6000s return to the CTA

[Electroliner 1935]

Around 1955, the C.E.R.A. ran a trip on the Chicago & North Shore Line up the Shore Line which had ended service. I came up from Cincinnati on an Overnight NYC train that got into the IC's Central Sta at 6:00 AM, got beakfast and with 3 hrs to kill took the State Street subway up to Howard St. Waiting for the Southbound train to depart, I struck up a converrsation with the motorman. When the dispatch signal (green light) lit and its bell rang we entered the car and to a young railfan heard a dumb question,  (DQ1) "Want to ride in the cab with me?" Yes I quickly replied. So off the set of 6000's went. About three stops down the line came DQ #2. Want to operate it?" Same answer. So for the three next stations I operated it, until I forgot and took the pressure of the Cineston Controller handle. Dead man control did what it was designed to do and brought us to a quick stop. That ended that. Upon arrival at Roosevelt road, I went up to the elevated station used by the North Shore trains and joined the C.E.R.A charter and we started North. Somewhere around Loyola, as we were running up the East track I saw what I thought was a body on the ROW between the two local traacks. I questioned other passengers and no one else had seen it. Asked the crew and again, nothing. On our return South and after getting South of Howard, learned that a conductor had been killed when riding between the cars on the little foot steps used when operating the exterior coor controls, slipped, caught the safety springs and hit his head on a switch stand lamp (high level). This was on a nice dry day. Hate to think how hazardas that job was in the winter. 

Later, in 2005, on a New York City subway excursion which used the historic Low V cars, noted that they had a similar arrangement. Got chastized by our conductor for boarding the train using the steps. Too many people in the doorways so I made a shortcut. "@%!*% DON"T DO THAT." That form of transit door control dates back to the early days of the 1900's. Chicago 4000's and 6000's had the outside controls. 

[daveklepper]

Schlimm, Yes, the correct Howard Benn

[schlimm]

Buslist

Former classmate Howie Benn ought to know! Isn't he despised by some New Yorkers for instuting Skip Stop service? The things George Krambles set in motion!

 

Company: CTA ~ Number: 6101-02 Type of Car: Steel Alum. Rapid Transit Builder: St. Louis Car Company Year Built: 1950 ~ Year Acquired: 1994 Notes: Married pair - original paint scheme

[Buslist]

Former classmate Howie Benn ought to know! Isn't he despised by some New Yorkers for instuting Skip Stop service? The things George Krambles set in motion!

[daveklepper]

While the twin headlights are indeed original (the first 130 -- out of the 720 6000s -- came this way. 4 of the 130, this pair & 6059-6060 , never got the 'cyclops' headlamp retrofit), the outside door controls, vaguely reminiscent of R1-12, are not. The first 200 came that way (years 1949-1951 I believe). After a few nasty conductor accidents, including a fatality I was told, both controls, left & right, of all 130 were relocated inside the A (odd number) car. 6201-6370 came with NY style conductor cabs. 6371-6720 had the same lay-out as first 200 retrofit, i.e., both conductor positions in the open* (no cab) in the A car. Sounds like Fox River got it right (& sentimental).

 

* Facilitated on board fare collection similar to IRT's original Dyer Avenue ex-2nd Ave. two gate-car shuttles.

Information from Howard Benn

[Buslist]

This news has been posted several places on Facebook.

"THE 6000s ARE BACK!"

CTA has reached agreement with the Fox River Trolley Museum to repurchase cars 6101-02 for its Heritage Fleet. The Fox River board approved the sale at its July 8 meeting. CTA signed off on the terms Monday.

 

"We've done our part for historic preservation, which is our mission," said museum President Edward Konecki. "Now it's time for them to go home."

 

CTA will move the cars Aug. 14-15. The married pair features a set of outside conductor's controls and twin headlights, which makes them unique among surviving 6000s.

Fox River has long-term historic preservation in mind. The contract includes a clause that gives the museum a 90-day right of first refusal to regain possession of the cars, should CTA decide to terminate its Heritage Fleet program. They must be returned in fully operable condition. The cars were never used in public operations at Fox River because of restrictions written into the contact between the museum and CTA in the 1990s. Essentially, Fox River could not carry paying passengers on the cars. That clause will not be included should the cars revert to Fox River.

 

CTA hopes to unveil the cars to the public in October, but it is hoped to have them operable for CTA's Rail Jamboree Aug. 26."