davey7 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The tracks were exposed on Lake Park heading south > from 56th Street this morning for ADA curb & > crossing work. Quite a lot of scrap metal that the > city could be selling to help pay for the pension > short fall they didn't pay when they should have > (oh, did I just say that?). It wouldn't
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Mr Downtown Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > the_mogra Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > - the congress line was built with provisions > > (albeit incomplete) for a single line CA&E > track. > > It was? From where to where? What's the source > of this information? To be fair
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

the_mogra Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I don't know how the running on Lake St, even with > express track, ever came up because it's > ridiculous. > > That's the way it was, and it's all history now. > everything on this FC site falls into that > mindset, so? I suggested the express track, which is no more ridiculous th
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

the_mogra Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > up till around '64, maybe earlier, i recall seeing > the few blocks of the humbolt branch that still > stood east of oakley, not even used by the CTA > > the CA&E wanted its trains to get to the downtown > terminal as directly as before, its customers > wouldn't've accepted anything less.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Vern H Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don't see why the CA&E trains couldn't have run > through the Dearborn subway. > > From Chicago-l.org > > "The section of the Humboldt Park branch west of > Oakley was scrapped very quickly, but a three > block stub between the Logan Square branch and > Oakley Avenue remained
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

the_mogra Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > i'm certain the old humboldt branch line never > ever had anything to do with the CA&E even as a > paper proposal. once the CTA took over their > actions over the next few years demonstrated one > and only one thing--they couldn't get rid of the > humboldt branch fast enough. not that their &
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Vern H Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I read somewhere (can't find it now...) that the > CTA was considering keeping a mile or so of the > old Humboldt Park line for the CA&E to store > trains on between rush hours. Well, that would have required keeping the NW Met Branch elevated structure and tracks in service, as well as Evergreen Jubcti
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

And the CA&E had to contend with loss of riders due to the expressway itself. OTOH, since we are mostly speculating now, consider what might have happened if Federal funds were involved. The CTA might have taken over part or most of the CA&E, and operated it like the Skokie Swift, only without catenary, since the bulk of the CA&E was third-rail-powered. The only changes might have b
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Mr Downtown Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The extra portals at Halsted were to allow Douglas > Park trains to access a future subway that would > have been built under Clinton Street. Remember > that the city, not CTA, was building the "open-air > subway" in the Congress Superhighway. > > The extra space in the median near
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I mentioned the charter modification as it was mentioned to me by the classmate who gave me some of those charts (which I wish I could lay my hands on) about the CNS&M study by the CTA. It would have been necessary to allow the CTA to operate in Lake County, and I assume the same would be necessary to operate to the west outside of Cook County. I'm not clear where exactly the ramp up to the
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Looking at the infrastructure built, but not utilized, I'd say that there was an initial plan to provide for the CA&E to continue operations, with the two unused portals probably leading to a subway terminal, but like has been suggested, the CTA didn't want to lay track for an interurban that was being abandoned. They may also have expected the CA&E to pay for the new terminal, which they
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

davey7 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Somehow I don't see Rahm putting in any new > cameras that blatantly right at this juncture. That stretch of Belmont is under IDOT jurisdiction. Rahmbo wouldn't have anything to do with it.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Vern H Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ever since I can remember, the speed limit on > Belmont between Overhill and Cumberland has been > 35 mph. I noticed last week it's been lowered to > 30 mph, there are signs on every block. On the > eastbound side in River Grove the limit has > changed too. > > As a lifelong resident of the a
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I never got the hang of yoyo's. You can still get those ping-pong bazookas at American Science and Surplus: http://www.sciplus.com/p/BURP-PISTOL-PLASTIC-BALL-SHOOTER_142
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Found it! https://picasaweb.google.com/103520006500163254243/Chicago1920s?authkey=vzhqfDH1LdY#5581556673249274898
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

jamessolon Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Jeff, I work in RMC now in an architect's office. > We've been here since 2007, & moved from 7th floor > west to 5th floor west last year. What a fabulous > location on the river! > > The landlord has decorated with old photos from (I > think) the Daily News archives. One taken from &g
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

There was a set of historic picture postcards that had one of that shop. I know when we modernized the signals at the intersections, there were parts of the floor still atop that island, but the building had been gone for some time. With throat-widening that remainder was removed, too, in the 80's.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Can't identify the ship, but when the City of Chicago used to own it I worked there, as a traffic engineer. Any idea of the date/age of the picture? It must be old enough that the warehouse west of the Reid-Murdoch building was still there, and the Lasalle Street bridge hadn't been built yet, which might put it in the early 20's, perhaps?
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Kchi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In my travels, I've come across several old > Illinois Bell buildings converted to other uses. > With computerization, conversion to wireless, they > no longer needed all the old clerical offices and > garages. Just like Chicago public schools, the > buildings I know seem to have distinguishable >
Forum: General Discussion

SWEDE Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How about dese dose and dem. LOL Dat's right, dat's right! Seriously, we do have an accent. But you only notice it if you're not from Chicahga!
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I remember the side street lights were dim incandescents, and then the City installed poletop ballasts and mercury-vapor lamps. I do know that the yellow lights were mercury-vapor lamps with a yellow lens. The current lamps are high-pressure sodium-vapor units, but there are some new poles being installed along Elston Avenue, northwest of Leclaire, with what appear to be warm white LED luminair
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I recall an old clothing factory on the east side of Pulaski, across from that Jewel, and a Catholic girl's school immediately west. Drawing a blank on what was south. Oh, and then there was the Florsheim factory on the SE corner of Pulaski and Belmont (my maternal grandfather worked there for years!). I was surprised about the improvements at the store near Laramie and Belmont, and equally surpri
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Well, back in the 70's someone kept slipping fluorescein dye into the Perlstein Fountain at IIT. Drove the maintenance guys crazy: they had to shut it down and drain the pumping loop every time it looked like the Chicago River on St. Patrick's Day. Crazy engineering students... (Of which I was one)
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

>Now, why is it called "bubbly creek"? >And what was the big fire there? It had loads of animal waste/matter on the riverbed, decaying. It ran to a canal that served the Union Stockyards, long since filled in (including an old swing bridge). And there was a big fire at the Union Stockyard, but I don't remember the details since it was before my time.
Forum: General Discussion

jared.K Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi, so it happens that I own a personal garage > unused during my workdays , 7am-5pm Mon-Fri. I > wanna lease it while it isn't in use to get some > extra money. How to advertize it? I kind of think this isn't the best forum to ask that question. Also, someone looking for a garage to rent will more than li
Forum: General Discussion

Cragin Spring Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There was Mayflower Store on Addison & Central > later to become a Dominick's. Once there was A&P > store on Fullerton between Laramie & Cicero Ave. > Farmers Market was a popular grocer on Elston Ave. > There use to be a small Jewel on Morse Ave.in > Rogers Park. > > In th
Forum: General Discussion

rjmachon Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The areas have changed so much over the years, I > don't even recognized them anymore. Tell me about it! We spotted a whole lot of newly-constructed condo buildings along Irving Park. A lot of that property had small businesses.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Leslie J Sorensen, the City's first traffic engineer.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

rjmachon Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > There was never a Jack In The Box at Kedzie and > Foster. A McDonald's was, and is on the northeast > corner. Jack In The Box on Kedzie and Irving Park > was open around 1973. I don't remember when they > closed and turned into a Duk's. I noticed I had made an error when we were driving east on Irving
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

rjmachon Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Where was the Jack In The Box on Irving Park Road? > Was it near Kedzie? Southeast corner of Kedzie and Irving Park. Later, it was Duks.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)