If you happened to spot a 1920s-era train rolling through downtown Chicago Wednesday afternoon, you weren’t dreaming.
In celebration of its 78th anniversary and as a thank you to riders, the CTA dusted off some of its 4000-series railcars for rides through the Loop.
Graham Garfield manages the CTA’s Heritage Fleet Program.
“While they’re the same general size and shape and run on 600 volts like our current trains, these have a much more vintage look. They look like an old railroad car. They’ve got heavy steel sides, wood interiors, soft, stuffed seats that you can walk over and flip in either direction, and it has920’s style air conditioning, which means the windows open for a little bit of air.”
When they’re not running downtown, Garfield says the trains are stored at one of the CTA’s indoor maintenance shops to ensure they’re properly preserved.
“One of the greatest parts of this program is seeing the joy it brings people, seeing the smiles on people’s faces and the cell phones brought up as soon as the train comes into the station. It’s a great reward and a great way to say thank you to the public.”