passenger service

[frankkirkaldy]

Great Site, I just found it by accident.   I grew up around the Lakewood branch, and worked in the areas of the entire north side branch of The Milwaukee Road.  The pictures are very interesting.  My father who also grew up and lived around the line once told me that the branch had passenger service in the early 1900\'s with many stops.  It extended from  somewhere downtown to Wilson Avenue.  I have a book about the CTA which includes  a layout of the line and the commuter stops along the way.  Has anyone ever heard of this?

[TBurke]

Frank:

Thanks for your message.  Your recollections of growing up around the Lakewood branch or those of your father would be very valuable.  Do you have any vintage photographs you would like to share?

To answer your question the Milwaukee Road did indeed run scheduled passenger train service from downtown Chicago to Evanston.  The real name for the Lakewood branch used by the railroad was the Chicago & Evanston or C&E.  

Around 1917 the Milwaukee Road discontinued passenger service over this line.  CTA predecessor the Chicago Rapid Transit took over passenger and freight service from the Milwaukee Road from Montrose Avenue north into Evanston.   The Milwaukee Road continued to operate freight service from Montrose Avenue south into downtown Chicago along the C&E.  

Stations were located at Graceland Cemetary, Addison, Belmont, Barry, and Fullerton among others.  The station at Lakewood and Barry survived until the mid-1980s as a private residence.

Tom