CTA Trolley Busses Pulaski Road, narrated.

[@TheDrownjrDrown]

grewup near pulaski and belmont funny to know that corner has always been a bar for over50yrs now

[@Papag53]

Can’t believe I’m watching this. Rode with my mom many times. I remember sparks from above all the time. Mid 60’s

[@luisreyes1963]

I actually saw Jimmy's Red Hots stand on Grand & Pulaski. Also I saw the old Pioneer Bank on North Ave. Also, I thought the road was still called Crawford back then.

[@johngomez2990]

Jimmys is still there. Use live on 27 and Pulaski. 1970 - 1988

[@GhostSal]

I used to go to Jimmy’s all the time. I also remember the Tiffin Theatre on North Ave and the game room on Pulaski just south of Grand. I remember always getting the fries in a brown bag and the grease dripping from the bag. It was weird how everyone would go there and I only remember a couple fights breaking out, even though that was right on the gang boarders. At least at Jimmy specifically wasn’t much going on (usually) but on Pulaski shots across the street were common.

[@bashfulsmurf]

Whenever I wanted to go to the Home Run Inn pizzeria, I would ride the #53 south to 31st and Komensky Avenue, then walk west to Kildare Avenue. Although trolleybuses were before my time, seeing this video brings back some wonderful memories of riding the CTA.

[@igorslocks]

You should see Home Run Inn now. Probably wouldn't recognize it. Now it's been doubled, maybe tripled in size and looks like a completely modern restaurant. What's always been funny to me is Falco's Pizza is extremely similar to Home Run Inn. A lot of great pizza places closed on SW Side but there's still a bunch.

[@robertmartin1269]

I dont know how that area was back than, but it’s dangerous as hell now, i steer clear.

[@robertlee6781]

I know this might be sacrilege, but thank goodness for Home Run Inn selling their frozen pizzas. As a Chicago expat, I love being able to get one of these for a quick fix.

[@igorslocks]

@@robertmartin1269 not necessarily. You can get it anytime anywhere in Chicago. Downtown is far from off limits like it was back in 90s early 00s. And look at how many ppl get shot in crossfire on Expressway. You carry yourself properly, humble with respect but not shivering fearful - you'd be surprised at where you can be welcomed not just in Chicago but around the world.

[@Papag53]

I also remember the Olsen Rug company and their park an waterfall. On Pulaski as well. Never forget it. Appreciate you posting this. Thank you

[@brucekrause2801]

Olsen rug company. Wow A memory. 👌 the Magikist lips 💋 on the Eisenhower. 544-2300 Empire....always rode Schwinns.

[@augustmosco]

Thanks Dad this brought back great memories.

[@ASURLUIS]

124 Marmon Herrington trolleybuses from Chicago were sent to Guadalajara in 1974, I met them in 1980 and the crush was instantaneous, I was 8 years old; ...... this year I am about to finish a book about trolleybuses, in it I drew a miniature with a Marmon from Chicago, yes; the Marmon TC49 is designed in the Chicago color scheme of white and green. Thanks for sharing!!!

[@danielmota1095]

As a kid I remember riding the north ave route...

[@TeslaBoy123]

Till today 50 years later this streets kasimir pulaski road in Chicago Illinois is a hot streets super busy very impressed footage thanks a lot 👍

[@robertlee6781]

Fantastic! I remember taking the Irving line and the Fullerton line back in the day. How about the sign for 34 cent a gallon gasoline!. Thanks for putting this out there.

[@dave1956]

I visited Chicago often in these days. I had relatives in 68th and Western. I don’t remember buses with the overhead electric lines. Neat.

[@DOLRED]

Western ave went from streetcars (On rails) to diesel buses 1956. The big brag for Western Ave was: It was once the longest streetcar line in the world= Howard St to 111th St.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

I grew up in the Chicago area and have fond recollections of watching the CTA trolley buses particularly on the northwest side of the city. I only rode on one once in October 1972 which was the Pulaski route between Lawrance and Belmont. Nice home movies of CTA's trolley buses, local businesses, period vehicles and even a couple of commuter trains. Thanks for sharing!

[@evemarie1605]

We had identical trolley buses in Toronto from 1948 to 1968 when they were replaced by the "Flyer" buses designed more like GM buses. In Toronto we always called them "trolley coaches" but occasionally a "rube" from the "outback" would call them "buses on wires"! The drivers needed to be careful in driving them because it was easy to "slip a trolley" with a trolley pole coming off the trolley wire and at intersections of two trolley routes there would often be very complex overheads with a lot of turnouts and a bus running too fast through a trolley intersection would slip both trolleys off the wire with a huge shower of sparks and blue arcing:- restoring the trolley poles to the correct wires was no fun for the driver and especially in cold wet or sloppy weather with huge pools of salty slush on the pavement and filthy cables covered in green slime from all the oxidized copper and carbon from the trolley wires and shoes which would seep downward plus sometimes the trolley poles would get tangled up with each other:- it's amazing that no drivers were electrocuted by the wretched things since there was 550v DC in the system. The drivers really hated them! In Toronto they finally eliminated them in 1992 because it was much cheaper to run diesel buses and even hybrid diesel-electrics plus the union lobbied the City Council to get rid of them. They also made a weird high-pitched whistling veebling sound which often sounded like "veeeeeeeble"! and I even heard somebody call them "veeblefesters"! The old ones were also very claustrophobic inside and quite dark even on a sunny day.

