WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Chicago’s first subway opened in 1943, but government control of mass transit came in 1947 with the new Chicago Transit Authority, which set out to modernize the system. In part three of his look-back, history blogger John Schmidt asks, "What would Chicago be without the 'L'?"

Chicago’s first "L" began operating between Congress and 39th Street on June 6, 1892. By the next May, service had been extended to the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds at 63rd and Stony Island.

"I got news for people," Claypool said Tuesday on WBEZ's The Afternoon Shift. "The north Red Line has to be rebuilt as well. And we're not that many years away from that happening."

This week Chicago celebrates the 120th birthday of our beloved "L." The first trains began running on June 6, 1892.

The intersection of State and 63rd looks pretty much the same today as it did on May 25, 1950. This view is probably the last thing that Paul Manning saw.

Authorities say a special Chicago Transit Authority train that had been chartered by railroad enthusiasts as a fundraiser derailed on the elevated tracks Sunday.The train was chartered by the Illinois Railway Museum to raise funds for the museum.

Chicago Transit Authority ridership went up to 530 million boardings last year, reaching its highest ridership level since 1991.Rail ridership grew by 5.2 percent compared to an increase of 1.4 percent in bus usage.