CHICAGO BUS AND STREETCAR ROUTES

ROUTES 40-49

Also listed are dates of final elimination of streetcars and conversion to buses. Although some routes used buses during weekends prior to the total elimination of streetcars. Some streetcar routes had bus extensions at one time, which usually are listed.

Internal accounting number for local streetcar service, not publically used. Upon conversion to buses in 1951, route renumbered 10.

2/1/70 - introduced by CTA as bus route, between Jefferson Park and O'Hare Airport
6/7/71 - some service operated to new office areas at Cumberland Ave.
5/29/72 - Cumberland Ave. service transferred to route 64X Cumberland Express
2/27/83 - revised to operate between River Road (Rosemont) and O'Hare Airport
9/3/84 - discontinued upon completion of rapid transit line to O'Hare Airport

Operating nonstop via Kennedy Expressway, introduced when rapid transit extension opened to Jefferson Park. When rapid transit line was further extended to River Road (Rosemont), River Road became terminal for that route.

Bus Garage: Forest Glen

1865 - horse car service introduced
1891 - horse car route converted to cable car, between downtown and Fullerton
1895 - electric streetcar service introduced between Fullerton and Belmont
10/21/06 - cable car segment converted to electric streetcar
5/4/47 - streetcar route converted to buses
4/28/57 - route combined with north segment of Elston route
10/5/97 - discontinued

After 4/28/57, route known as route 41 Elston-Clybourn.

Sunday and owl service discontinued 7/30/61
Saturday service discontinued 8/5/73

Carhouse: Division
Bus Garage: Limits (5/4/47-5/29/50)
North Park (5/29/50-4/28/57)
Forest Glen (4/28/57-10/5/97)

1882 - horse car service introduced
1894 - route converted to electric streetcar
6/3/25 - some downtown service extended to north side via Clark St.
11/20/47 - service discontinued between downtown and north side via Clark St.
11/25/51 - buses substituted on weekends
5/30/54 - streetcar route converted to buses
10/5/97 - discontinued

Operated via Halsted St. and Archer Ave. between 79th St. and downtown. During many years, all Halsted service south of 63rd St. was part of route 42, with 63rd St. the south terminal for through service continuing north on Halsted. Route discontinued as result of completion of rapid transit line between downtown and Midway Airport.

Sunday and owl service discontinued 1940's
Saturday service discontinued 9/9/73
Midday service discontinued 1/24/82

Carhouses: Limits/77th St.
Bus Garage: 77th St. (11/25/51-4/24/83)
69th St. (4/24/83-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-10/5/97)

1/26/23 - shuttle streetcar service introduced on Vincennes from 111th St. to 119th St.
7/22/46 - shuttle streetcar route converted to buses, combined with 119th St. shuttle
6/16/63 - discontinued

Route number was not publicized, used for internal accounting purposes. Combined bus route was route number 119.

Carhouse: 77th St.
Bus Garage: 77th St. (7/22/46-12/4/49)
Beverly (12/4/49-6/16/63)

1866 - horse car service introduced
1895 - route converted to electric streetcar
8/9/53 - streetcar route converted to buses

From 10/7/57 to 3/25/62, route 43X Stock Yards Limited service also operated, originally introduced to replace Stock Yards rapid transit line.

Owl service discontinued 2/2/92

Carhouse: Cottage Grove
Bus Garage: Archer (8/9/53-9/5/54)
52nd St. (9/5/54-4/24/83)
Archer (4/24/83-present)

1884 - horse car service introduced on Wallace St.
1894 - route converted to electric streetcar
1896 - electric streetcar service introduced on Racine Ave., through route formed
12/4/49 - buses substituted on weekends
7/27/51 - streetcar route converted to buses
4/26/98 - downtown service discontinued

Operated into downtown via State St.

Owl service discontinued 9/13/81

Carhouse: 69th St. (until 2/15/48)
77th St. (2/15/48-7/27/51)
Bus Garage: 77th St. (12/4/49-5/30/54)
69th St. (5/30/54-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-present)

1884 - horse car service introduced
1895 - route converted to electric streetcar
2/14/54 - streetcar route converted to buses
11/7/93 - discontinued upon opening of rapid transit line to Midway Airport

Operated via Ashland Ave. and Archer Ave. between 95th St. and downtown.

Operated rush hours only

Carhouse/Bus Garage: 69th St.

1885 - horse car service introduced
1896 - route converted to electric streetcar
3/5/32 - discontinued

Operated between Milwaukee Ave. and North Ave.

1894 - electric streetcar service introduced, using various streets from downtown
10/16/12 - segment becomes extension of Ashland route
9/14/24 - downtown service discontinued
8/21/36 - segment becomes branch, with completion of main Ashland route
8/31/47 - streetcar route converted to buses, split off from Ashland as separate route.
8/5/73 - discontinued

Operated between Cortland Ave. and Irving Park Rd.

