Chicago's Elevated Train Lines with Musical Accompaniment

Anyone in Chicago who has thought they would be permanently stuck with the Chicago Transit Authority's automated voice (locally known as "CTA guy") in their head has never had the opportunity to ride on an "L" tour provided by the Chicago History Museum. The tours offer various routings, but this particular outing began on the North Side, at the Wilson Avenue Red Line stop, traveled under the Loop through the State Street Subway, moved south to Ashand Avenue and 63rd Street, and wound its way around the Loop on its way back to the Wilson stop.

On July 29th, The "Soul Train: An 'Elevated' Musical Journey" tour featured wide selections of soul, jazz and rhythm and blues music, much of which was recorded in Chicago or by Chicago-based artists. Between musical interludes, host Tony Coppoletta, a self-admitted expert on Chicago transit, provided insights on landmarks and the history of the various lines traveled.

The tour began at the Wilson stop on the Red Line. After a brief history of the station, which was the original terminus of the Northwestern Elevated Line, the group was on its way. Between Wilson and the beginning of the subway, Tony mentioned that in the past trains would have made several more stops - roughly every two blocks - since prior to the CTA's existence, trains and streetcar companies competed with each other, and the trains needed those additional stops in order to be a viable form of competition. After the CTA was created, many of the frequent local stops were eliminated.

Continuing through the State Street Subway, the train turned toward what is known as the 13th street incline, which is rarely used by trains anymore, in order to traverse the elevated tracks on the Green Line including the Lake Street Elevated branch and Englewood branch.