated cars. Ironically, the purpose of the unpublicized trip was to gain publicity in the railfan community. Riders were urged to contact their state and federal government representatives to request that grants be given to the CTA to restore the antique rapid transit cars to like-new condition.
The fan trip started out on a warm and breezy Sunday morning at the end of the Ravenswood Branch at the Lawrence and Kimball terminal and proceeded to Midway Airport terminal on the Orange Line. Because the trip was not publicized, there were some empty seats and few standees, making for a relaxing trip. Fans were not allowed to crowd in the front vestibule of the lead car. All along the way, the beautiful orange and brown antique train received dumbfounded looks from regular passengers waiting for modern stainless steel trains on the station platforms.
The antique train rounds the sharp curve at the south end of the yard along Kimball Avenue.
The interior of the 4000s. The CTA put historical pictures along the upper window sashes telling the history of the elevated and surface systems.
Along the way, the train was switched into the State Street Subway. The open windows allowed the concert of subway sounds to entertain the passengers. Occasionally, a bright flash from the third rail would illuminate the interior. What a show!
The 4000s paused for a photo stop at Harrison Street in the State Street Subway. These cars were regulars in the subway from 1942 until the 6000 Series PCC elevated cars displaced them in the late 1950’s. Compare this picture with the one shown on my Chicago Tunnel Company website. Note the "Midway" sign board hanging from the front window.
The train was switched on to the Orange Line from the elevated tracks south of Roosevelt Road. Because the old cars never ventured out on to the Orange Line before, they inched their way through the first station to make sure the clearances were sufficient to avoid damage to the trolley poles and boards on the roofs. Everything went well and the cars made it to the end of the line.
This shot at Midway shows the roof vents, trolley boards, fuse box, and trolley pole. The cars had to creep under the Orange Line Station canopy at Halsted Street just in case the clearance was not enough to avoid damaging these items. Note the railfan playing with the controller in the cab window.
The modern Midway Airport Station on the Orange Line provides quite a contrast for the old cars. This was the first time the cars ventured out on this new line. The passenger bridge behind the cars was too low to enable the cars to proceed any further south.
From Midway, the train went back up to the North Side via the Loop Elevated and proceeded to Linden Avenue Station in Willmette. The train ran over the outer express tracks to Howard and passed within inches of the apartment buildings along the elevated line. From Linden, the train went back south to Clark Street Junction and switched back on to the Ravenswood Branch to end the trip.
After a trip on the Orange Line, the cars went back up to the North Side and paused for a photo stop at Sedgewick Station on the way up to Linden Avenue in Willmette.
The two 4000 Series cars were retired from revenue service in the early 1970’s and they were set aside for celebrations, charters, and fan trips. Both were repainted in a quasi-Chicago Rapid Transit Company brown and orange paint scheme from the 1930’s and a cab signal device was installed to enable the cars to operate on the modernized rapid transit system. Unfortunately, the financially-strapped CTA has not been able to perform more than basic maintenance on the cars. Due to their age and gradual deterioration, the cars have only been used on rare occasions since the late 1980’s. Although the cars still look great on the surface, they need a lot of work. We were told that if the restoration work is not performed, the cars would probably never carry passengers again.
The CTA estimates that the total cost of restoration will be approximately three million dollars. This is remarkable, considering that each car only cost around $25,000.00 when new! Besides overhaul of the running gear and controls, the scope of work would also include dismantling of the cars and replacing rusted body parts and sills. The wood and canvas roofs and the wooden floors would be completely replaced and the cars would be rebuilt with new air piping and wires. If the restoration is done, it is hoped that the cars would be configured and painted as they were when delivered by the Cincinnati Car Company to the Chicago Elevated Railways in 1922.
Car 4420 is operated by the East Troy Electric Railroad in East Troy, Wisconsin. The museum painted it in the early green and orange paint scheme of the Chicago Elevated Railways. The 4000s were popular with railway museums because they could collect current from overhead trolley wire as well as third rail.
If you have any questions or comments about this story, please email me at:
Want to learn more about the history of Chicago's rapid transit system? Visit Graham Garfield's great website at:
| Learn more about the 4000 Series cars as well
as the development of Chicago's rapid transit system from 1888 to 1932 by
reading Bruce Moffat's book The "L". This
marvelous 307 page hard cover book is chocked full of interesting
photographs, diagrams, maps, and historical accounts. This book is
available through:
Central Electric Railfans' Association P.O. Box 503 Chicago, Illinois 60690 |
|
Did you ever hear about Chicago's 60-mile common carrier two foot gauge electric railroad? The Chicago Tunnel Company operated 149 locomotives and over 3000 freight cars through a maze of underground passageways 40 feet below the streets of downtown Chicago from 1906 until 1959. To find out more about this obscure railroad, visit my website by clicking on the picture above or the button below:
Click on the picture above to learn about a great inspection trip over the South Shore Line which was organized by the Central Electric Railfans' Association on October 23, 1999!
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