The Green, Brown, Orange, Purple and Pink Lines run through this junction. [Chicago-L]
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| Kevin Heinlein posted Rotwang Manteuffel: Tower 18. Vanished Chicago posted As the "L" carried Chicagoans to work and home for the past 121 years, its girders and beams provided a rusty picture frame for the city's skyline and neighborhoods. Born of a simple idea -- getting commuters above congested street traffic -- the elevated rail line not only became emblematic of a no-nonsense industrial powerhouse, but also stitched Chicago together as the system branched into new neighborhoods. Stan Kunka posted a different exposure On June 6, 1892, the first elevated—or “L”—train ran from 39th (now Pershing Road) and State streets to Congress Parkway and Wabash Avenue. By 1893, the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad extended this line to Jackson Park, the site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. The first L lines were privately owned and operated as separate companies. In 1892, according to CTA historian and expert Graham Garfield, who tracks the extensive history of the 'L' in great detail on Chicago-L.org, the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad began operating the first elevated train. The Chicago "L" has been a part of Chicago's transportation system for over a century, and its history includes: Early years The first "L" train ran in 1892, connecting 39th and State streets to Congress Parkway and Wabash Avenue. The first "L" trains were steam-powered, but the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition introduced third-rail electric technology, which is still used on the "L" today. Company consolidation The various "L" lines were operated by separate companies until 1924 when they were consolidated into the Chicago Rapid Transit Company (CTA). Public ownership The CTA went public in 1947 and has undergone many changes since then. The "L" and the Loop Charles Tyson Yerkes, a wealthy financier, built elevated tracks above downtown streets to connect the train lines, creating the Loop L. The "L" and the city core The "L" has helped Chicago's city core grow dense, and its use of alleyways and expressways has helped knit the system into the city. 24-hour service The Red and Blue Lines offer 24-hour service, making Chicago one of only three cities in the world to do so. The "L" and its colors The Yellow Line, also known as the Skokie Swift, is the only line the CTA abandoned and then reopened. The CTA used yellow for the shortest route because it's difficult to show on maps without a black border. |
A complication of dispatching through this junction is that the nearby bridges of Lake Street and Wells Street are also controlled by the CTA dispatcher in that the dispatcher has to "give" electricity to a bridge before it can be raised. I once saw a big ship have to do a high-speed reverse maneuver to avoid alliding with the Wells Street Bridge because it would not go up even though the ship was shining its light on the bridge, etc. The ship ended up crooked in the river, but it did stop in time. Someone explained to us that the bridge operator had to wait until CTA energizes his bridge before he can raise it.
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| Glen Miller posted The Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee R.R., an interurban, ran on L tracks through the Loop and as far south as 63rd & Stony Island. The bulk of its traffic was commuters from the North Shore suburbs, but the flagship service was trains to Milwaukee every hour. In 1940, the North Shore Line took delivery of two Electroliners. Streamlined articulated trainsets, with air conditioning and even a dining-car section, they were very popular with the public. The North Shore Line went out of business in 1963. The Electroliners ran (as Liberty Liners) in Philadelphia for a few years. One is now restored at Illinois Railway Museum. Mike Friedman: Both of the Electroliners are preserved. After they ran on the Red Arrow Lines (now SEPTA) in Philadelphia from 1963-1978, both were preserved. One in its North Shore LIne paint (at Illinois Railway Museum in McHenry County, near Rockford) and one at a museum in Pennsylvania in its Red Arrow Lines colors. They even sold an Electroburger in the dining car. Paul Webb shared Andy McKellin: Lake & Wells or Wabash & Van Buren ? Myron Moyano: Andy McKellin Lake & Wells. Ruxine posted The Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee R.R., an interurban, ran on L tracks through the Loop and as far south as 63rd & Stony Island. The bulk of its traffic was commuters from the North Shore suburbs, but the flagship service was trains to Milwaukee every hour. In 1940, the North Shore Line took delivery of two Electroliners. Streamlined articulated trainsets, with air conditioning and even a dining-car section, they were very popular with the public. The North Shore Line went out of business in 1963. The Electroliners ran (as Liberty Liners) in Philadelphia for a few years. One is now restored at Illinois Railway Museum. Paul Webb shared Harold J. Krewer: Both are preserved: 801-802 at IRM as an Electroliner and 803-804 at Shade Gap Electric in PA as a Liberty Liner. Very appropriate as they split their service time roughly 50-50 at each location. |
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| David M Laz posted Great shot of the Electroliner entering the loop from heading south across the Wells Street Bridge. Rex Nelson: Great shot, but the Electroliner is leaving the loop and heading north towards the Merchandise Mart. Jeff Marsh: You're right; the Liner has markers on it. Rex Nelson shared Michael E. Bond: The Electroliner is leaving the Loop turning from Lake to Wells St. North Shore Line trains entering the Loop stayed on Wells St after crossing the bridge and ran straight through Tower 18 since all trains on the Loop ran counterclockwise in those days. [Some comments talk about how other routes went through this junction.] Andrew Roth shared Jon Roma: I will add the same comment here as I did elsewhere when seeing this photo posted to another group. I believe this is an Electroliner *leaving* the Loop elevated, heading north toward the Merchandise Mart. |
According to a "cta tower 18" Google search, YouTube has several railfan videos of this junction.