[@ptahrahotepasr2356]

OLE School Pulaski Rd. I remember going to Jimmy's on Grand and Pulaski in the late 1970s a bag of 🍟 was 50 cent's. Great video thank you.

[@DOLRED]

Mom knew the Pulaski Route well. She used it for work from 1961 to 1972. (1961-1963 from Madison St to Bryn Mawr). The part from Foster to Bryn Mawr was nice because of the cemeteries there (Easy for the driver!). 🚎

[@retrorobbyreviews]

My parents would always tell me stories about these buses. Cool video as well.

[@tedlawrence4189]

I used to enjoy listening to them. They made a unique sound. First seen them in the 1950's.

[@robotunes]

Cool. Can you try to describe what they sound like? Was it like a buzzing sound?

[@tedlawrence4189]

No, more like a whinny sound. Hard to describe

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@tedlawrence4189 I think of a large electric flywheel starting up when I recall what the CTA trolley buses sounded like back in the day.

[@MexiMelt1988]

this made my heart flutter with fine fond memories. thank u so kindly for posting n sharing this

[@Discovery_Overland]

I grew up at Addison a Pulaski, more specifically 1 block east of Pulaski on Cornelia. Cornelia was a side street but trolleys were able to turn around there by backing up onto Cornelia. I remember watching as a kid. At about 4:02, Pulaski and Irving, you can see the old, historic Buffalo ice cream parlor. The decor was from the 1800s. Just beautiful inside. It was torn down many years ago. Today a gas station. Today it may have been saved due to its historic significance.

[@alexivack3453]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I can see my grandparents house from my childhood. Great memories.

[@tweets8284]

i grew up in brighton park..still here..memories!!

[@johnjones928]

In Philadelphia they called "trackless trolleys" and were around up until at least the mid 70's. I only rode in one a few times when I was really young and remember one of the wires coming off in the middle of a busy intersection.

[@semperfi8075]

Great nostalgic video. I grew up in Chicago during the late 50', 60's and joined the Marine Corps in 1971. I remember all these streets. My brother lives on Pulaski and Armitage. The routes taken by these buses are familiar. I told you in one of you're videos I used to take the North Avenue bus to Lincoln Park and back to North Avenue and Western Avenue area. WOW! Thank you taking us back in time!

[@TeslaBoy123]

Chicago is a great city not matter what's👍👍👍

[@mosesmartinez4364]

FROM CHICAGO HERE. THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE IAM A NEPHEW OF 6 VETERAN UNCLES 2 FROM KOREA AND 4 FROM VIETNAM I USE TO TAKE PULASKI TO SCHURZ HIGH SCHOOL

[@SemperFi1971]

@Moses Martinez, Thank you I know where Schurz HS is at. I was on Marine recruiting duty awaiting orders at the recruiting station on Milwaukee and Ashland Avenues. I went to Schurz to administer physical fitness tests for potential future applicants. I retired as a Master Sergeant, E-8 after 21 years of service. I retired and moved to the Las Vegas, Nevada area. But I love Chicago and visit regularly. I have a son living close to Cicero & Fullerton. I attended Tuley HS close to Western and Division Ave, and quit as a junior in 71 to Join the Marines. Thanks for your reply. God bless you.

[@mosesmartinez4364]

@@SemperFi1971 SEMPER FI AND GOD SPEED

[@Walter2846.]

Thank you for posting.

[@martareitmajer]

Pulaski st off i290 is any direction is the scariest part of Chicago.

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

fcked up for sure

[@allanegleston4931]

nice film. why were the trolly busses taken out?

[@WAL_DC-6B]

Probably the same for many other former trolleybus operations throughout the U.S. It was more expensive to maintain the overhead wire than operating diesel buses.

[@suspiciouswatermelon7639]

They were gone by 1977. Those were my earliest memories of being in Chicago as a small child and all the busses were diesel by then.

[@Jfizz66]

I remember seeing these buses parked in massive rows off I-55 South of Pulaski on the west side in a big lot when they took them out of service

[@luftwaffe6521]

Stephens restaraunt at Fullerton.. ate there as a child. The Bresler ice cream plant at the S curve at Belden..Good stuff. I remember riding these as a child. Good times. Grew up at Springfield and Fullerton.

[@danielmota1095]

WOW I grew up by North Ave and Pulaski.

[@Discovery_Overland]

When passing under the Northwest RR tracks on Pulaski right after the kennedy X way, the old street car tracks existed for many years never being paved over. I always assumed it was considered property of the railroad so this city refused to pave it. Just paved with red brick and iron tracks.

