Although the "L" has many facets that are unusual and indeed rather perplexing to contemporary riders and enthusiasts, perhaps one of the most fascinating is the concept of freight service operating over the "L".

The most conspicuous remnant of this former operation still extant today is the single-track concrete elevated structure between Leland Avenue and Montrose Avenue near Wilson station -- partially in use by southbound Purple Line Express trains, partially abandoned -- although other small artifacts and vestiges exist as well.

Various types of freight and non-passenger items have been carried over the "L" over the years. Interurbans like the North Shore Line carried items such as newspapers, baggage, and express and less-than-carload merchandise despatch (spelled "despatch" rather than "dispatch", owing to Chairman Samuel Insull's British heritage) service. This cargo was carried in regular interurban passenger cars, combination passenger/baggage cars, or freight cars that conformed to "L"/interurban clearances and specifications.

Freight such as that typically associated mainline railroads -- large boxcars, coal gondolas, et cetera -- was generally limited to the North Side north of Montrose Avenue. The operation of freight over the "L" owes its origin to how the "L" was extended north from Wilson to the north city limits and into Evanston. This carload freight service over the "L" ended in 1973. This service was operated by the Chicago Transit Authority using special electric locomotives hauling freight cars owned by mainline railroads and other entities.

	ctaS-104.jpg (153k) Locomotive S-104 was built by Baldwin-Westinghouse in 1920 for the Northwestern Elevated to operate freight service on the North Side elevated, an operation inherited from the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. CTA® inherited the car and continued to operate freight service with it, as required by contract, until 1973 when the car and its sister until S-105 were retired. S-104 is seen here at Asbury on May 27, 1973 during its last months before being decommissioned. (Photo by Art Peterson, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	ctaS-104b.jpg (81k) Both ends of the Baldwin-Westinghouse steeplecabs are shown in this mid-50's view at Howard Yard. Closest to the camera is S-104's #2 end, while in the distance the bell-equipped #1 end of the S-105 can be seen. There are a couple of ways to date this view. It predates the early 60s rebuilding of the locomotives, at which time built-in headlights and markers replaced the portable units. In addition, take a look at the cars in the Howard Yard off to the left of this view: those 6200s look pretty clean, and there's the corner of a Baldie still in orange and brown. (Photo from the Jeff Obarek collection)
	ctaS-105.jpg (160k) S-105, one of CTA's® two is of Baldwin-Westinghouse freight motors, is in its pocket track at Howard Yard in June 1968, where it and sister S-104 generally rested during the day. Most freight runs were done at night and during off-peak times when they would not interrupt passenger traffic. Thus, the locomotives had a lot of down time. By this point, the unit has been retrofit with sealed-beam headlights and marker lights. (Photo by Leon Kay)