While in the U.S.Navy, I was stationed for a year at Great Lakes NTC. I rode back and forth from Anderson to Chicago on the PRR and from Chicago to Great Lakes on the North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad.
The hour is late and the station is nearly deserted as I board the waiting car which departs shortly after my boarding. There are ample available seats and I drop into a window seat on the left in the last car. We run parallel to a freight line shortly after leaving the city and I'm always thrilled at watching the trains pass at night.
Our beautiful old beast squeals as her cars takes the 'too sharp' turns on the 'L' structure as she makes her way North toward her own lines. It is there that the Motorman can let her have her head and she'll race the wind and the clock. We meet two 'L' trains as we make our way to the 'Mile' and then we are there! http://madisonrails.railfan.net/r_timetraveler.html
Roger Hensley= ECI Railroad - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/eci/eci_new.html == Railroads of Madison County - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/ =
Thanks for sharing the memories, Roger. Shortly after the North Shore expired, the Electroliners were sold to the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co, ("The Red Arrow" Lines"), and placed in operation on the P&W line from the 69th Street Terminal to Norristown PA, he old "Liberty Bell Line". They now ran with outside third rail pickup, instead of trolley poles, and only ran approximately 19 miles one way, but were perfect for commuter hour trainloads. Even the bar was opened to sell morning coffee, and evening refreshments.
I heard so much about the Electroliner, that I just had to ride it, so i rode a bus to 69th St, and transferred to the electroliner. With a transfer ticket, from the bus, the ride cost me maybe 70ȼ. The ride to Norristown, with frequent intermediate stops, was a little rougher than the Brill Bullet cars used on the line, but enjoyable.
My return was a short walk to the Reading station, in Norristown, where I caught a Reading EMU to Reading Terminal in Philly, then another short walk to the Pennsy's Suburban station, where I caught an MP54 MU home. A perfectly fine experience sampling electric passenger trains at their finest.
boris