The L: Safety First, History Second

The woman killed by a Red Line train yesterday has been identified as Karen Klepper, 49. Witnesses said that the incident appeared to be accidental, and that Klepper simply slipped running up the stairs to catch a southbound train. It seems like more trains are hitting people recently; maybe that’s just our imagination.

But you can’t get by without a little L love. We’re smitten with these classic L posters that advertise scenic Chicago as “by the Elevated Lines” or “by the Chicago Rapid Transit.” The images were commissioned in the 1920s to encourage people to use mass transit, but only one of the posters actually shows a train. They’re all strikingly lovely, straightforward but subtly detailed. Yeah, we get a little geeked about old timey posters. Our favorite is the "Boul Mich" poster. The glimmery reflection on the river would be enough, but the 1920s Michigan Avenue is what puts us over the edge.