CHICAGO — Still stumped on what to get friends and family for the holidays?
The CTA's first online auction, which started Thursday morning, is likely a treasure trove for transit nuts with whole train cars, bus signs, rail station clocks and a section of the third rail among the items up for grabs.
Bidders can put their money on more than 100 pieces, including two whole rail cars from the recently retired 2200-series cars, CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase said. The rail cars started at $4,000, while the rest started from zero, Chase said.
There are also seats, doors, switches, crossing gates, rail station clocks, rail ties and spikes.
Bidding lasts until until 10 a.m. Wednesday. Running the auction is Rick Levin Associates Inc., and details can be found on the company's website.
Items for sale are all extras the agency isn't using anymore, Chase said, and many are considered collectables or memorabilia.
"There are a lot of transit fans out there," Chase said.
Chase said 5 percent of each sale will go to Rick Levin Associates, and the rest benefits the agency's general revenue fund.
“This is a chance for transit fans to obtain a piece of Chicago history,” CTA President Forrest Claypool said in a statement.
