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North Shore Line: 50 years gone
Fortunately, I made the effort the summer before the end to ride the line.
Riding the Electroliner: http://railroadglorydays.com/Northshore
I recall those units while I was studying in Chicago in the late 1940’s. It was neat to watch them negotiate the “Loop” or see them streaking by on the inside track as I waited in the Wilson Street station of the CTA. I have a video tape showing them runing between Chicago and Milwaukee – up to 90 mph! I regret not taking a ride on them.
As a teen with only lawn-mowing money as a source of discretionary income, with every $4.25 saved, I rode between Chicago and Milwaukee on the North Shore Line.
Anyone that went to Great Lakes boot camp in decades past is very familiar with the North Shore. A lot of fun to ride at 90 mph:-)
Anyone that went to Great Lakes boot camp in decades past is very familiar with the North Shore. A lot of fun to ride at 90 mph:-)
I understood from a video that the North Shore never actually lost money. Is that true?
I may need correction on this, but I believe the Electroliner at IRM needs substantial (and expensive) motor work before it can be considered operable.
Jan. 20, 2013, was appropriately cold, although Jan. 20, 1963, also a Sunday, was worse. Too bad the North Shore couldn’t have lasted into the era of federal transit assistance (UMTA), which was just around the corner.
When I was at IRM last summer, the Electroliner was out one day, but not operating. Someone told me it has a problem, I think a traction motor gear or casing or something. The interior appeared to be filled with stuff from other cars being stored inside it.
If this happened today you can be sure it would have been saved and run by an authority. May the North Shore Line be long remembered in our memories! North Shore R.I.P.
Dan Heffner, Shore line member
If this happened today you can be sure it would have been saved and run by an authority. May the North Shore Line be long remembered in our memories! North Shore R.I.P.
Dan Heffner, Shore line member
I was fortunate enough to do several trips to Milwaukee, including one on the Electroliner A group my friends and I did trackside pictures on the last day. I still remember it as a brutally cold day with a facefull of snow with every passing train. Frozen camera shutters were a problem for a few people. During the summer of 1975, I bicycled to work at a print shop in Winnetka from Rogers Park on the current bicycle path along the lakefront route on days with decent weather. It brought back a lot of memories.