Johnson Collection - Chicago & Interurban Traction

These photos are copyrighted by the Julie Ann Johnson Historical Collection.

Do not reproduce without permission!

Car 6 was one of the 1896 Pullman-built battery cars, shown here in its original configuration and lettered for Englewood & Chicago Street Railway.

Car 4 was one of the 1896 battery cars, but it's shown here after it was converted into an electric car about 1900. The C&IT roster shows this series of car as having Brill 21E trucks after they were electrified, but here car 4 still has its original DuPont truck.

Car 73 was built by American in 1900 for Chicago Electric Traction Co.

This builder's photo of car 134, one of the single-ended Crete suburban cars built in 1907 by Kuhlman, clearly shows its unusual "split personality" roof. These cars were sold to Chicago City Railway in 1912, where they were rebuilt as double-end, deck roof cars.

Car 126, one of the 1907 Kuhlman-built suburban cars. This is the left, or blind, side of the car.

Car 127, one of the Crete suburban cars, is at 79th and Halsted with a Chicago City Railway Brill in the background.

The interior of the 1907 Kuhlman suburban cars clearly shows their Brill semi-convertible construction, with the inward-canted walls allowing both upper and lower sash windows to be raised into the ceiling.

Interurban cars 201-210 were ordered in 1907 from St. Louis. Here, car 202 is shown on August 23, 1908.

Car 204 passes an unidentified streetcar in this early advertisement.

This photo appears to show car 204 with trailer 302, built by Niles in 1909, in tow. It looks like it was taken at the same spot as the previous advertisement. The car has already been repainted in a less elaborate livery and the motorman's door has been moved from the left to the right side of the car.

Car 204 is shown slightly later in its career, before it was renumbered c1913 but after a sign box was installed over the center window.

An unknown 201-series car is pictured in heavy snow, location unknown.

Car 206 is shown early in its career, said to be at 79th and Halsted.

Four trailers numbered 301-304 were ordered from Niles in 1909. They were rebuilt as motor cars in 1910 and renumbered 211-214, then renumbered again in 1913 as 31-34. Here, the last car of the series is posed in front of the car barn at 88th and Vincennes. The company herald reads "The KanKaKee Line."

An unidentified car from the 211-214/31-34 series is shown under the 'L' at 63rd and Halsted, the north end of the line.

An unidentified 211-214/31-34 series car shown on the north leg of the wye in Harvey, just north of 154th and Park Avenue looking southwest.

Line car 45 was homebuilt by the C&IT in 1924. After abandonment it was sold to the CA&E, where it retained its original number.

The first C&IT line car number 50 was this car, built in 1911 and destroyed in a fire in 1924. Note the unusual Peckham trucks.

The replacement line car number 50, built in 1924, is shown here.

Line car 50-II is shown pulling a work train. The first flat car looks like it may have Baldwin trucks similar to one or two of the line's express trailers.

This is the north end of the line at 63rd and Halsted. A barely visible train is stopped at the 'L' station on the left, while a C&IT car sits in a siding under the structure and a Chicago City Railway (or Chicago Surface Lines) car passes.

A street level view of the 63rd and Halsted terminal with what looks to be a 21-30 series car on the right. The Englewood Pageant of Progress mentioned on the billboard was held in late June 1921.

The car barn at 88th and Vincennes is shown looking southwest from that intersection.

Location unknown.

This image may be at 63rd and Vernon, the northern terminus of the Kankakee line until 1912. The list of destinations appears to be pre-1906.

Thanks to Ray and Julie Piesciuk for making these materials from the Johnson Collection available.

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A full history, and roster, of the C&IT can be found in the Scalzo History Collection