The Loop

Riding the Rails: Chicago's History as a Transit Hub in Photos

By Curbed Staff Nov 12, 2014, 12:15pm CST

Terminal Town, an interactive exhibit organized by DePaul University professor Joe Schwieterman and opening at Union Station on November 22, explores Chicago's central place, both geographically and metaphorically, in the country's transportation infrastructure. Based on his recent book of the same name, the historical photo and film display showcases massive terminals and waystations that make a case for the city as a crossroads.

Located at nexus connecting the Great Lakes with rail lines snaking across the country, Chicago has always been a hub, since the Pioneer steamed into the city in 1848 and gave the city it's first glance at a steam locomotive. Chicago's continued growth and convenient location between eastern and western shipping networks made it a kingpin of sorts during the railway age — 11 carriers came into the city by the 1860, and massive infrastructure projects like the Chicago & North Western terminal, the now-defunct Chicago City Railway, the country's biggest intra-city rail network and first outside of San Francisco, as well as expressways and the L, only built upon that foundation.

Inspired by the exhibit and the city's transportation history, we've pulled together an array of images showcasing a city on the move.
— Patrick Sisson