Chicago Transit Authority 52




Facts and Figures


Current Number52
Railway RepresentedChicago Transit Authority
BuilderPullman-Standard
Built In1947
Builder's order id6747
Currently in (State)Illinois
--(Locality)Union
Totally out of svc date1986
(Initial retirement date)1985
Car Typerapid transit car
-subtypethree-car articulated set
-designation
Statusdisplayed inoperable
More infohttp://www.irm.org/player/cta52
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionaluminum
Roof typeAR
EndedDE
Length88'8"
Width9'4"
Height12'2"
Weight93000
#Seats96
#Wheels/Conf.16
Total HP440
TrucksClark Special
BrakesElectric
Compressorn/a
ControlWH XDA1 (B1)
MotorsWH 1432LK (8)
Voltage (if not 600DC)
NotesFormer #'75 "Paul Revere"

Car 52 during switching at IRM
Illinois Railway Museum
photo: http://www.irm.org/pictures/600/52cta01.jpg

Car 52 on display at IRM in 2021
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jacob-x/51228951790/

Car History by Frank Hicks


Chicago Transit Authority 52
Some of Chicago's most unusual "L" cars were the four 5000's, of which 52 is one of three surviving examples. These cars were built as prototypes and were the product of a CRT study on modern rapid transit car design. Cars 5001-5002 were built by Pullman-Standard and 5003-5004 by St. Louis, though they were almost identical. The 5000's used PCC technology in a fully-articulated three-car arrangement and sported other modern features like aluminum construction and "blinker" doors. Despite their modernity they were not replicated and for some time were "white elephants" on the CTA. In 1964 they were assigned to the then-new Skokie Swift, which ran on part of the recently abandoned North Shore Line, and they remained on the Skokie line until retirement. Car 52 was rebuilt in 1975 and received a patriotic Bicentennial-inspired livery along with a new (temporary) number, '75, and a name, "Paul Revere." By the time it was retired and acquired by IRM it had returned to being car 52. It operated briefly at IRM in the late 1990's but is currently inoperable and on static display.


Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Chicago Rapid Transit (Illinois, Chicago)50021947 1948 NO NO
Chicago Transit Authority (Illinois, Chicago)50021948 1964 NO NO
Chicago Transit Authority (Illinois, Chicago)521964 1975 NO NO
Chicago Transit Authority (Illinois, Chicago)'751975 1980? NO NO
Chicago Transit Authority (Illinois, Chicago)521980? 1986 NO NO
Illinois Railway Museum (Illinois, Union)521986 present YES NO