Producer: Pentrex
Locations: Chicago
Timeframe: 1900- 1990s
Length: 1 hour and 58 minutes
Source: Interurban Press
Pentrex combo is three shows that were originally done by Interurban Press. Color with black and white films. Trolley, Streetcar, and Interurban lines. All are, aka, Traction!
A single DVD. Chapter menu with the 3 shows. Preview section.
Overall, image quality is good. Historical value. Keep expectations realistic.
Narrated shows. Mixture of color, b&w, plus still photographs.
A wealth of vintage operations. Some sample highlights. There is much more!
Outside Chicago
Midwest Electric Lines. Lines outside the Chicago area.
Producers: Walter Keevil and Bill Warrick. Length: 30 minutes
A historical narration with music. Indiana lines. Iowa lines. Kansas City. St. Louis in 1955. Cincinatti with dual poles. Ohio lines. Detroit. Milwaukee. Twin Cities line. Illinois lines.
Indiana Railroad 35 at Illinois Railway Museum.
Indiana RR ran from Indianapolis to multiple points.
CRANDIC 120 eventually ended up at Illinois Railway Museum.
Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Northern on turntable. Their Roundhouse was destroyed in 1954.
Charles City and Western #50 was last in service. Charters and known as the Party Car! 🥳
Mason City and Clear Lake hauling freight.
PCC action circa 1953 in Kansas City. Additional cities receive brief scenes.
Chicago’s 3 Interurbans
Midwest Electric Lines- Chicago commuter lines. Producers: Walter Keevil and Bill Warrick. 30 minutes.
A modern Electroliner meets an older North Shore consist.
Samuel Insull’s Big Three: North Shore, South Shore, also Chicago, Aurora & Elgin. Films from every era. Ride the Illinois Central Electric and Gary Railway.
Some stunning Aerial views in the downtown. Above, an interurban line is extended over the Illinois Central yard to service a huge Chicago fair.
The films of 1920s and 1930s show a busy Streetcar system. Not everyone owned cars. Roads were primitive for autos.
Patrons could travel to Navy Pier.
Illinois Central in old and updated equipment.
South Shore was built for commuter and freight traffic.
90 Years of Chicago Traction. Midwest Lines Volume 3. Chicago Streetcars and Rapud Transit. Another Keevil and Warrick show. 58 minutes. Comprehensive Chicago coverage. Walter Keevil narration.
Chicago Surface Lines and predecessors, including horse, cable, and electric service: 1900-1950s. The CSL drop-platform cars and Chicago PCCs. Chicago Elevated Railways system in scenes from 1900-1990. Skokie Swift and more.
The Grand Opening of the Subway in 1943. State and Madison is shown. There are assorted 1st day and final day scenes throughout.
Chicago Transit Authority was formed in 1947. It had a huge task to replace a fleet of old equipment. The is shown above in one of many scenes.
Checkout the F.W. Woolworth store. Gold letters. Intriguing and clear 1950s era. These are an amazing look into the past.
Tower 18 was at Lake and Wells. Busiest in the world in its heyday. This is on the Elevated line.
After many years, a CTA extension reaches busy O’Hare Airport.
Chicago Traction Combo
Two hours of intense and thorough coverage of Traction! A myriad of films from all era’s are augmented by still photos. Informative narration. Big band musical background.
Interurban Press had really thought these 3 shows out. Outside Chicago hits a variety of interesting lines and cities. Chicago’s Big Three has those well highlighted. 90 Years of Chicago Traction packs a wallop! Better narration and seemingly endless array of footage.
A must-have for Traction aficionados. Railfans may find this of interest due to all of the historical content. Model Railroaders shall find a cornucopia of old city and rural scenes.
Rating: 5 Stars
American Train Video Reviews 