classic-chicago-commuter-trainshttps://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/classic-chicago-commuter-trains/Classic Chicago commuter trains | Trains MagazinePassenger trains from the 1970s and 1980sInStockUSD1.001.00historyrailroadsarticleTRN2020-11-232016-12-2218792
John Bjorklund, collection of Center for Railroad Photography and Art
A morning inbound Burlington Northern commuter train rolls toward Chicago Union Station past Roosevelt Road in August 1972. The Chicago River lift bridge is visible in the distance.
John Bjorklund, collection of Center for Railroad Photography and Art
A Chicago & North Western commuter train passes Noble Street tower west of downtown in April 1972. The Milwaukee Road and Pennsylvania Railroad tracks to the north side of Chicago Union Station are visible in the foreground.
John Bjorklund, collection of Center for Railroad Photography and Art
An outbound Chicago & North Western commuter train crosses the Milwaukee Road at Western Avenue in May 1981. The unique locomotive was manufactured by the C&NW from secondhand Union Pacific B units. In the distance at left are a Milwaukee Road commuter train and the C&NW’s Noble Street tower.
John Bjorklund, collection of Center for Railroad Photography and Art
Two RTD commuter trains roll west toward the Chicago & North Western and Milwaukee Road diamonds at Western Avenue with new F40PH locomotives in May 1981.
John Bjorklund, collection of Center for Railroad Photography and Art
Rock Island E6 No. 630 and an outbound commuter train meet at 47th Street in May 1973.
Trains is working with the Center for Railroad Photography & Art to present this gallery of Chicago area commuter train photographs. They come from the Center’s John F. Bjorklund Collection, which consists of 55,000 color slides of railroading throughout the U.S. and Canada from the 1960s into the 2000s. Bjorklund was most active during the 1970s and 1980s, and his images provide a glimpse into another era of Chicago area commuter service.
Well done Trains! An excellent overview of the Chicago Commuter Rail scene. From single deck Commuter Carriages to Double Deck Commuter Carriages. (Sorry I think you call them “cars”). I am surprised there isn’t more electrification of the Chicago Commuter lines. Thanks again very interesting!
Great to see those old engines and commuter cars from my home city from when I was a teen. Not so great to be reminded of how awful the air quality was in Chicago in the early ’70’s, as compared to now, in no small part due to unregulated diesel emissions. Especially visible in images 1 and 2, and in others where the sky is a sickly tannish shade of blue. I remember it.
The Chicago Tribune reported in the last few days how Illinois’ share of the VW emissions scandal penalty will be used by Metra to buy new locomotives. Good news. Let’s hope the progress that’s been made towards cleaner air and cleaner burning diesels over the past decades isn’t completely wrecked by the Trump administration’s antipathy towards environmental regulations. The health and quality of life of our kids and grandkids depend on it.
Wonderful windows into the history of Chicago commuting. The shots are also excellent for what surrounds the primary subject of the photos. For example, we can deduce the correct year of that shot of Rock Island #677 with Budd bilevels under the LaSalle street station signal bridge to be from 1966. The busy NYC yard with REA containers and NYC FliexVans on the right side of the photo was moribund by 1976.
Great photos, thank you Trains! A trip down memory lane for me. The F40PH’s are all that remain in service today, along with a few of the Budd and Pullman cars. Do I hear “The Way We Were” playing in the background?
FULL SCREEN
Rare to see an inbound scoot with the locomotive leading save in the worst snows. And even then very occasionally.
Thank you so much for sharing these historical scenes!
Beautiful images of commuter rail action in the 60s and 70s in the Windy City….
Well done Trains! An excellent overview of the Chicago Commuter Rail scene. From single deck Commuter Carriages to Double Deck Commuter Carriages. (Sorry I think you call them “cars”). I am surprised there isn’t more electrification of the Chicago Commuter lines. Thanks again very interesting!
Correction: I meant images 1 and 3, not 2.
Great to see those old engines and commuter cars from my home city from when I was a teen. Not so great to be reminded of how awful the air quality was in Chicago in the early ’70’s, as compared to now, in no small part due to unregulated diesel emissions. Especially visible in images 1 and 2, and in others where the sky is a sickly tannish shade of blue. I remember it.
The Chicago Tribune reported in the last few days how Illinois’ share of the VW emissions scandal penalty will be used by Metra to buy new locomotives. Good news. Let’s hope the progress that’s been made towards cleaner air and cleaner burning diesels over the past decades isn’t completely wrecked by the Trump administration’s antipathy towards environmental regulations. The health and quality of life of our kids and grandkids depend on it.
Wonderful windows into the history of Chicago commuting. The shots are also excellent for what surrounds the primary subject of the photos. For example, we can deduce the correct year of that shot of Rock Island #677 with Budd bilevels under the LaSalle street station signal bridge to be from 1966. The busy NYC yard with REA containers and NYC FliexVans on the right side of the photo was moribund by 1976.
Great photos, thank you Trains! A trip down memory lane for me. The F40PH’s are all that remain in service today, along with a few of the Budd and Pullman cars. Do I hear “The Way We Were” playing in the background?