The Skokie Swift
 Built as a demonstration project by UMTA, CTA and the Village of Skokie, this line uses a ROW used by an early Chicago Rapid Transit line, as well as part of the Skokie Valley line of the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee.  This line runs from Howard Street, terminal for the Howard-Dan Ryan and Evanston lines, to Dempster Street in the Village of Skokie.  It is interesting in its' use of third rail at the south end of the line, and an on-the-fly changeover to overhead.  Cars are all one-man, and a variety of equipment has been used over the years, many cars of which are shown here.  The interesting trolley system used on some of the cars consisted of two standard trolley poles bolted together with a pan slider across the top, and an airfoil mounted further down to maintain pressure on the wire at speed.

In The 1970's, the UMPTA "State of the Art" train worked for a few months on the Skokie Swift.  Because of the narrow width of the standard CTA rapid transit equipment, the platforms at the two stations served had to be modified with "flaps" that lowered for the SOAC train.  Illuminated warning signs were installed so the operator knew if he could enter the station without removing part of the platform.  The SOAC train also had a pantograph temporarily bolted on for the outer end of the line.  This train is now at the Seashore Trolley Museum.

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