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

Chicago Surface Lines

160 photographs
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 streetcar with number 849 turning a corner on a city street, with a Walgreens sign visible in the background. Chicago Surface Lines streetcar number 849, a Birney safety car, turns a corner on the 61 - Lawrence - Austin line. September 6, 1947 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 vintage black-and-white photo of a Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 6180, with a trolley pole, running on a city street with cars and a building in the background. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 6180 operates on route 81, viewed from a three-quarter front angle on a summer street. 1948 · Lawrence and Cicero, 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 vintage red streetcar with a destination arch is stopped on a snow-dusted street with bare trees in the background. Two people are near the car. A red Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, fleet number 6[?]7, is shown on a snowy Chicago street, likely at the Bryn Mawr and Pulaski intersection. 1948 · Bryn Mawr and Pulaski, Chicago, IL 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 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 Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 3074, travels down a city street with overhead wires, past a large billboard and older automobiles. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar number 3074, running on route 55 to Elston, is captured in motion on a sunny day in the late 1930s. 1949 · 55 and Lawrence, Chicago, IL 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 with the number 606 on its front is stopped on a bridge surrounded by tall buildings and streetlights. A red Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 606, is stopped on a bridge in downtown Chicago. 1949 · Franklin and Washington, 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 vintage red and cream streetcar, number 556, is parked on a street with a sign for 'NORTH WESTERN STATION' on its front, a trolley pole reaching to overhead wires, and a 'LUNCH' sign on a building in the background. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 556, is shown parked on a street with 'NORTH WESTERN STATION' on its destination sign. 1949 · 56 and Imlay A vintage red streetcar with the number 227 on its front, turning at an intersection with 1940s cars and a brick building in the background. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 227 on route 53, navigates an intersection at Pulaski and Lawrence in Chicago on a sunny day. 1949 · Pulaski and Lawrence, Chicago, IL A black and white photograph of a vintage city bus with the number 1411 on its front, parked on a street with pedestrians walking on the sidewalk and tall buildings in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines motor bus, number 1411, is shown on a city street, likely in the late 1930s or early 1940s, with pedestrians and parked cars in the background. 1949 · Michigan Washington, MI 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 Chicago Surface Lines streetcar, number 328, is stopped on a snowy street with bare trees in the background, as a few people wait to board. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 328, is shown in winter at the intersection of Pulaski and Bryn Mawr. 1949 · Pulaski and Bryn Mawr, Chicago, IL 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 red and cream wooden streetcar runs down a city street under overhead wires, with a large gas holder and industrial buildings in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, likely number [?]2544, operates on a street with overhead wires, passing a street sign for Kilbourn Avenue and industrial buildings including Rissman Lumber Co. 1949 · Kilbourn and Milwaukee, Chicago, IL A vintage motor bus from the 1940s, marked with route 34 Diversey and fleet number 1411, is stopped on a busy Chicago street with pedestrians and period cars nearby. A Chicago Surface Lines bus, number 1411, operates on the 34 Diversey route on a city street in the early 1940s. 1949 · Michigan and Washington, Chicago, IL A vintage red and cream streetcar with the number 3152 on its side and front, running on city streets with tall buildings and a water tower in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 3152, runs on a city street near the C&EI tracks in the 1930s. 1949 · Roosevelt and Clark, Chicago, IL A red and cream streetcar numbered 1046 is shown from a three-quarter front view, running on a street with bare trees and a gasoline pump in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 1046, captured in winter on a street-running route. 1949 · Southport and Clark, Chicago, IL A red and cream streetcar, number 1693, is shown on a city street in front of a building, with tracks visible on the ground. