PRESENT MILEAGE OF CHICAGO ELEVATED LINES

Route MilesSingle Track MilesYardTotal Track
Northwestern Elevated19.752.339.2861.61
Chicago & Oak Park9.3220.382.2822.66
Metropolitan West Side23.8353.637.7861.41
South Side16.1535.999.9745.96
Loop2.124.72....4.72
91.12167.0529.31196.36

Chicago Elevated Railroads

Train on Intramural Railway Chicago, 1893

8-car Train—Chicago Elevated Roads—Equipped with GE-243 Motors

4000-Kw. Synchronous Converters at Campbell Avenue and Homer Street Station

Power Supply

The power for the early elevated lines was derived from engine-driven direct-current power plants all of which have since become obsolete. All power, therefore, is supplied from the network of the Commonwealth Edison Co., which maintains an ample reserve to supply all needs. While a large percentage of the power now being purchased is generated at 25 cycles, the policy of the Power Co. on all new equipment is to specify 60 cycles.

Substations

12 out of the 32 substations supplying the various traction systems are owned and operated by the Commonwealth Edison Co. and only 60-cycle generating equipment is installed when adding to their present capacity.

The several substations contain synchronous converter units ranging in size from 1000 to 4000 kw. each. The preferred size for new 60-cycle substations is the 3000-kw. unit of which there are now five in service. The following table shows the ownership and gross capacity of the substation equipment for all of the Chicago lines. It is not possible on account of the diversity of feeding arrangement to designate any particular stations as belonging exclusively to the elevated lines.