CTA Surface System History presented by the Illinois Railway Museum

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The numbering system was devised by the late Don Liberko, who worked extensively on cataloging the different styles. It has been enhanced to include new versions.

We are currently working with transfer experts to verify/correct/populate transfer style dates. Currently they are our best estimates. Once solid dates are established (and new styles discovered), the style numbers may change to reflect the correct chronology.

This style of transfer had a variation. The regular version is 6.5" long while the variation is only 6" long. At this point it seems as though there were only a dozen or so routes that had this variation. We are still working on discovering additiional information - at this point those shorter transfers will be considered a variation of Style 4 and will be posted as such. Thanks to Andre Kristopans and Bruce Moffat for working on this!!

Click on the desired route below to see the hi-res transfer image. PLEASE USE YOUR BROWSER'S "BACK" BUTTON TO RETURN TO THIS PAGE. Routes in parenthesis are on the transfer, but not the main route listed.

Style 4 - 02/1934-06/1934

AM, PM, Next Day (midnight to 3am) "pie slices" moved from center of clock to perimeter. Blue date and serial numbers.

This style of transfer had a variation. The regular version is 6.5" long while the variation is only 6" long. Most routes were the 6.5" variety. Apparently testing new second press intended for printing upcoming combination transfers. Thanks to Andre Kristopans and Bruce Moffat for researching this.

* - Indicates image courtesy Bruce Moffat

  • Archer (38th Br.) *
  • Archer (38th Br.) - Short Version
  • Armitage-Center
  • Ashlnd (Ashland-Downtown)
  • North Ashland

  • Belmont
  • Blue Island-26th *
  • Broadway-Devon *
  • Central *
  • Cermak (Lawndale) - Short Version

  • Chicago *
  • Cicero *
  • Clark-Wentworth
  • Clybourn - Short Version
  • Cottage Grove (Thru Route 5) (Thru Route 1) - Short Version

  • Crawford *
  • North Damen *
  • South Damen *
  • Diversey *
  • Division (Division-Downtown) - Short Version

  • Elston
  • Fullerton *
  • Grand - Short Version
  • Halsted (Halsted-Downtown)
  • Hammond *

  • Harrison (Adams) - Short Version
  • Irving Park - Short Version
  • Kedzie (California) *
  • Laramie (Noble) (South Cicero) *
  • Lawrence *

  • Lincoln-Indiana (Rosehill) (Downtown) *
  • Madison (Fifth)
  • Milwaukee (Armitage)
  • Montrose - Short Version
  • Morgan-Racine *

  • Narragansett *
  • North *
  • Ogden
  • Pershing *
  • Pershing - Short Version

  • Riverview-Larrabee - Short Version
  • Roosevelt (Roosevelt-Downtown) - Short Version
  • State (Lake-State) *
  • Stony Island *
  • Taylor-Sedgwick-Sheffield *

  • Wallace-Racine - Short Version
  • Western
  • Whiting & East Chicago *
  • 14th-16th *
  • 18th

  • 26th *
  • 26th - Short Version
  • 31st *
  • 31st - Short Version
  • 35th (35th-Pershing) *

  • 43rd-Root - Short Version
  • 47th *
  • 51st-55th
  • 59th-61st *
  • 63rd *

  • 67th-69th *
  • 71st - Short Version
  • 74th-75th *
  • 79th *
  • East 87th (West 87th) (106th) (119th) *

  • 93rd-95th *
  • 103rd *
  • 111th *
  • 115th *



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