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 1693, on a city street. May 10, 1949 · Franklin and Van Buren, Chicago, IL A vintage Chicago streetcar, number 6015, is shown on a city street with passengers visible inside and a trolley pole connecting to overhead wires. Chicago Surface Lines streetcar 6015, a Perley A. Thomas Master Unit, on route 55 at Randolph and Franklin Streets. June 11, 1949 · Randolph and Franklin, Chicago, IL A vintage black-and-white photo of a streetcar with the number 6015 on its front and side, showing passengers inside, on a cobblestone street with buildings and other vehicles in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Peter Witt streetcar, number 6015, on route 55 at the corner of Randolph and Franklin streets. June 11, 1949 · Randolph and Franklin, Chicago, IL A vintage green and cream streetcar on a city street with 1940s cars, pedestrians, and a Sunbury Food Stores sign visible in the background. A green and cream Chicago Surface Lines Peter Witt streetcar, number 30[?]3, travels down a bustling city street lined with 1940s cars and a Sunbury Food Stores. August 1949 · 9th and Hoover Front view of a vintage green and cream double-decker-style bus under a dark steel railroad bridge, with bare trees and a clear sky. A green and cream Chicago Surface Lines motor bus drives under a railroad overpass on a winter day. November 8, 1949 · 110 and Bell 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 A vintage black-and-white photo of a dark, riveted steel streetcar with the number 3359 and signs for route 4 and Lincoln Park Zoo, stopped on a cobblestone street with a Coca-Cola sign in the background. Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar 3359 on route 40, bound for Lincoln Park Zoo, at Wabash & 9th Street in the late 1930s or early 1940s. 1950 · Wabash and 9TH ST., Chicago, IL A black-and-white photo of a vintage Birney streetcar, number 3359, from Chicago Surface Lines, running on a city street with a Coca-Cola sign visible on a building behind it. Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar 3359 on route 4, displayed with a Lincoln Park Zoo advertisement, at an urban street intersection. 1950 · Wabash and 18th St., Chicago, IL A red and cream streetcar with the number 6184 and route 81 on its destination board travels down a street lined with brick buildings and vintage automobiles. A red Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 6184 on route 81, travels down a street in Chicago in the late 1930s or early 1940s. 1950 · 81 and Lawrence A vintage red streetcar with the number 6152 travels down a cobblestone street lined with brick buildings, including a Studebaker dealership and a Drewrys Beer billboard. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 6152, runs on a cobblestone street past a Studebaker dealership and a Drewrys beer billboard. 1950 · Lawrence and Clark, Chicago, IL A red and cream vintage streetcar with the number 7 on its front, running on city streets with old buildings and a 1940s car in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 7, on the 66 Michigan route in downtown Chicago. 1950 · 66 Michigan, Chicago, 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 vintage black-and-white photo of a streetcar numbered 127 running on a city street under a railway bridge marked 'Englewood Union'. A Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 127, on a Chicago street near the Englewood Union Station underpass. 1950 · 63rd and State, Chicago, IL A red and cream trolleybus on a sunny day, with overhead wires, passengers inside, and vintage cars and buildings in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Brill T-44 trolleybus, number 834, on the 85 Central-Lexington route, captured in a summer street scene. 1950 · 85 and Central A red and cream streetcar marked 'LAKE' and number 1758 is stopped on a city street with a red work vehicle beside it and two men on its roof, with tall buildings in the background. A Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 1758, on the Lake route, is attended by a work vehicle and two workers on its roof on a city street in the late 1940s. 1950 · Franklin and Randolph, Chicago, IL Black-and-white photo of a streetcar numbered 1674 on a city street beneath an elevated train line with a car numbered 2535, located at the corner of Van Buren and Clinton streets in Chicago. A Chicago Surface Lines Birney streetcar, number 1674, operates under an elevated structure with a Chicago Rapid Transit Company 4000-series car, number 2535, above at Van Buren and Clinton streets. 1950 · Van Buren and Clinton, 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 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 A vintage red Chicago streetcar with the number 551 travels down a busy urban street lined with parked cars and a white delivery truck. A red and cream Chicago Surface Lines Master Unit streetcar, number 551, operates on a cobblestone street in Chicago. June 1950 · State and Roosevelt, Chicago, IL