| Rollsigns from Chicago, IL 77th Street Garage |
| to go to the Chicago Transit Auth. electronic sign list page. |
When I got this linen rollsign , the info about
it stated it was designed for one of Chicago's
propane powered Flxible Twin Coaches, and
was believed to be from the early 1960s. I
have since learned that is not the case.
This side rollsign was designed for the one
of Chicago Surface Lines, and later Chicago
Transit Authority's double ended standard
cars. "Standard cars" were ones that were
built by various manufacturers, mainly
St. Louis Car Co., but included others from
Cummings and Twin Cities Rapid Transit,
and some even being home built. They all
had a similar design, with variations like
two and four motor powered, and multiple
unit operation and trailer pulling. The cars
that would have held a sign like this were
part of the fleet number series 1721-1785,
2859, 3119-3321 or 6155-6239.
The sign was printed for the CTA's 77th St.
Depot. It has 10 exposures. It would have
been screen printed in house at the CTA
shops. Their equipment was set up to screen
a maximum of six exposures at a time.
Exposures such as CLARK-WENTWORTH
and BROADWAY-STATE have been removed
from the sign. The sign itself has no print
date, but is from the era between 1945, after
PCCs took over the Clark-Wentworth and
Broadway-State lines, and 1948, when the
Cottage Grove-South Chicago line was
abandoned. All readings on this rollsign
were still rail in the 1940s, with several
such as Cottage Grove-South Chicago and
Cottage Grove-Stony Island never running
as a bus route with that name.
(Updated information about this sign
was provided by Andre Kristopans.)
it stated it was designed for one of Chicago's
propane powered Flxible Twin Coaches, and
was believed to be from the early 1960s. I
have since learned that is not the case.
This side rollsign was designed for the one
of Chicago Surface Lines, and later Chicago
Transit Authority's double ended standard
cars. "Standard cars" were ones that were
built by various manufacturers, mainly
St. Louis Car Co., but included others from
Cummings and Twin Cities Rapid Transit,
and some even being home built. They all
had a similar design, with variations like
two and four motor powered, and multiple
unit operation and trailer pulling. The cars
that would have held a sign like this were
part of the fleet number series 1721-1785,
2859, 3119-3321 or 6155-6239.
The sign was printed for the CTA's 77th St.
Depot. It has 10 exposures. It would have
been screen printed in house at the CTA
shops. Their equipment was set up to screen
a maximum of six exposures at a time.
Exposures such as CLARK-WENTWORTH
and BROADWAY-STATE have been removed
from the sign. The sign itself has no print
date, but is from the era between 1945, after
PCCs took over the Clark-Wentworth and
Broadway-State lines, and 1948, when the
Cottage Grove-South Chicago line was
abandoned. All readings on this rollsign
were still rail in the 1940s, with several
such as Cottage Grove-South Chicago and
Cottage Grove-Stony Island never running
as a bus route with that name.
(Updated information about this sign
was provided by Andre Kristopans.)
| Chicago Surface Lines streetcar #3142 is the type of vehicle this side rollsign was designed for. (Photo from Wikipedia, by David Wilson.) |
This all mylar front route and destination
sign was designed for one of CTA's GMC
New Looks or Flxible "New Look" buses.
Its original print date is September 25,
1972, but has had inserts added and
changes made that have updated it to
January 27, 1975. It has 93 exposures.
Its original sign tag is shown below.
This sign was graciously donated to
Rollsign Gallery by John Mcdonnell.
sign was designed for one of CTA's GMC
New Looks or Flxible "New Look" buses.
Its original print date is September 25,
1972, but has had inserts added and
changes made that have updated it to
January 27, 1975. It has 93 exposures.
Its original sign tag is shown below.
This sign was graciously donated to
Rollsign Gallery by John Mcdonnell.
CHICAGO 77TH STREET
YC-199313-396
GM-700971 9/25/72
TS-11546-A TRANSIGN
YC-199313-396
GM-700971 9/25/72
TS-11546-A TRANSIGN
| Contrary to its name, Chicago's 77th Street Garage's address is 210 W. 79th St., between S. Vincennes Ave. and S. Perry Ave. beside Interstate 94. 77th Street is the garage's northern back border. Originally opening in 1907 for Chicago City Railway streetcars, it was first used for buses in 1930, with propane buses being used between 1950 and 1973. The last streetcars ran from here in 1958. In 1975 the garage was modernized. It continues to operate to this day. The CTA's South Shops, at 7801 S. Vincennes Ave., share the space with the 77th St. Garage. The South Shops also opened in 1907 as part of Chicago City Railway streetcar system. The expansion for the bus shops opened in 1963, and today is the main shops for entire bus system. |