Flag Stop 4,614 transit photos from Chicago and beyond, mostly 1940s–2000s
Equipment

Master Unit

101 photographs
A grey, weathered electric railcar with 'LS' on its side and trolley poles on its roof is parked on railroad tracks next to a white building, with a red car partially visible behind it. A weathered Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad Master Unit railcar marked 'LS' sits idle on tracks in a yard. c. 1926 to 1956 A vintage black-and-white photo of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 3185, viewed from the front-left on a street with overhead wires and a building in the background. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 3185 is shown in a three-quarter front view on a city street. c. 1930 to 1939 A black and white photograph from the 1930s showing a streetcar on a snowy city street with several people and old cars around it. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1211, on a snowy street in the 1930s, with pedestrians and early automobiles nearby. November 16, 1930 A black and white photo shows a vintage streetcar numbered 1211 on a snowy city street with people, old cars, and storefronts, including a 'MEATS' shop and a 'HARD LAUNDRY'. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1211, is stopped on a snowy street under an elevated structure, with pedestrians and early 1930s automobiles nearby. November 16, 1930 · Montrose and Broadway, Chicago, IL A black-and-white photo of a vintage streetcar with the number 973 on its front, traveling on a city street with tall buildings and a large Coca-Cola billboard in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 973, bound for Indiana Avenue, travels through the city streets in the 1930s or 1940s. c. 1931 to 1947 A black and white photo of a 1930s Chicago street scene showing a streetcar on tracks, several old cars, and a person crossing the road, with a Shell gas station and a Capitol sign in the background. Chicago Surface Lines streetcar number 5460, route 8, on Halsted Street in the 1930s, with vintage automobiles and a pedestrian crossing the street. March 1933 · Halsted A vintage black-and-white photo showing a streetcar on a wet city street in front of a movie theater, with pedestrians and an elevated train structure in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 3022, heading to Elston, captured in a winter street scene near the Chicago Theater with a marquee advertising 'Love Thy Neighbor'. December 1938 · State and Lake, Chicago, IL A red and white interurban railcar with the number 25 and the name Ravenswood on its side, sitting on tracks in a yard. Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee interurban car 25, a Master Unit, in its orange and white livery at a yard. c. 1940 to 1963 A black and white street scene showing a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 3006 on the front, pulling a second car down a busy city street lined with buildings and pedestrians. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 3006 on route 87 to Macine at State and Van Buren, circa 1935. June 1940 · State and Van Buren, Chicago, IL A black and white photo of a crowded street in Chicago where a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 1748, is stopped at an intersection while pedestrians cross the tracks. Chicago Surface Lines streetcar 1748, a Master Unit car, navigates a busy street crossing at Clark and Addison in Chicago during the late 1930s. October 5, 1941 · Clark and Addison, Chicago, IL A black and white photograph of two vintage streetcars on a dirt road in Chicago; one is numbered 5023 and the other 6163, both with trolley poles and route signs, set against a backdrop of large buildings. Two Chicago Surface Lines streetcars, a Master Unit and a Peter Witt, on an unpaved street in winter. 1942 · State and Randolph, Chicago, IL A black-and-white photo of a vintage streetcar numbered 3286 on a city street, with a drugstore and other storefronts visible behind it. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 3286, photographed on a city street with storefronts in the background. 1942 · 78 and Broadway Black-and-white photo of two vintage streetcars at a city intersection, one labeled 604 and the other 8010, with a storefront reading 'Marianne's DRESSES' in the background. Two Chicago Surface Lines streetcars, 604 (Master Unit) and 8010 (4000-series), at an intersection with a corner store in the 1930s or 1940s. 1945 A black and white photograph shows a vintage Chicago streetcar on a city street with an elevated railway overhead and a large building in the background. The car is numbered 1412 and displays the route 26-Cottage. Chicago Surface Lines streetcar 1412 on the 26-Cottage route at 26th and Wabash, likely in the late 1930s or early 1940s. 1945 · 26th and Wabash, Chicago, IL A black and white photograph of a vintage streetcar on a city street, with an elevated train track above and a building with 'HOTEL' signage in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 5091, navigates a street corner under an elevated railway, with a 'HOTEL' sign and a 1930s automobile in the background. 1945 · Root and Halsted, Chicago, IL Side view of two orange and green interurban cars, numbered 31 and 210, on tracks in a yard under an overcast sky. Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Master Unit car 31, paired with car 210, in a yard. c. 1946 to 1963 A black and white photo of a vintage Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 6180 on a city street, with a 1950s sedan and a building in the background. Chicago Surface Lines streetcar 6180, a Master Unit, is pictured on a street, likely in Cicero, Illinois, during the early 1950s. 1946 · Lawrence and Cicero, Cicero, IL A vintage black-and-white photo shows a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 3010, on a city street with 1930s automobiles parked nearby and a brick building in the background. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 3010 on a summer day, likely at 29th and Wallace Streets in Chicago. 1946 · 29th and Wallace, Chicago, IL A vintage black-and-white photo of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 600, with passengers inside, a conductor in the front, and people on the street under a network of overhead wires. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 600, on route 42 to North Western Station, likely in the mid-1930s. 1946 · Milwaukee, WI A vintage black and white photograph of a Master Unit streetcar with fleet number 400, displaying a destination sign for LAWRENCE - BROADWAY and a 'STEP IN SAVE STEPS' sign on its front, parked on a snowy street. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 400, is shown on a winter day with its destination sign reading "LAWRENCE - BROADWAY". 1946 · Lawrence and Austin, Chicago, IL A black-and-white photo of a vintage streetcar, number 3286, on a city street with storefronts and pedestrians visible. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 3286, operates on a city street in the 1930s or 1940s. 1946 · Montrose and Broadway, Chicago, IL A vintage black and white photo of a streetcar on a city street with an elevated train above it and storefronts along the sidewalk. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 3260, travels along a city street under an elevated rapid transit line. 1946 · 69th and Normal Blvd A black-and-white street scene from the 1930s showing a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 3260 on the street, with a Chicago Rapid Transit Company elevated car visible on the structure above. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 3260, on a street below an elevated structure carrying a Chicago Rapid Transit Company car, likely at 69th and Normal Boulevard in the late 1930s. 1946 · 69th and Normal Blvd., Chicago, IL A red and cream streetcar with the number 7-45 on its front is stopped on a city street with several vintage cars and a truck, under an overcast sky. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 7-45, running on a street in Blue Island, Illinois, in the 1940s, with period automobiles and a truck nearby. 1947 · Ashland and Cermak, Blue Island, IL A vintage streetcar, number 1675, is shown inside a dimly lit tunnel, with two operators visible in the front cab and the destination sign reading 'DIVISION-CALIFORNIA'. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, numbered 1675, runs through the Van Buren Tunnel with its 'DIVISION-CALIFORNIA' destination displayed. June 10, 1947 · Van Buren Tunnel A vintage black-and-white photo of a Chicago streetcar numbered 507 parked on a snowy street, with a large circular billboard above it advertising Blue Ribbon Beer. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar number 507, likely in the early 1930s, standing on a snowy street beside a large Blue Ribbon Beer billboard. 1948 · Clark and Southport, Chicago, IL A historic black-and-white photo of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 0178 on route 81, running on a city street with overhead wires and a building marked 'COMMERCIAL WEST' in the background. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 0178 on route 81, likely on Lawrence Avenue, in the 1930s. 1948 A vintage red streetcar with a curved roof runs on cobblestone tracks past a brick building with storefronts and a yellow car in the background. A red Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1619, operates on a city street in the 1940s. 1948 · Van Buren and Marshfield A red and cream vintage streetcar with the number 1769 on the front and route 58 on top, running on tracks down a city street with 1940s cars and buildings. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1769, on route 58, travels down a tree-lined street in the mid-1940s. 1948 A red and cream streetcar from the Chicago Surface Lines, numbered 1592, is shown on a city street with a large industrial building and an automobile in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1592, runs on a city street in the 1930s or 1940s, captured in a three-quarter front view. 1948 · Van Buren and Racine, Chicago, IL An orange and black interurban car with the number 261 is stopped at a brick elevated station platform, with a large 'Beatrice Foods Co.' billboard visible on a building in the background. A Chicago Aurora and Elgin interurban car, number 261, is pictured on an elevated structure in Chicago, likely in the 1940s or 1950s. July 1948 · Wilson 18th St, Chicago, IL A black and white photo of a vintage streetcar on a city street, surrounded by parked cars and people on the sidewalks. