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Story Name

Railroad

Current Railroad

Valuation Section(s)

Subdivision(s)

State

South/West Terminal

North/East Terminal

Description

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During the late 19th Century, electrified railroads became popular in
 
the United States.&nbsp; These railroads offered a viable, faster alternative
 to traditional steam railroads.&nbsp; In major cities, electrified railroads
 would be constructed either on steel viaducts or in subways.&nbsp; During 
the late 19th Century, Chicago had seen an unprecedented level of growth, 
and constructing a reliable public transportation system became a must 
for the city.&nbsp; In 1888, the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad Company (C&amp;SSRT) was granted a franchise by the City of Chicago to construct a network of elevated rapid transit lines throughout the south side of Chicago, the first such franchise granted in the city.&nbsp; The line would use light steam locomotives, different from cable or electrified railroads.&nbsp; The first segment opened in 1892, which generally ran south between State Street and Wabash Avenue from Congress Parkway (present day Ida B. Wells Drive) to 39th Street.&nbsp; The following year, the line would open to 61st Street and Jackson Park, where it was showcased at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893.&nbsp; The line briefly ran east along 40th Street, before continuing south between Prairie and Calumet Avenues.&nbsp; The line then turned east along 63rd Street.In South Side Elevated Railroad (South Side "L") took over the operations of the C&amp;SSRT in 1897, and converted the line to an electric railroad in 1898.&nbsp; During the early 20th Century, several branches would be completed along the system.&nbsp; In 1905, a short segment was constructed along 59th Street from the mainline to State Street.&nbsp; Construction would continue on the line through 1906.&nbsp; In 1907, three branches opened to traffic.&nbsp; The Englewood Branch generally ran west along 59th Street, turning south along Wells Street, again turning west between 63rd Street and 64th Street and extending to Ashland Avenue.&nbsp; The Normal Branch extended south along Normal Avenue to 69th Street.&nbsp; The Kenwood Branch extended east along the Chicago Junction Railway (CJ), ending at 42nd Street near Lake Park Avenue.&nbsp; The Stockyards branch extended west along the CJ to Racine Avenue, and opened in 1908.&nbsp; Both branches utilized the tracks of the CJ, which also carried steam locomotives. In 1924, 
the South Side "L" became part of the Chicago Rapid Transit 
Company.&nbsp; In 1947, the CRT became part of the Chicago 
Transit Authority (CTA).&nbsp; As ridership declined during the mid-20th Century, segments of the line would be abandoned.&nbsp; The Normal Branch would be abandoned and demolished in 1954, followed by the Stockyards and Kenwood branches in 1957.&nbsp; By the late 20th Century, the line had significantly deteriorated and would need a major rehabilitation.&nbsp; The line reopened to traffic in 1996, with the portion east of Cottage Grove Avenue along 63rd Street remaining closed to traffic.&nbsp; This segment would be demolished in 1997.&nbsp; Today, this line continues to be operated by the CTA as the Green Line.&nbsp; The Englewood Branch is now known as the Ashland Branch, and the Jackson Park branch is now known as the 63rd Street Branch.

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