CTA Signs up for Grabs, Legally

By Joanna Miller in News on Apr 5, 2006 6:09PM

OK, admit it. There has been at least one time in your Chicago existence when, while waiting for a train after a long night at your favorite watering hole, you have drunkenly attempted to remove a CTA sign. Or, at least thought about if and how you could remove one if you were inclined to do so. Of course, Chicagoist has never attempted any such thing as it is illegal and wrong.

Now, you can take home a CTA sign without fear of jail time. The Illinois Railway Museum has obtained a series of obsolete CTA signs and has made a limited selection available for sale.

The signs are the real thing and were all in use at one time. They have the scars to prove it, including tape remnants, dirt and spray paint, not to mention traces of various bodily fluids. You want the real deal right?

The selection includes signs from various lines and most are priced from $10 to $25. If you’ve got $500 to spare, you can take home the last Sox-35th sign and add it to your World Series collection.

Photos of available signs and ordering information can be found on the IRM Web site. All proceeds from the sale will go to the IRM Sign Fund to restore, preserve and display other signs in its collection.