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Private company

South Side Elevated Railroad

Defunct railroad in Chicago, Illinois, USA

The South Side Elevated Railroad (originally Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad) was the first elevated rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois. The line ran from downtown Chicago to Jackson Park, with branches to Englewood, Normal Park, Kenwood, and the Union Stock Yards. The first 3.6 miles (5.8 km) of the line opened on June 6, 1892.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1888Founded1
  • Industrypublic transport1
  • HeadquartersChicago1

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South Side Elevated Railroad car 1
Photo: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons4

The South Side Elevated Railroad (originally Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad) was the first elevated rapid transit line in Chicago, Illinois. The line ran from downtown Chicago to Jackson Park, with branches to Englewood, Normal Park, Kenwood, and the Union Stock Yards. The first 3.6 miles (5.8 km) of the line opened on June 6, 1892. Much of its route is still used today as part of the Green Line of the Chicago "L" system.2

Acquisitions

When the World's Columbian Exposition closed, lack of development along the southern portion of the route led to plummeting passenger numbers. The Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad Company went into receivership in 1895 and was sold under foreclosure in September 1896 for $4,100,100. The South Side Elevated Railroad was formed to take over the route in 1897.

Service was extended into the newly built Union Loop in October 1897 connecting the South Side Elevated Railroad with the Lake Street Elevated Railroad, the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad, and (after 1900) the Northwestern Elevated Railroad.

These other companies used third rail electrification to power their trains, so the South Side Elevated Railroad enlisted Frank Julian Sprague to convert its rolling stock to electrical power. Sprague used his previously untested system of multiple-unit train control (MU), where multiple self-powered cars could be linked together and controlled by a single person, making the South Side Elevated Railroad the first in the world to use MU operation. MU-equipped electric operation began in April 1898, and the conversion was complete by July 27, 1898, when steam service was abandoned.

From Wikipedia’s article on South Side Elevated Railroad, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1888Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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