Owl service discontinued 1950's
Sunday service discontinued 10/22/61
Midday service discontinued 2/7/65

Bus Garage: Ardmore (8/31/47-5/29/50)
Limits (5/29/50-8/5/73)

1887 - horse car service introduced
1893 - route converted to electric streetcar
5/26/35 - extension bus route 47A introduced between Kedzie and Kostner
4/15/51 - streetcar route converted to buses, extension route combined into main route
3/12/52 - converted to trolleybuses
6/20/65 - trolleybuses replaced with motor buses

Streetcar route existed between Lake Park Ave. and Kedzie. Service operated east of King Drive, coexisting with 28 Stony Island route to Lake Park Ave. until 9/13/81. Service restored to Lake Park Ave. effective 8/31/2003, with route 28 revised to operate express into downtown.

Owl service discontinued 4/26/98

Carhouse: Archer (until 10/21/46)
Cottage Grove (10/21/46-4/15/51)
Bus Garages: Archer (4/15/51-3/23/2008)
74th St. (3/23/2008-present)

10/10/60 - introduced by CTA as bus route
7/5/76 - route combined into route 47 47th, operating as rush hour extension
1987 - extension discontinued

Extension route began operating west of Cicero Ave. via 47th, Central, Archer, and Austin, terminating at 65th St. When discontinued in 1987, service via Austin became branch of 62 Archer route.

Bus Garage: Archer

1/7/17 - electric streetcar service introduced
8/12/46 - extension bus route 48A introduced between 74th St. and 87th St.
1/26/48 - streetcar route converted to buses, extension route combined into main route

Streetcar route existed as far south as 74th St., with extension bus route created to the south.

Carhouse: 69th St.
Bus Garage: 77th St. (8/12/46-5/30/54)
69th St. (5/30/54-6/18/95)
74th St. (6/18/95-present)

Sunday service discontinued 8/5/73
Saturday service discontinued 9/13/81
Midday service discontinued 12/28/97

1864 - horse car service introduced north of Chicago River
1895 - route converted to electric streetcar
1898 - electric streetcar service introduced south of Chicago River
9/5/11 - Through Route streetcar introduced, originally route 10
5/1/23 - North Western route combined into main Western route
8/1/48 - south and north ends converted to buses, transferred to routes 49A and 49B
12/7/52 - buses substituted on weekends
6/17/56 - remaining streetcar segment converted to buses

Western Ave. is the longest street in Chicago. Streetcar service eventually operated through from Howard St. to 111th St., with only one mile from 111th St. to 119th St. not covered by streetcars. Split into the present three separate routes 8/1/48, when buses replaced streetcars on south segment (route 49A) and on north segment (route 49B). Three separate routes remained even after buses replaced streetcars on main segment.

Owl service

Certain weekday trips limited stops introduced 12/14/98

Carhouses: Archer/Division/Devon (until 5/4/47)
Archer/Devon (5/4/47-2/15/48)
Devon/69th St. (2/15/48-9/5/54)
Devon/77th St. (9/5/54-6/17/56)
Bus Garages: North Park/77th St. (12/7/52-9/5/54)
North Park/69th St. (9/5/54-7/3/94)
69th St. (7/3/94-6/18/95)
Archer (6/18/95-present)

7/26/31 - electric streetcar service extended south of 79th St.
8/1/48 - south segment converted to buses, as separate route 49A

Originally an extension of regular Western streetcar route 49, split into separate bus route 8/1/48. CTA now operates route 49A during weekday rush hours only, with most service south of 79th St. now operated by Pace as route 349. Pace route 349 traces its history back to a South Suburban Safeway Lines bus route, which had already existed before the streetcar line was extended south of 79th St. in 1931. This was one of Chicago's last streetcar extensions.

Owl service discontinued 2/1/81
Weekend service discontinued 10/5/97, replaced by Pace route 349
Midday service discontinued 12/28/97, replaced by Pace route 349

Bus Garage: 77th St. (8/1/48-12/4/49)
Beverly (12/4/49-6/26/88)
77th St. (6/26/88-present)

10/18/15 - electric streetcar service introduced north of Lawrence Ave.
5/1/23 - route combined into main Western route
8/1/48 - segment converted to buses, as separate route 49B

Owl service discontinued 9/13/81

Bus Garage: Ardmore (8/1/48-5/29/50)
North Park (5/29/50-present)

Most routes created as streetcar routes had "owl" service, or operated 24 hours a day. Most routes created as bus routes never had owl service. Owl service is mentioned, although dates of introduction are not available. Much of the owl service was eventually scaled back or discontinued. Not mentioned are situations where only a portion of a route has owl service, or where hours of service are different for different portions of a route. All routes have generally operated at least throughout the daytime, 7 days a week, unless noted.