2014 is the 100th anniversary of the Chicago Surface Lines, once the largest street railway system in the world. From 1914 until 1947, CSL was an umbrella agency, made up of a few constituent companies, like Chicago City Railway and Chicago Railways. It was a step along the way towards transit unification and a predecessor of today’s Chicago Transit Authority.

Here are 47 “mystery photos” from the CSL era. Can you write captions for them, with descriptive information? If so, you might win a prize.

We’re going to have a contest to see who can come up with the best “who, what, when, where, and how” about these pictures. The person who submits the best overall answers will win a copy of our new DVD data disc, the “Spirit of 76,” which collects the first 76 CERA Bulletins and more.

Just get your submission in (via e-mail to cerablog1@gmail.com) by midnight Chicago time on Tuesday, September 30th. Please use the numbers included in each caption to identify individual photos. After the contest ends, we will update this post with the best captions. Good luck!

-The Editor

PS- This Friday, CERA will celebrate Chicago’s PCC streetcars at our Chicago Streetcar Pictorial Round Table event. Tickets are still available. This is part of our Chicago PCC Weekend, which includes fantrips to Kenosha and the Illinois Railway Museum.

#1 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#2 – Edward Frank Jr. Photo – CERA Archives

#3 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#4 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#5 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#6 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#7 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#8 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#9 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#10 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#11 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#12 – William C. Janssen Photo – CERA Archives

#13 – George Kuschel Photo – CERA Archives

#14 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#15 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#16 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#17 – CERA Archives

#18 – CERA Archives

#19 – Robert F. Collins Photo – CERA Archives

#20 – Edward Frank Jr. Photo – CERA Archives

#21 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#22 – CERA Archives

#23 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#24 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#25 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#26 – CSL Photo – CERA Archives

#27 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#28 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#29 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#30 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#31 – CERA Archives

#32 – Robert V. Mehlenbeck Photo – CERA Archives

#33 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#34 – CERA Archives

#35 – Robert W. Gibson Photo – CERA Archives

#36 – CERA Archives

#37 – CERA Archives

#38 – CERA Archives

#39 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#40 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#41 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#42 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#43 – William C. Janssen Photo – CERA Archives

#44 – Malcolm D. McCarter Photo – CERA Archives

#45 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives

#46 – CERA Archives

#47 – Joe L. Diaz Photo – CERA Archives