@jbauer2002 This is, hands down, one of the most popular attractions at IRM. I'm glad somebody at CTA had the foresight to preserve the last one and donate it here.
@MsCarlaDenise The so-called "buses" we have now are the ones that look funny. Not only that, they hold about half as many sitting passengers as the old "Green Hornet" or pre-1990 buses. But then, being able to sit down on public transit during rush hour is so overrated ;)
One of the design goals of the PCC was single man operation, but the Chicago unions insisted on having conductors, hence the design peculiar to Chicago. The rationale was less dwell time as the driver didn't have to do fare collection
@ArtStone Can you imagine a driver having to navigate Chicago streets, AND collect fares/dispense tickets/make change at the same time? This was before bus passes and scan cards, you realize....
If the Green Hornet Disaster had never happened, then its unlikely that politicians would have had a way to convince people that buses were the way of the future. Even in its final days, the streetcar system was well patronized. :)
@veronicafan2000 Probably not. Big Oil and tire manufacturers would have greased the palms of politicans to have trolley or rail-type conveyances removed in favor of buses, with or without the May, 1950 disaster.
The last Chicago PCC Blue Goose prewar PCC is still at the IRM. I road one of these cars the last night of operation. I also knew the bus driver who drove the bus that followed the last PCC.
I thought the Great Hornet Disaster lead to the end of the streetcars in Chicago. The Great Hornet Disaster occured when a PCC Green Hornet jumped an open switch and plowed into a gas tanker trapping most of the passenger inside as the read doors didn't have an emergency open lever.
Just about all 600-plus PCC's were returned to St. Louis Car Company, and some of their components - including seats, lights, windows and window winder mechanisms, and some electrical pieces - were used in the "modern" 6000 series el cars and the single-unit 1-50 cars with trolley poles and third-rail power that used to run on the Evanston and Skokie Swift lines.
There were CTA PCC's still being assembled at the factory, that were never delivered and were torn apart and their parts scavenged for the new el cars.
I found out, a few years ago, that none of the exterior panels from the PCC's were ever used in the rebuildings
Chicago spent $15 million several years ago just to investigate putting in a light rail system, and then let the idea die. Talk about a waste of money...
The amazing thing is, Kenosha, WI, a city of 92,000 about 70 miles north of Chicago, actually did it! And one of their five 1951-vintage streetcars is painted to look like an old CTA Green Hornet. And, they're handicapped-accessible!
The guy sitting down was the cta motorman on that last ride
nikonguy102 1 month ago
The old people milling around really adds to this video.
jbauer2002 2 months ago
@jbauer2002 This is, hands down, one of the most popular attractions at IRM. I'm glad somebody at CTA had the foresight to preserve the last one and donate it here.
artistmac 2 months ago
dat thing looks funny compared 2 what we have here now.
MsCarlaDenise 8 months ago
@MsCarlaDenise The so-called "buses" we have now are the ones that look funny. Not only that, they hold about half as many sitting passengers as the old "Green Hornet" or pre-1990 buses. But then, being able to sit down on public transit during rush hour is so overrated ;)
artistmac 8 months ago
It was the post war 1950s "New Is Better" mentality. It ain't necessarily so.
manidig 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Try this for a great read = "Southside Kid" by Curt Erler at AMAZON. Or, Google ... CURT ERLER
curtflirt1 1 year ago
San Francisco's "F" line will debut one of it's earlier PCCs (philly) in this "green hornet" color scheme early next year.
hedablinka 1 year ago
One of the design goals of the PCC was single man operation, but the Chicago unions insisted on having conductors, hence the design peculiar to Chicago. The rationale was less dwell time as the driver didn't have to do fare collection
ArtStone 1 year ago
@ArtStone Can you imagine a driver having to navigate Chicago streets, AND collect fares/dispense tickets/make change at the same time? This was before bus passes and scan cards, you realize....
skifusya 5 months ago
If the Green Hornet Disaster had never happened, then its unlikely that politicians would have had a way to convince people that buses were the way of the future. Even in its final days, the streetcar system was well patronized. :)
veronicafan2000 2 years ago
@veronicafan2000 Probably not. Big Oil and tire manufacturers would have greased the palms of politicans to have trolley or rail-type conveyances removed in favor of buses, with or without the May, 1950 disaster.
skifusya 5 months ago
like your vid cn u make ore
TheAlaska123 2 years ago
The last Chicago PCC Blue Goose prewar PCC is still at the IRM. I road one of these cars the last night of operation. I also knew the bus driver who drove the bus that followed the last PCC.
Trainbrain1949 2 years ago
I moved to Chicago in the fall of 1958. To my great dismay streetcar tracks and overhead were all over the city, but the rolling stock was gone!
Larski 3 years ago
I thought the Great Hornet Disaster lead to the end of the streetcars in Chicago. The Great Hornet Disaster occured when a PCC Green Hornet jumped an open switch and plowed into a gas tanker trapping most of the passenger inside as the read doors didn't have an emergency open lever.
bradhig 3 years ago
Just about all 600-plus PCC's were returned to St. Louis Car Company, and some of their components - including seats, lights, windows and window winder mechanisms, and some electrical pieces - were used in the "modern" 6000 series el cars and the single-unit 1-50 cars with trolley poles and third-rail power that used to run on the Evanston and Skokie Swift lines.
artistmac 4 years ago
Wow! Biggest PCC car I've ever seen. Didn't a lot of those get made over into el cars?
cleostreet 4 years ago
There were CTA PCC's still being assembled at the factory, that were never delivered and were torn apart and their parts scavenged for the new el cars.
I found out, a few years ago, that none of the exterior panels from the PCC's were ever used in the rebuildings
artistmac 4 years ago
A great nonsense. Sad!
tgva325 3 years ago
@artistmac Wow. Pretty galling. PCC = My Absolute Favorite Streetcar (in all its various manifestations).
dpjaexp 7 months ago
they never should have took them away
amtrc 4 years ago
I wish they could bring back them damned street cars.
ljenkin6 5 years ago
Chicago spent $15 million several years ago just to investigate putting in a light rail system, and then let the idea die. Talk about a waste of money...
The amazing thing is, Kenosha, WI, a city of 92,000 about 70 miles north of Chicago, actually did it! And one of their five 1951-vintage streetcars is painted to look like an old CTA Green Hornet. And, they're handicapped-accessible!
artistmac 5 years ago