54th Yard & Shops
54th Avenue and 21st Street, Town of Cicero

Service Notes:

Located:
	Blue Line: Cermak (Douglas)

Quick Facts:

Address:	2150 S. 54th Avenue (54th Yard)
	2134 S. 54th Avenue (54th Transportation Office)

Established: 19??
Shop Area: 27,350 square feet
Yard Area: 231,700 square feet
Yard Capacity: 100 cars
Rebuilt: 2002-03
Status: In Use

	cta4072.jpg (51k) Cincinnati-built 4000-series "baldie" car 4072 leads a Douglas-Milwaukee "B" train turning around the reverse loop in 54th Yard in April, 1964. The stool visible in the open door of the motorman's position was typical equipment of a train operator, but it wasn't left in the train. Each motorman had to bring his own. Note the metal coil on the front of the train, to the right of the motorman's legs, which transmitted a radio signal and is what sorted the Douglas trains from the Congress trains at Loomis Junction. (Photo by Jerry Appleman)
	cta6000s@54thYard.jpg (49k) Chicago's worst snowstorm of the 20th century occurred in January 1967. Snow began to fall on Thursday, January 26 and continued to fall through Friday morning for a total accumulation of 23 inches, with drifts to 6 feet. Cold weather and periodic snowfalls over the next 10 days created more havoc. On the second day after a record breaking snowfall, CTA® trains of the 6511-6720 series turn back in the 54th Avenue Yard on January 29, 1967. The loop and most of the yard tracks were snowbound. (Photo by Jerry Appleman)
	cta4272i.jpg (122k) Car 4272 brings up the rear of the CTA's® Historic Train as it goes around the loop track in the 54th Avenue Yard to turn around on a fan trip on August 8, 1981. (Photo by Alan Feinstein, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta2202b.jpg (103k) Car 2202 sits in storage between runs in the 54th Avenue Yard at the end of the Douglas [Cermak] branch on September 4, 1999. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta2239-2202.jpg 2200-series cars 2239 and 2202 sit side-by-side at the 54th Avenue Yard, at the end of the Cermak (Douglas) branch, awaiting their next assignment on September 4, 1999. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta2299.jpg Car 2299 is between Blue Line runs in 54th Avenue Yard on September 5, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta2229.jpg Several 2200-series cars, including car 2229 at center, sit in 54th Avenue Yard on September 5, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta2936.jpg Waiting for its next assignment between runs, car 2936 sits in 54th Avenue Yard at the end of the Cermak (Douglas) branch of the Blue Line on September 5, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta3101.jpg Car 3101 sits in the 54th Avenue Yard amidst other unrehabbed 2600-series cars between Blue Line runs on September 5, 2001. The "Danger - Keep Out" sign on the fence is of an old CTA design, dating from the 1950s or 1960s. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta3135.jpg Car 3135 has been put away in 54th Avenue Yard, awaiting its next Blue Line assignment, on September 5, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta3193b.jpg In storage between runs, car 3193 sits in 54th Avenue Yard on September 5, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	54thYard01.jpg (161k) Kiewit crews are working on the new sections of the 54th Avenue Yard, looking north from 55th Avenue on August 9, 2002. While the old yard is being renewed, storage will be shifted to the new yard tracks; when the whole project is complete, the completed yard will have increased capacity. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	54thYard-TranspOfficeNew01.jpg (183k) The new 54th Transportation Office is under construction in this view looking northwest across new yard access tracks on February 6, 2003. (Photo by Graham Garfield)