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| Marty Bernard posted Bicentenial Colors at CTA Tower 18 This posed photograph was probably taken by/for the CTA (mid-1970s) and I must have acquired it when I was employed there. The original layout of Tower 18 can be seen here: Paul Musselman: This pic was, I think, the back cover photo for the second of two CERA books on the CTA, back in the early 70's.....orig. price about $15!!... Dennis DeBruler: That junction is busy enough that the trains do not need to be posed to get three in the junction. https://pixels.com/.../chicago-cta-tower-18-junction-jim... |
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| Jim Pearson March 23, 2018 - Three "L" Rapid transit trains pass through tower 18 junction, just down from the Chicago Transit Authority's Clark/Lake Street Station, during the evening rush hour in Chicago, Illinois. For decades, the Tower 18 junction at Lake & Wells was billed as the busiest railroad junction in the world. |
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| Marty Bernard posted This is the only photo I ever took of the Tower in its old position. It documents the North Shore passing Tower 18 and entering the Loop during its last month of operation. Taken January 3, 1963. That's CNS&M 178. Zachary Ehlers: “378” is “178”, a 1919 Cincinnati. Marty Bernard shared |
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| Marty Bernard posted Chicago Transit Authority Tower 18 is in its old position. A Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Electroliner headed west above Lake Street and beginning to turn north over Wells Street in Chicago, then across the Chicago River, and on to Milwaukee, early January 3, 1963. Jon Roma: 17 days before the end of the line.... Marty Bernard shared |
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| Marty Bernard posted A married pair of Chicago Transit Authority 6000 sereies cars as the Loop Shuttle (which looped the Loop all day long) turning at Tower 18 with Lake/Dan Ryan trains in the distance, looking west from the Clark Street Station, 9/22/1972. An earlier version of Tower 18 is here: The bridge structure in the distance is over the Ogilvie Transportation Center tracks. |
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| Steven J. Brown posted CTA trains at Tower 18 at Lake and Wells in Chicago, Illinois - May 1, 2022. |
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| Comments on Steven's post |
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| Marty Bernard posted Chicago Transit Authority 6000s and 1 - 50s, Evanston Express, on Loop, Chicago, 4/7/1983. Tower 18, top center. |
I'm saving this satellite image in case someone builds a high-rise on the southwest corner.
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| 3D Satellite |
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| JonRoma, follow the link for a description of this control panel |
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| Tabitha Sox posted A CTA “L” Derailment at Wells and Lake Streets in 1974 Looking East Down Lake photo by Hardy Wieting Mark Rogers: Didn't they also have one at State and Lake? Debbie Sekowski Koenig: Mark Rogers the 1977 was at Lake and Wabash. Todd Gillenwater: Mark Rogers https://www.chicagotribune.com/.../ct-cta-train-crash... Paul Webb shared Gerald Doran: I remember people were falling down in the street trying to pass themselves off as passengers. Donald Schlosser: Is the L still working? |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Donald's question Yes, https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/6/ctamap_Lsystem.png |
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