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 3435, runs down a commercial street lined with 1930s automobiles and storefronts. October 4, 1948 · Belmont Central A vintage black and white photograph shows a CSL streetcar, number 211, on a cobblestone street with overhead wires, next to a pre-war delivery truck. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 211, is pictured on a winter day in the 1930s, with a vintage delivery truck nearby. December 31, 1948 A red and white interurban car with the number 2001 on an elevated steel trestle, with a boxcar train and city buildings behind it. Chicago Terminal Railroad Interurban car 2001 on an elevated structure in a rail yard, with a B&O freight train in the background. 1949 A black and white photograph of a vintage Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 6180, showing its side and front with a trolley pole raised, parked on a street with cars and a building in the background. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 6180 on route 81, captured in a three-quarter front view on a street in Chicago. 1949 · Lawrence and Cicero, Chicago, IL A vintage black-and-white photo of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 6178, on a city street with a building labeled 'Commercial Wharf' behind it. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 6178 on a summer day, with the Commercial Wharf building in the background. 1949 · Western, Lincoln, Chicago, IL A vintage red streetcar, number 734, is turning a corner on a city street lined with brick buildings and parked cars from the 1930s. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 734, navigates a city street corner in front of a large brick building. 1949 · 60 and Callerton A vintage red and cream streetcar, number 6205, marked with route 93-95, stands on a tree-lined street under an overcast sky, with a Coca-Cola sign visible in the background. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 6205, on a street running route. 1949 · 95th, IN A red and cream streetcar with the number 6267 on its front is parked on a city street next to a large industrial building with a sign reading 'Steel Warehouse & Terminal.' A yellow truck and other vehicles are visible in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 6267, operates on a street in Chicago on a sunny day in the 1940s. 1949 · 43 and Normal A red and cream streetcar with the number 1608 on its front is stopped on a paved street next to a stone wall and a multi-story building. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1608, on a city street in the 1930s or 1940s. 1949 · Van Buren and Franklin, Chicago, IL A vintage color photograph of two red Chicago streetcars on a street with a large brick building and billboards in the background. Two red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcars, numbered 218 and 219, operate on a city street lined with brick buildings under a clear blue sky. 1950 · 81 and Broadway A vintage black and white photograph of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar on route 67, number 6259, moving along a street under an elevated railroad bridge with an 'Illinois Central West' sign. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar no. 6259 on route 67, passing under the Illinois Central elevated structure. 1950 · 67th and Harper, Chicago, IL An orange and white interurban railcar on tracks beside a gravel road, with trees and utility poles in the background. An orange and white Chicago Aurora and Elgin interurban car is captured on a private right-of-way in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, likely in the 1950s. 1950 · Prospect St, Glen Ellyn, IL A red and cream streetcar with the number 3111 turns on a street corner, with a brick building and trees in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 3111, turns a corner on a sunny autumn day, with passengers visible inside. 1950 · Cottage Grove and 111th, Chicago, IL A vintage black-and-white photo of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 177, with an elevated railroad bridge labeled 'Englewood Union' behind it, and parked cars nearby. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 177, on a street under the Englewood Union Station bridge. 1950 · 63rd and State, Chicago, IL A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines streetcar numbered 1001 is shown from a three-quarter front view on a city street, with a large billboard for 'LEAF' cigarettes on a building behind it. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1001, travels along a cobblestone street under a 'LEAF' cigarette billboard. May 14, 1950 · Wells and Hubbard, Chicago, IL A red and cream interurban car numbered 699 with a destination sign reading 16 AUSTIN, traveling on an elevated wooden trestle with overhead wires. Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Master Unit 699 on an elevated structure in Chicago. June 1950 · Roosevelt over Illinois Central Tracks, Chicago, IL A vintage red streetcar with the number 556 turns a corner on a city street, with brick buildings and a classic automobile in the background. A red Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 556, rounds a corner on a sunny day in the late 1940s. June 1950 · Paulina and Madison, Chicago, IL