CENTRAL ELECTRIC RAILFANS' ASSOCIATION
Upcoming Programs
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Friday, June 23, 2023 •
CERA in June! CERA on ZOOM Chicago’s Metropolitan ‘L’ Presented by Bruce Moffat Friday, June 9, 2023, at 7 p.m. (CENTRAL TIME) Long time CERA member and author Bruce Moffat will take us on a look back at one of the Chicago "L" system's major predecessor companies -- the Metropolitan West Side Elevated. Opening in 1895, as the third elevated railway to serve Chicago, it was the first to open using electricity. Although little of the Met's original structure remains in place today, its routes which fanned out to serve the city's west and northwest sides and adjoining suburbs remain with us today as CTA's Blue and Pink Lines. Bruce has written three books on Chicago Elevated history and two on Chicago's unique freight tunnel system. He is also a regular contributor to First & Fastest magazine. This 2nd Friday Zoom program is open to all! Join the Zoom meeting at: tinyurl.com/CERAonZoomJune2023 or https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81492517167?pwd=dm9DbnV1QlBtTll0WVZ0Um5HS3dodz09 Meeting ID: 814 9251 7167 Passcode: 880028 Or dial in: 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Presented by William Shapotkin Friday, June 23, 2023 at 7 p.m. (CENTRAL TIME)
In 1963, a young William Shapotkin saw the scrapping of the Chicago Aurora and Elgin (CA&E) thru his hometown of Lombard. Although only eight years old at the time, he felt then (as he does now -- some 60 years later) that he missed out on something really special by having been unable to see, ride or photograph the line. The program will provide us with a look back at the glory days of "The Great Third Rail," also known as "The Sunset Lines." In operation for less than 60 years, the CA&E provided fast, frequent, electrified rail transit between Chicago and the Western Suburbs and the Fox River Valley communities of Aurora, Batavia, Elgin and at one time, Geneva-St Charles. Historian and published author William Shapotkin will take us back to the pre-Expressway days when one could conveniently travel by electric traction west from Chicago. Join us as we take a look back to when "It was a better world" for public transit west of Chicago on the lines of "The Great Third Rail," the Chicago Aurora and Elgin. The Members-Only presentation will be live from Chicago, with a Zoom link sent to members in good standing. The June 23 program begins promptly at 7 p.m. Central at the clubroom of 899 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL. To join, visit https://cera-chicago.org/join Or let us know by email if you have questions at: ceraoffice@gmail.com
For more railfan programming listings, visit: Questions? Send us an email at ceraoffice@gmail.com NEWS ON THE 2023 HOOSIER TRACTION MEET MCERA William Shapotkin, who is working diligently to make the 85th Anniversary Weekend a success, is also working hard on his own annual meet-up, the Hoosier Traction Meet. On Friday and Saturday, August 25 and 26, 2023, join your fellow railfans for The Annual North American Transit Historical Meeting, in conjunction with the HOOSIER TRACTION MEET, an annual conference recognizing mass transportation, especially electrically powered, rail-based systems for urban and regional mobility in the past, present and future. This year, the event takes place in Normal, Illinois, at the Holiday Inn Bloomington-Normal located at 8 Traders Circle, Normal IL 61761. Presentations typically focus on transit anywhere in the United States or Canada. While not an official CERA function, we're happy to let all railfans know about the meet. Join CERA now Not a member? Haven't renewed for 2023? There's no time like the present. Visit https://cera-chicago.org/join Or let us know by email if you have questions at: ceraoffice@gmail.com Questions? Send us an email at ceraoffice@gmail.com For more railfan programming listings, visit: |
CERA's 85th Anniversary Weekend! Join us for an activity-filled weekend as we celebrate the 85th Anniversary of the Central Electric Railfans’ Association on June 23 - 25, 2023. We'll be viewing and riding interurbans past and present. Reserve now for a historic CERA weekend! On Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. in Chicago, MCERA William Shapotkin will present a program on the Chicago Aurora and Elgin RR from his vast slide collection at our clubhouse at 899 S. Plymouth Court. in Chicago. This is a live and in-person program. Then on Saturday, June 24, join us on an outing to the Fox River Trolley Museum where we’ll ride AE&FRE #304 on its home rails. Later we’ll move on to the Illinois Railway Museum for an exclusive charter aboard a CA&E train. Charter buses depart Union Station and CTA’s Blue Line Cumberland station. These are historic buses (non-ADA accessible) with limited capacity so reserve now! Please note: Our planned, optional meet-up on the South Shore Line for Sunday, June 25, has been canceled due to ongoing work on the line which will make logistics difficult at this time.Pricing: $75.00 Print out and return the attached form, or register online here. THE RETURN OF CERA VIDEOS! After a brief hiatus from our webpages, CERA is happy to announce that previous videos hosted on YouTube, are now back up and running. Here is a list, and links, to currently available videos. Click on the date: September 2020: A visual appreciation of the South Shore Line by John Nicholson. October 2020: "Hungary for Streetcars? Czech this out!" a travelog of railfanning in Eastern Europe, by Raymond DeGroote, Jr. November 2020: The Loop: The 'L' Tracks that Shaped and Saved Chicago by Patrick Reardon. December 2020: Manhattan Transfer, by David Wilson TROLLEYS TO THE BOARDWALK Order CERA Bulletin B-151 today! The highly anticipated new book from CERA, Trolleys to the Boardwalk is now available. It is being shipped as a benefit of membership to all who were members in 2018. We also have books in hand at our Chicago offices and are ready to send them. Please click on Buy a Book to order. B-151 is a history of Atlantic City Trolleys from 1854 to 1955, written by James J.N. Henwood, who ecounts the story of trolley operation in Atlantic City, from humble horse cars to the modern Brilliners. Originally conceived of as a seaside shipping port, Atlantic City’s developers realized its potential for summer visitors seeking an escape from crowded cities to the inviting beaches of the Jersey Shore. Resorts and other businesses burgeoned, helped by the crowds brought to the city over three railroads. Local transportation began with a simple horsecart service as well as a steam dummy operation. It was traction Pioneer Frank J. Sprague who electrified the city railway in 1889. Under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad, lines were ultimately consolidated into the Atlantic City & Shore Railroad. Over the years AC&S operated the local Atlantic City trolley service and a short interurban—the Shore Fast Line-between Atlantic City and Ocean City. There was also another electric line in the area, the Atlantic City & Suburban, that led a troubled existence and suffered an early demise. Come on board and ride back with us in time to relive Atlantic City’s colorful trolley era.
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