CTA new rail cars

[apllchcg]

it is very futuristic

[sw4400]

it is very futuristic

Umm......ok......

I'm going to leave you a link... I ask you please read it...

http://www.transitchicago.com/news/archpre...rticleid=123769

Focus on this paragraph in the article in the link... or if you don't want to read it, at least read this(direct from the link).

CTA has been in the planning process for the manufacture and purchase of new rail cars for a number of years prior to finalizing today’s procurement. Delivery of prototype rail cars is expected in 2008. Production of the base order of 206 is expected to begin in 2009 with delivery beginning in 2010. If the first option is exercised for 200 additional rail cars, delivery is expected to begin in 2012. Under the contract with Bombardier, CTA will be able to exercise other options for an additional 216 rail cars and another 84 rail cars for airport service as funding becomes available.

Now, if we had the prototype cars, Huberman and Co. would introduce them before they even went into service.

[Busjack]

Despite what I have said about negative evidence and CTA Press Releases, I agree with sw here.

If the January President's Report was to get permission to investigate styling concepts, it seems pretty unlikely that they have been implemented and on the railroad by now.

Also, if there actually was a prototype, you can bet that Mayor Daley would be holding a press conference with it, like he did with 1002 and the first 800. If he attended a press conference just to promote Google Maps (and common sense baseball bat control, but that's off subject), you know he would be at the inauguration of a new L car.

Due to the lack of descriptive details, methinks the first poster saw a futuristic 14 year old car, similar in design to the really futuristic 39 year old ones.

BTW, sw, getting back to the subject of Press Releases, the one to which I just inserted a link sez:

The delivery of 10 prototype rail cars is expected in 2009. Following testing and evaluation of the prototypes, delivery of the base order and option 1 is scheduled to begin in 2010 through 2012.

[RIPTA42]

Was it orange and brown?

[Buslover88]

I usually believe almost everyone's word regarding CTA, but this is just ... UNBELIEVEABLE. I haven't heard anything about new CTA railcars as of 4/10/08.

[MetroShadow]

it is very futuristic

It will be, especially since we will see it 2 years from now in the future. ;)

[jcmellencamp78]

Does anyone else feel that when the new cars are delievered there will be a shift is car assignments? I know that the 5000s are supposed to replace the 2200s on the Blue/Pink Lines and then the 2400s on the Green/Purple Lines, but I have a feel that the new cars are going to go to the Brown Line FIRST and then the old brown line cars are going to be distributed to the Blue, Pink, and Green Line cars.

[Guest]

Does anyone else feel that when the new cars are delievered there will be a shift is car assignments? I know that the 5000s are supposed to replace the 2200s on the Blue/Pink Lines and then the 2400s on the Green/Purple Lines, but I have a feel that the new cars are going to go to the Brown Line FIRST and then the old brown line cars are going to be distributed to the Blue, Pink, and Green Line cars.

Quite possibly but not entirely so. There will be enough cars to assign to the Brown and Blue lines.

[sw4400]

Does anyone else feel that when the new cars are delievered there will be a shift is car assignments? I know that the 5000s are supposed to replace the 2200s on the Blue/Pink Lines and then the 2400s on the Green/Purple Lines, but I have a feel that the new cars are going to go to the Brown Line FIRST and then the old brown line cars are going to be distributed to the Blue, Pink, and Green Line cars.

Thank You!!! You done your homework jcmellencamp78!!! This is how I know the Brown Line will get the new cars...

-Quantity of cars currently assigned: We have 142 on the Brown Line at this time which barely covers our 8-car need now.

-New car power: The new rail cars are A/C powered, and thus cannot be trained with D/C powered cars(2200's, 2400's, 2600's or 3200's)

-The Paulina Connector: Since the Brown Line stops about 12a-1a in the morning, Kimball Yard personnell can start transfering the 3200's to the Blue, Green, Pink, and Purple lines as the 5000's start coming in.

We have 206 in the base order, that'll cover the Brown Line needs: 142 to run it with 6-cars, 64 additional cars to allow 8-car runs.

[trainman8119]

Thank You!!! You done your homework jcmellencamp78!!! This is how I know the Brown Line will get the new cars...

-Quantity of cars currently assigned: We have 142 on the Brown Line at this time which barely covers our 8-car need now.

-New car power: The new rail cars are A/C powered, and thus cannot be trained with D/C powered cars(2200's, 2400's, 2600's or 3200's)

-The Paulina Connector: Since the Brown Line stops about 12a-1a in the morning, Kimball Yard personnell can start transfering the 3200's to the Blue, Green, Pink, and Purple lines as the 5000's start coming in.

We have 206 in the base order, that'll cover the Brown Line needs: 142 to run it with 6-cars, 64 additional cars to allow 8-car runs.

One problem with your thought process though. Seeing as how the new cars will be powered differently, it would make less sense to put them on the Brown over the Blue since the Brown would interface with just about every other line in the system. Should they go to the Blue, only the Blue would have to be converted from DC to AC, thus the initial cost would probably be less. I believe there was a discussion when the order was made that implied that the new equipment would be put on the Blue, retiring the 2200's and the 2600's would be distributed. This would also make more sense now, since the Douglas branch is no longer part of the Blue, and it would be one line and only one line to be ultimately be converted.

