Announcing the Chicago Streetcar Pictorial Round Table and the Chicago PCC Weekend in September. CERA is pulling out all the stops as we celebrate Chicago’s PCCs this September 26th, 27th, and 28th.
Our next book Chicago Streetcar Pictorial: the PCC Car Era 1936-1958 will be published in August. To commemorate this, we are inviting all the living photographers who have work in the book to take part in a moderated discussion that will be videotaped for eventual DVD release. Meet the authors in person and get your copy of B-146 signed at this once-in-a-lifetime “oral history” event.
See rare films and images of Chicago PCC streetcars. There will be displays of memorabilia and a question-and-answer session as well.
Since we expect the demand for seats to far exceed the supply, we are distributing printed tickets. Be sure to join us for a unique, entertaining and informative slice of Chicago history. Get your tickets online or by mail before this event is completely “sold out!”
Current (2014) CERA Members can each request one ticket for the Chicago Streetcar Pictorial Round Table event for themselves at no charge. To request your free member ticket online, simply send a note to: ceraoffice@gmail.com
Additional non-member tickets are $5 each. Once tickets are sold out, we will establish a waiting list. If your seat is unclaimed, we reserve the right to give it to someone on the waiting list.
Please note: Due to space limitations, no vendor tables will be available.
Friday, September 26, 2014 1900 hrs / 7:00pm University Center, 525 S State St, Chicago, IL 60605
The famous CSL logo, from the November 1929 Surface Service magazine. (CERA Archives)
A Chicago Surface Lines brochure, circa 1937. (CERA Archives)
Chicago’s first PCCs, shown on the 20-Madison route in 1937. (CERA Archives)
Most of the Kenosha PCC fleet, lined up at the Joseph McCarthy Transit Center. (Diana Koester Photo – CERA Archives)
Kenosha streetcar 4606 is painted in Surface Lines colors, as a tribute to Chicago’s PCCs. (Diana Koester Photo – CERA Archives)
Special Fantrips
On Saturday, September 27th, we will go to Kenosha, Wisconsin to ride the Chicago Tribute PCC 4606 streetcar and have a Shops Tour. Kenosha Area Transit operates several vintage PCC streetcars in regular service along a 2-mile loop.
CTA “Green Hornet” PCC 4391 at the Illinois Railway Museum in the mid-1980s. Also visible are CTA trolley coach 9631 and North Shore Line interurban car 160. (David Sadowski Photo – CERA Archives)
Chicago & West Towns Railway car 141 at the Illinois Railway Museum on June 1, 2014. (Jeff Wien Photo – Wien-Criss Archive)
On Sunday, September 28th, we will visit the Illinois Railway Museum in Union to ride “Green Hornet” CTA PCC 4391, the only surviving postwar Chicago streetcar. In addition, we will also operate newly restored Chicago and West Towns Railway car 141, which was also used on a CERA fantrip on April 23, 1939. Chicago, Aurora & Elgin wood car 36, built in 1903 and also newly restored, will operate too.
We encourage the use of public transportation to reach our fantrips. A Metra weekend pass costs just $7 and can be used on both Saturday and Sunday. Metra’s UP North Line has direct service to the Kenosha streetcar. Take the train from Downtown at 10:35 am and arrive in Kenosha at 12:15 pm. The return trip leaves Kenosha at 6:48 pm and arrives Downtown at 8:29 pm.
The following day, take the Metra UP Northwest Line train leaving Downtown at 10:30 am, which arrives in Crystal Lake at 11:51 am. Purchase a Round-Trip Bus Ticket in advance, and we will transport you round-trip between Crystal Lake and Union (a distance of 13 miles each way). Our bus will leave IRM promptly at 4:15 pm. The return train trip leaves Crystal Lake at 5:00 pm and arrives Downtown at 6:23 pm.
Tickets for all events can be purchased by mail or online via our web site and are non-refundable. The Round-Trip Taxicab Ticket does not include the $7 Metra Weekend Pass, which you can purchase yourself at the Ogilvie Transportation Center. For further information on Metra fares and schedules, go to: http://www.metrarail.com
We look forward to seeing you at this once-in-a-lifetime celebration!
-Your CERA Board of Directors
From the June 1934 Surface Service. (CERA Archives)
The interior of the PCC Model “B,” from the September 1934 Surface Service. (CERA Archives)
From the March 1937 Surface Service magazine. (CERA Archives)
