Cars 40, 43, and 45 were part of a small order of double-ended cars, in conjunction with a much larger order of single-ended cars.
In the aftermath of World War II, the Chicago Transit Authority was looking for a next generation railcar to replace its fleet of wooden cars. At first they bought four cars, numbered 5001-5004 as prototypes (car 5001 is also at our museum). These cars featured three articulated sections, all-electric controls based on the technology used in PCC streetcars, blinker doors, and many other new features not seen in earlier generations. After evaluating the prototype cars, the CTA decided that they liked some features but not others. They didn’t particularly like the articulated design, but were very fond of the all-electric control system.
New Technology
Following the lessons learned from the four prototype cars, they placed an very large order with the features they liked from the prototype cars. Around the same time, the CTA decided to discontinue streetcar operations, but not after having already placed a large order for new PCC streetcars from the St. Louis Car Company. Unable to cancel the order outright, the CTA was able to arrange that the streetcars that had already been built be converted to rapid transit cars and that all remaining streetcars in the order instead be built as rapid transit cars. This order formed the 6000 series cars, which only had a cab at one end, requiring they run in pairs.
Fare Collection
The standard fare collection procedure at the time involved passengers buying tickets at stations during peak times and having their fares checked by on-board conductors during off-peak times. However, trains running overnight and a few lines (such as the Skokie Branch, today’s Yellow Line) didn’t have the ridership to justify employing the station staff or having a conductor onboard. Similarly, the ridership under these circumstances was low enough that a single car would be enough to carry all the anticipated passengers. As a result, the CTA added 50 more cars to their order, known as the 1-50 series. These cars were nearly identical to the 6000 series cars but had cabs at both ends and allowed the motorman to collect fares as passengers boarded, similar to how most bus systems collect fares today. This allowed trains to run overnight and on low-ridership lines without needing station staff or onboard conductors.
The three cars we have, 40, 43, and 45, are all part of this series. All three cars entered service in 1959, serving until the 1980s and 1990s.
At Our Museum
Since the cars have been acquired by Fox River Trolley Museum, they have seen regular service on our lines. Cars 40 and 43 are in full working order, while Car 45 is in need of repairs. They are primarily used for special events due to their capacity and the ease of running a multi-car train. However, they occasionally do see service during the regular operating season, but mainly during the spring and fall due to the fact that the windows do not open as much as many of our other cars, which can cause them to get quite warm in the summer.