Chicagoans Celebrate State Street Subway 75th Anniversary

The CTA gave Peter Boesen a poster designed like vintage train signs to honor his grandfather Peter J. Boesen. Peter J. Boesen was the chief engineer for the State Street subway and studied train systems in cities like Toronto.
The CTA gave Peter Boesen a poster designed like vintage train signs to honor his grandfather Peter J. Boesen. Peter J. Boesen was the chief engineer for the State Street subway and studied train systems in cities like Toronto. Ambriehl Crutchfield/WBEZ
The CTA gave Peter Boesen a poster designed like vintage train signs to honor his grandfather Peter J. Boesen. Peter J. Boesen was the chief engineer for the State Street subway and studied train systems in cities like Toronto.
The CTA gave Peter Boesen a poster designed like vintage train signs to honor his grandfather Peter J. Boesen. Peter J. Boesen was the chief engineer for the State Street subway and studied train systems in cities like Toronto. Ambriehl Crutchfield/WBEZ

Chicagoans Celebrate State Street Subway 75th Anniversary

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Ticket holders and families of the engineers were invited to ride the 1923 railcars. But were unable to due to mechanical issues. CTA says they are looking for future opportunities to use the vintage train cars.

The 4.9 mile State Street Subway opened on October 17th, 1943 with funding from President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal program. It is Chicago’s first underground transit line. (Image Courtesy of CTA )
Graham Garfield is CTA’s General Manager for Customer Information and historian. Garfield says the 1920s trains give patrons a different experience. “They have cushion seats, incondesentate lights [and]  windows that open,” Garfield said. (Ambriehl Crutchfield/WBEZ)
Train lovers and families of State Street Subway engineers waited for the 1923 train to arrive. But never arrived due to mechanical issues. (Ambriehl Crutchfield/WBEZ)
The CTA gave Peter Boesen a poster designed like vintage train signs to honor his grandfather Peter J. Boesen. Peter J. Boesen was the chief engineer for the State Street subway and studied train systems in cities like Toronto.(Ambriehl Crutchfield/WBEZ)

Ambriehl Crutchfield covers News for WBEZ. Follow her @ambriehlc.