[Busjack]

One problem with your thought process though. Seeing as how the new cars will be powered differently, it would make less sense to put them on the Brown over the Blue since the Brown would interface with just about every other line in the system. Should they go to the Blue, only the Blue would have to be converted from DC to AC, thus the initial cost would probably be less.

While the cars apparently can't be coupled into trains with the old equipment, the lines themselves are not converted, except to upgrade the signals, and the last signal upgrades are on the Blue and Loop L (under construction now).

Since you work on the Metra Electric, it is a similar situation to not coupling 1200s with 1500s, but both still use the DC overhead. Apparently some electronics on the car convert the power to AC.

We have 206 in the base order, that'll cover the Brown Line needs: 142 to run it with 6-cars, 64 additional cars to allow 8-car runs.

sw is correct on the base contract, but Option 1 was also exercised, so you are talking about 406 cars. There also have been prior debates on whether Kimball has the storage capacity or the additional cars would be stored elsewhere. Also, one has to wonder about assigning additional cars to the Brown Line when the first production models of the 5000s won't arrive until 2010, and the 406 won't be completed for several years after that. Either only a small increase in capacity at first, or the 2200s and 2400s will be around longer than thought.

You also had Frank saying that the first ones were going on the Blue and Pink Lines, but as the Hawkeroo says, "he gone!"

However, it is a good betting proposition that the Green Line will not be getting new cars, but 2600s cycled over from the Blue and Pink Lines. Nonetheless, given the unpredictable nature of the CTA (remember those Archer 1000s), anything can happen and probably will.

[jcmellencamp78]

Anyone have any more info about the placement of the 5000s?

[sw4400]

Anyone have any more info about the placement of the 5000s?

One can only speculate at this time, jcmellencamp78. That said, here's mine(this is how I think the new rail cars will be dispersed as we get them)...

The first 206 5000-Series "L" cars will be on the Brown Line, with perhaps a small portion of Option 1(10-50 of that option) to give full 8-Car operation to the line, the remainders could go just about to any other lines(I'll guess Orange Line for the first Option or two). The 3200's from the Brown and Orange Lines will, in turn, be transferred to Blue and Pink Lines retiring the 2200's, some or all of the 2600's used on these lines will be transferred to the Green and Purple Lines to retire the 2400's. This allows the Blue and Pink lines the option of retaining some 2600's to train with the 3200's(which cannot be done with the 5000's).

The Blue and Pink Lines will then get additional 5000's to retire or transfer their 2600's. After that, the Green and Purple lines will get the 5000's allowing retirement of the 2400's. Those still in-service 2600's from the Blue and Pink Lines will be transferred to the Red Line to make it a 2600-exclusive rail line as they need a lot of trains as their roster will attest(and the A/C 5000's cannot train with the D/C 2600's) until the CTA gets enough 5000's to retire the large amount of 2600's needed on the Red Line(362 of the 561 2600's in service or 61% of that fleet).

Again, this is speculation... I know nothing more that anybody else, so feel free to debate it. I could be wrong with some, or even all of what I typed.

[artthouwill]

One can only speculate at this time, jcmellencamp78. That said, here's mine(this is how I think the new rail cars will be dispersed as we get them)...

The first 206 5000-Series "L" cars will be on the Brown Line, with perhaps a small portion of Option 1(10-50 of that option) to give full 8-Car operation to the line, the remainders could go just about to any other lines(I'll guess Orange Line for the first Option or two). The 3200's from the Brown and Orange Lines will, in turn, be transferred to Blue and Pink Lines retiring the 2200's, some or all of the 2600's used on these lines will be transferred to the Green and Purple Lines to retire the 2400's. This allows the Blue and Pink lines the option of retaining some 2600's to train with the 3200's(which cannot be done with the 5000's).

The Blue and Pink Lines will then get additional 5000's to retire or transfer their 2600's. After that, the Green and Purple lines will get the 5000's allowing retirement of the 2400's. Those still in-service 2600's from the Blue and Pink Lines will be transferred to the Red Line to make it a 2600-exclusive rail line as they need a lot of trains as their roster will attest(and the A/C 5000's cannot train with the D/C 2600's) until the CTA gets enough 5000's to retire the large amount of 2600's needed on the Red Line(362 of the 561 2600's in service or 61% of that fleet).

Again, this is speculation... I know nothing more that anybody else, so feel free to debate it. I could be wrong with some, or even all of what I typed.

At the risk of being wrong again, here are my thoughts.

I believe the Blue Line will get the first 206 5000s to immediately get rid of the 2200s. Once they are all gone (about 140 2200s), the Blue Line will continue to get 5000s while the 2600s get moved to the Purple to replace the 2400s. In essence, the Red Line is already exclusively 2600s.

When the next option kicks in, I believe Orange line is next to get 5000s with its 3200s going Green replacing its 2400s with some 2600s also coming to the Green. In any case, the Red Line won't see any 5000s for a long long time.