Author Description

Telling the story of every major transit innovation in Chicago's history, Young reveals a broad panorama of the city's growth. Beginning with the evolution of the horse-drawn omnibus - Chicago's first mass-transit system - Young explores the competition for passengers and space by the growing proliferation of streetcar lines, railroads, and automobiles. These modes of transportation, often existing for a time side by side, prospered or faltered according to various technological advances. Young also looks at what is uniquely Chicago: the Loop, the construction of the L, and the ever-present problem of congestion in the Windy City. He highlights the development of the Chicago Transit Authority and the Regional Transportation Authority and the growth of the Illinois Central and the Chicago North Western Railroads.