Chicago ''L''.org: Rolling Stock - Work Car Gallery 11

Work Car Gallery 11

ctaS-606a.jpg (125k)
Line car S-606 is working on the overhead wire over Track 1 near Lawrence in November 1970. The S-606 was a sentimental favorite of the work fleet for many, as the car was formerly operated on the North Shore Line and rebuilt from the interurban's line car 606, built by the Cincinnati Car Company in 1923. CTA purchased the car in 1963 upon the cessation of North Shore Line service, and built the next year by CTA craftsmen, who preserved the car's overall lines and design in the rebuilding process. The car was used to maintain the overhead wire on the CTA's North Side "L" lines, ironically nearly all of them being trackage the interurban formerly operated on. (Photo by Lou Gerard)

ctaS-606b.jpg (218k)
Linemen are working to maintain the overhead wires in Buena Yard in July 1971, utilizing line car S-606 to access the wires. In less than half a decade, Buena Yard would be closed. Like other cars in the CTA service fleet, S-606 was painted yellow. The overhead wire poles and equipment were manufactured by Westinghouse and Drew. Due to a lack of space, the use of 24-foot mast arms on one side on a single line of poles were required in some parts of the yard to support the overhead over the three tracks. (Photo by Lou Gerard)

ctaS-104k.jpg (99k)
Electric locomotive S-104 is coming out of Howard Yard and pulling onto Track 1 for its last trip in freight service, looking north from the Howard station platform on April 30, 1973. Visible in the background, in the yard, are S-104's twin, S-105, as well as line car S-606. (Photo by Lou Gerard)

ctaS-104l.jpg (99k)
S-104 is pulling through Howard station on the last day of freight service, April 30, 1973, on its way to Buena Yard to pick up its final batch of freight cards to bring to the Lill Coal Company. It's a rainy, dreary day, befitting the somber end of an era in "L" history. (Photo by Lou Gerard)

ctaS-104m.jpg (108k)
In this 1940s view looking south in Buena Yard, S-104 and S-105 sit between freight trips, awaiting their next assignment. The CM&StP's old Graceland station (later converted for use as a cemetery office) is seen on the right, while the joint "L"/CM&StP Buena station is seen on the left, with the "L" platform above. The Buena station house was later used as a yard office for the "L" freight operation. (Photo by Lou Gerard)

ctaMS-65.jpg (214k)
The MS-65 yard switching locomotive is seen in Lower 63rd Yard in July 1985. It is not clear why the fleet number for the unit is "MS" instead of the more typical "S" used for work (service) cars. One theory is that the "M" differentiated it as having a motor (internal combustion) rather than being electric, though if that was the case, then the pattern was not followed when the S-500 and S-501 classes of diesel locomotives/snow fighters were delivered/numbered. A second explanation is that the M-series of surface equipment was related to material handling, which would make sense given the unit's assignment to Lower 63rd where a warehouse is located. There was a railborne crane at South Shops that was the MS-70, the last active piece of rail rolling stock at that location. (Photo by Bruce Nelson)

	ctaS-606a.jpg (125k) Line car S-606 is working on the overhead wire over Track 1 near Lawrence in November 1970. The S-606 was a sentimental favorite of the work fleet for many, as the car was formerly operated on the North Shore Line and rebuilt from the interurban's line car 606, built by the Cincinnati Car Company in 1923. CTA purchased the car in 1963 upon the cessation of North Shore Line service, and built the next year by CTA craftsmen, who preserved the car's overall lines and design in the rebuilding process. The car was used to maintain the overhead wire on the CTA's North Side "L" lines, ironically nearly all of them being trackage the interurban formerly operated on. (Photo by Lou Gerard)
	ctaS-606b.jpg (218k) Linemen are working to maintain the overhead wires in Buena Yard in July 1971, utilizing line car S-606 to access the wires. In less than half a decade, Buena Yard would be closed. Like other cars in the CTA service fleet, S-606 was painted yellow. The overhead wire poles and equipment were manufactured by Westinghouse and Drew. Due to a lack of space, the use of 24-foot mast arms on one side on a single line of poles were required in some parts of the yard to support the overhead over the three tracks. (Photo by Lou Gerard)
	ctaS-104k.jpg (99k) Electric locomotive S-104 is coming out of Howard Yard and pulling onto Track 1 for its last trip in freight service, looking north from the Howard station platform on April 30, 1973. Visible in the background, in the yard, are S-104's twin, S-105, as well as line car S-606. (Photo by Lou Gerard)
	ctaS-104l.jpg (99k) S-104 is pulling through Howard station on the last day of freight service, April 30, 1973, on its way to Buena Yard to pick up its final batch of freight cards to bring to the Lill Coal Company. It's a rainy, dreary day, befitting the somber end of an era in "L" history. (Photo by Lou Gerard)
	ctaS-104m.jpg (108k) In this 1940s view looking south in Buena Yard, S-104 and S-105 sit between freight trips, awaiting their next assignment. The CM&StP's old Graceland station (later converted for use as a cemetery office) is seen on the right, while the joint "L"/CM&StP Buena station is seen on the left, with the "L" platform above. The Buena station house was later used as a yard office for the "L" freight operation. (Photo by Lou Gerard)
	ctaMS-65.jpg (214k) The MS-65 yard switching locomotive is seen in Lower 63rd Yard in July 1985. It is not clear why the fleet number for the unit is "MS" instead of the more typical "S" used for work (service) cars. One theory is that the "M" differentiated it as having a motor (internal combustion) rather than being electric, though if that was the case, then the pattern was not followed when the S-500 and S-501 classes of diesel locomotives/snow fighters were delivered/numbered. A second explanation is that the M-series of surface equipment was related to material handling, which would make sense given the unit's assignment to Lower 63rd where a warehouse is located. There was a railborne crane at South Shops that was the MS-70, the last active piece of rail rolling stock at that location. (Photo by Bruce Nelson)