CHICAGO RAILWAYS Numbers Builder Built Model CSL 1944 Nos. Last Operated 1-5 Twin 1927 40 1101-1105 1949 6-7 Twin 1930 40 1106-1107 1949 501-508 ACF 1935 H13S 2101-2108 1955 509-516 White 1935 684 3101-3108 1949 517-519 Ford 1936 51 4101-4103 1949 520-522 Reo 1936 2LM 5101-5103 1949 523-525 White 1936 706M 3201-3203 1949 526-563 Twin 1937 30R 1201-1238 1952 564-575 Ford 1937 70 4201-4212 1949 576-581 ACF 1938 H13S 2201-2206 1955 582-591 White 1939 805 3301-3310 1949 CHICAGO CITY RAILWAY Numbers Builder Built Model CSL 1944 Nos. Last Operated 301-303 Twin 1928 40 1108-1110 1949 401-402 ACF 1934 H13S 2109-2110 1955 403-404 White 1934 684 3109-3110 1949 405-414 White 1935 684 3111-3120 1949 415 ACF 1935 H13S 2111 1955 416 Ford 1936 51 4104 1949 417 Reo 1936 2LM 5104 1949 418-420 White 1936-37 706M 3204-3206 1949 421-428 White 1937 805 3210-3217 1949 429-432 ACF 1938 H13S 2207-2210 1955 433-434 White 1939 805 3311-3312 1949 CALUMET & SOUTH CHICAGO RAILWAY Numbers Builder Built Model CSL 1944 Nos. Last Operated 801-809 ACF 1935 H13S 2112-2120 1955 810-812 White 1937 706M 3207-3209 1949 813-822 White 1938 805 3221-3230 1949 823-825 White 1939 805 3313-3315 1949Buses were originally owned by the four companies making up the Chicago Surface Lines (Chicago Railways, Chicago City Railway, Calumet & South Chicago, Southern Street Railway). Buses originally had different numbers in groups according to the owning company, and were renumbered in 1944.
In 1927, Chicago Railways' buses 1-5 were originally used for CSL's first bus route, which was an extension of the Diversey streetcar route. Two additional buses 6-7 arrived in 1930. And in 1930, when a trolleybus route was created on Diversey, these buses were used to create new extension routes on Belmont and on Irving Park. And in 1931, the Belmont extension route was converted to trolleybuses, and all seven buses were then used for the Irving Park Extension.
In 1928, Chicago City Railway buses 301-303 were used to create and extension route on 103rd Street, the first CSL bus route on the south side. And in 1934, buses 401-404 were used to create the 62A Archer Extension route, replacing the Chicago & Joliet Electric Railway service.
And many more extension routes were created beginning in 1935, as more buses arrived. All buses were gasoline powered. Nearly all of these original buses were retired by the mid 1950's, with the arrival of new propane buses from Flxible.