[@DOLRED]

Most city underpasses in the 1960s were not paved over and showed brickwork/rail lines, if there. The reason: Paving cut clearance height--critical for some box trucks and semis of that time. I cannot count the semis I saw at an underpass waiting for police to allow backing up and u-turning. Driving an auto with Bias-Ply tires on rails caused the front to fishtail/pull a little, especially when wet. Later 1970s Radials did not seem affected as much.

[@RENEGADE-gk9hv]

The only things still around are the houses...

[@JamesSmith-wp4um]

The newest cars I saw were several '72 Impalas and a '72 Cadillac Coupe De Ville.

[@eucliduschaumeau8813]

I saw a Ford Granada, which first came out in 1975. This film is probably from around 1976 to 1977.

[@MPGunther1]

I'd be on those running Belmont Ave... Good times

[@danielthoman7324]

I remember those trolleybuses on California st. Must have been late 60s or early 70s.

[@leechjim8023]

How do they keep from accidentally pulling off of the wires?

[@willyjoerockhead]

They need to bring these back in Chicago but only an upper-level bridge (expressway type)

[@danielthoman7324]

Chicago should have kept them .

[@chriswxman6149]

WHY?

[@59seank]

Wasn't Pulaski Road once called Crawford?

[@GhostSal]

Yes

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@GhostSal I believe it still is called Crawford where Pulaski enters Skokie and perhaps some suburbs on the south side as well.

[@GhostSal]

@@WAL_DC-6B Yes, that’s true.

[@tomfields3682]

Love how you could hang your elbow out the window on summer days.

[@eucliduschaumeau8813]

Most cars had air conditioning as an "option" only and it was at least $2000 more to have it installed. When I started driving in the 1970s, everyone drove with their windows down. It was noisy and smoky, but much more fun.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@eucliduschaumeau8813 Also, those front vent windows you were able to position to blow air on you really helped to cool you off when driving in hot weather. I have them on my 1953 Hudson.

[@sonny323]

What are those 2 hooks on the top Of the bus??

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

It was an electrified line

[@helmuttdvm]

These probably made more sense than trying to carry all the batteries that today’s EVs need. The overhead wires weren’t very pretty, but seemed to work. I also remember the long poles the drivers used if they lost contact with the powerlines.

[@TallStarlite]

The Green limo that's what we called them growing up 70-80's Good Old Days! Not as much corruption like today!!

[@spaceman063]

Oh there was a whole lot of corruption then too however it was seen as normal and silent!

[@joeknowz4898]

No streets under construction, no bike lanes and no garbage on the streets...what happened ???

[@MichaelChavezsf]

What city is this? Chicago? And do they still have trolley bus lines? Love the video. For the true transit nerds.

[@GhostSal]

This is Chicago and yes the bus lines are there (without the overhead wires).

[@jaheimsmith3022]

You ask se dumm has question.

[@dickiegreenleaf750]

I kept watching then realized where are the wires? I must be missing something here. I’m guessing they were able to work without continuous connection? I never knew that.

[@mvygantas]

I think I should we watching this high.

[@eucliduschaumeau8813]

It's interesting to see the gigantic chrome cars jockeying for driving space with the trolley buses and each other. Everyone drove too fast and tailgated like lunatics.

[@johnkolassa1645]

Does anyone know the date?

[@eucliduschaumeau8813]

The date of this film is likely 1975-1977

[@johnkolassa1645]

@@eucliduschaumeau8813 Thanks.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@eucliduschaumeau8813 Chicago last operated trolleybuses in regular service on March 31, 1973.

[@GhostSal]

What’s the deal with all that overhead wire?

[@jaheimsmith3022]

I also been wondering about that.

[@alfonsoguzman2099]

That's Belden not Milwaukee and belmont

[@JoseGarcia-kr3xx]

Everything was green and bulky

[@Busandrailfan]

Cars were just as worst back then as they are now

[@NatalieG427]

It’s not the car but the person driving it.

[@robertmasina7388]

A good portion of cars back then were gas guzzlers.

[@willyjoerockhead]

Dave Ramsey quote "They don't build them like they used to! - And thank God!"

[@Jeff-uj8xi]

Modern trolley coaches today are 'dual-mode' and can operate on or off of the wires on batteries that charge while on the wires. Today's trolley poles are automatic, with the touch of a dashboard button. The operator need not leave their seat. The CTA should have bought a fleet of new trolley coaches. For example, the new trolley coaches in Dayton, Ohio can operate 50 mph on or off of the wires. The video shows the last trip of the night on Main Street. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWKxn5qPo8iUY5I www.newflyer.com/site-content/uploads/2021/10/NF-Xcelsior-Trolley-Brochure.pdf

[@WAL_DC-6B]

That ability for trolleybuses to operate off the wires on batteries and for the poles to attach themselves to those wires is a relatively new development. Nothing like that existed or was in the works 50 years ago when Chicago decided to discontinue trolleybus service. The flexibility of Dayton's trolleybuses apparently didn't make an impression on the city of Boston which ended trolleybus service on their last lines just a couple of years ago in 2022.