Our latest “mystery photos” post generated quite a lot of interest. John Nicholson submitted the best overall entry by far, and is therefore the contest winner. We hope that you will enjoy them. We certainly had a lot of fun putting this contest together. (Mr. Nicholson’s answers have been added to the photo captions.)

If you did not win the contest, well, better luck next time. We thank everyone for taking part.

-David Sadowski

Here’s yet another mystery photo. Yes, it’s a bus, but there seems to be a rail context here in this April 1962 scene. What is going on in this picture? Where is this? (Photo by Charles L. Tauscher)

Mystery Photo #1 “This was taken on CERA fantrip #84 on 6-20-60. There is also a photo by Ray DeGroote of these two cars at Damen Ave. on the Logan Square “L” on another Web site. These cars were never in regular service on the Logan Square or Lake St. lines. My guess is that someone added the destination sign strictly for the fantrip photo and the cars not operated beyond Pulaski. Some trips with these cars descended the Hamlin ramp and ran under trolley wire into the West Shops.” (Charles L. Tauscher Collection) (Ed Halstead comments, “I rode the 1-50 series of cars on the Logan Square line for at least a year during time I was going to college.”)

Mystery Photo #2 “This was an electrical fire on the South Side “L” at 35th St. My copies from the Chicago Daily News give the date as 10-18-62, but it could have been a day earlier.” (Charles L. Tauscher Collection)

Mystery Photo #3 – CA&E 310 on July 1, 1957. “A “gimme”–the Batavia terminal two days before the “suspension” of passenger service on 7-03-57.” (Charles L. Tauscher Collection)

CA&E 310-309 in Batavia on CERA Fantrip #71 (May 19, 1957), about six weeks before the suspension of passenger service. Some have compared the Batavia branch to the main line at the Illinois Railway Museum. (Photographer Unknown)

Mystery Photo #4 – CTA 2200s in September 1973. “This is the 50th St. station on the Douglas Park Line. The old station building was moved to the Illinois Railway Museum where it can be seen today.” (Charles L. Tauscher Collection)

February 16, 1978 – “Pete Vesic readies CTA rapid transit station from 50th and Cicero Avenue for its move to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. The former station is on a truck trailer at the National Casting Co., 5300 W. 16th St. It will be dedicated later this year.” (Photo by James DePree)

Mystery Photo #7 – “This car is eastbound at Madison and Canal passing North Western Station. This car must have been freshly delivered as it has a CSL logo on the side. The 4194 was in a group of cars delivered between September 1947 and March 1948. I would place the date around 1948 or very early 1949.” (Unknown photographer) (Picture taken in August 1948- ed.)

Mystery Photo #9 – “I have no interest in buses whether they be motor or horse-drawn. I could only guess that this is at the Chicago Historical Museum; a duplicate is operated at Greenfield Village.” (Photographer unknown)

Mystery Photo #10 – “This is the Guilford Ave. “el” Saratoga St. ramp in Baltimore. Service on this line ended on 1-01-50.” (Unknown photographer) This was somewhat of a trick question. We did say, however, that the photos were “generally” from Chicago. While this scene does look like Chicago, none of our “Ls” descend right into the middle of a street as this one did. The difference, of course, is that this was a streetcar elevated. So it naturally went into a street. Baltimore’s el was 2000 feet long. Kansas City had a similar mile-long el.

Mystery Photo #11 – “Looking south onto Clark St. from the Clark & Lake “L” station. The Sedans are still serving Route 22 and my guess is the photo dates from the early 1940s.” (Photographer unknown)

Mystery Photo #12 – “Milwaukee Ave. cars line up southbound on Dearborn ready to turn west onto Madison St. Note the “Charles Netcher Building” building to the right. Netcher was the founder of the Boston Store which remained in business at that site until 1948 (Sears now occupies the building). As the store fronts still look like the place is open, I’d say the photo was taken no later than 1948.” (Photographer unknown)

Mystery Photo #13 – “This is at Roosevelt Rd. on the Westchester line showing the temporary terminal in place when the line was being extended to 22nd and Mannheim. The extension opened on 12-01-30 so my guess for the date of the photo is late 1930 or possibly early 1931.” (Unknown photographer)