Chicago’s Rapid Transit – Volume 1 – Rolling Stock – CERA Bulletin 113 is about the CTA rolling stock from 1892-1947. This is the first volume of an exciting new several-part series on the history and operations of Chicago’s Rapid Transit. Volume 1 examines in detail about half of the all-time roster, including all cars delivered to the predecessor companies of the CTA until the Chicago Rapid Transit Company was municipalized in 1947. 

In the eighty years that the subway and elevated lines of Chicago have been serving the citizens of the Windy City, the Chicago Transit Authority and its predecessors have operated about 2500 cars. The cars consisted of many types from a large catalog of builders. Wood and Steel cars of many descriptions are featured in this 264-page volume. Chicago’s Rapid Transit – Volume 1 – Rolling Stock – CERA Bulletin 113 includes 8 pages of color photographs, 400 compete technical data, photographs and scaled car plans.  Even the tiny Intramural Railway on the ground of the World’s Columbian Expositions is covered by this book and there is a section on equipment proposed to be used by the elevated and subway lines, but for one reason or another never built. 

The publisher of the Chicago’s Rapid Transit – Volume 1 – Rolling Stock – CERA Bulletin 113 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. This book is the 113th “Bulletin” published by the organization. A number of those publications are available on this site. Meetings are held monthly by the organization in Chicago, IL. More information about the CERA and membership in the organization is available on their website. 

If you are a transit, interurban or rail fan, you will want to add Chicago’s Rapid Transit – Volume 1 – Rolling Stock – CERA Bulletin 113 to your collection. Chicago’s Rapid Transit -Volume II: Rolling Stock/1947-1976 – CERA Bulletin 115 is also available on this website.