Chicago Streetcar Pictorial - CERA Bulletin 146 is about the PCC Car Era 1936-1958 and the acquisition and demise PCC streetcars on the streets of Chicago. You will take a journey on the PCC streetcars on eight of Chicago’s streetcar lines. During the time period covered in this book, the transit company the Chicago Surface Lines became the Chicago Transit Authority. 

In the late 1930s, the Chicago Surface Lines brought the concept of the modern streetcar to the city on the Madison Street line. These cars were called PCC cars. This is because they were conceived and designed by a group of electric street railway executive. They called themselves the Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC), It wasn’t until after the end of the Second World War that Chicago purchased 600 PCC cars. They thought was that this fleet would serve the citizens of Chicago for many years to come. Unfortunately, the streetcar lines were replaced by buses on Chicago’s streets during the 1950s. The last PCC streetcar ran on September 7, 1957. Chicago Streetcar Pictorial - CERA Bulletin 146 takes you on a photographic journey over eight of Chicago’s streetcar lines, which were equipped with PCC cars. 

The publisher of Chicago Streetcar Pictorial - CERA Bulletin 146 is the Central Electric Railfan’s Association (CERA) was formed 1938.   The CERA encourages the study of the history, equipment, and operations of urban, suburban, interurban, and main line electric railways.  A number of the CERA publications are available on this site.  Association meetings are also held monthly by the organization in Chicago, IL.  More information about the CERA is available at www.cera-chicago.org/.    

You will enjoy the picture journey of the PCC cars on Chicago’s streets in Chicago Streetcar Pictorial - CERA Bulletin 146 - The PCC Car Era 1936-1958. The black and white and color photographs are beautiful, and you will want to add this book to your collection. 

This book includes a promotion flyer introducing the PCC cars in Chicago and a DVD.