Chicago City Railway
Encyclopedia
The Chicago City Railway was a cable car
system, designed by William Eppelsheimer
and opened in Chicago
in 1882.
This system was to become, for a while, the largest and most profitable cable car system in the world. Counter to some people's expectations, the cable cars did not suffer much from the elements, and the harsher Chicago climate was no problem for them. As with most cities using cable cars the problem in flat Chicago was not one of grades, but of pure transportation capacity. This also caused a different approach to the combination of grip car and trailer. Rather than using a grip car and single trailer, as many cities did, or combining the grip and trailer into a single car, like the San Francisco cable car system
's California Cars, Chicago used grip cars to pull trains of up to three trailers.
As in other cities the cable cars did not completely replace the horsecar
s, but they rather created a transportation backbone. In fact, even as the horse lines were being converted to trolleys
, the electrical cars had to be pulled by grip cars through the loop area
, due to the lack of trolley wires there.
At least one Chicago City Railway station survives at 5529 South Lake Park Avenue in Chicago's Hyde Park
neighborhood. The former cable car station and waiting room currently serves as the home of the Hyde Park Historical Society.
Cable car (railway)
A cable car or cable railway is a mass transit system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping this cable as required...
system, designed by William Eppelsheimer
William Eppelsheimer
William E. Eppelsheimer was a tramway engineer known for his work on cable car systems. He was born and studied engineering in what is now Germany. Eppelsheimer designed the Clay Street Hill Railroad in San Francisco...
and opened in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1882.
This system was to become, for a while, the largest and most profitable cable car system in the world. Counter to some people's expectations, the cable cars did not suffer much from the elements, and the harsher Chicago climate was no problem for them. As with most cities using cable cars the problem in flat Chicago was not one of grades, but of pure transportation capacity. This also caused a different approach to the combination of grip car and trailer. Rather than using a grip car and single trailer, as many cities did, or combining the grip and trailer into a single car, like the San Francisco cable car system
San Francisco cable car system
The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, in the US sense of a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. It is an icon of San Francisco, California...
's California Cars, Chicago used grip cars to pull trains of up to three trailers.
As in other cities the cable cars did not completely replace the horsecar
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
s, but they rather created a transportation backbone. In fact, even as the horse lines were being converted to trolleys
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, the electrical cars had to be pulled by grip cars through the loop area
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
, due to the lack of trolley wires there.
At least one Chicago City Railway station survives at 5529 South Lake Park Avenue in Chicago's Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
neighborhood. The former cable car station and waiting room currently serves as the home of the Hyde Park Historical Society.