Favorite CTA Train Cars

[qwantae]

Mines are:

2200s (Blue/ Pink Lines)- Im gonna miss them soon

3200-3400s (Orange/Brown/Purple/Yellow Lines)

Least Favorite:

2400s (I like the red/Blue colors on the entire front and rear cars I believe it is mostly 1978 (2500) models.

[ArcherRider]

I Like 2601-3200 Budd cars that have red,white and blue stripe and The " I will Spirit of Chicago" logo on it before rebuild it.

[qwantae]

I Like 2601-3200 Budd cars that have red,white and blue stripe and The " I will Spirit of Chicago" logo on it before rebuild it.

I wish that they would've left it red,white and blue strips after rebuild, I miss those stripes. I remember of seeing " Spirit of Chicago" on a Flyer D901 (1600/9900s).

[Guest]

I wish that they would've left it red,white and blue strips after rebuild, I miss those stripes. I remember of seeing " Spirit of Chicago" on a Flyer D901 (1600/9900s).

Favorite CTA Rapid Transit cars, although long retired.....The St Louis Car 6000s!!! HANDS DOWN!!!

I grew up on those cars , I go to the Armitage Brown Line station where I used to live and I could still picture those 8 car North South rapid transit cars emerging or descending the subway portal or the 4 and 6 car Ravenswood trains that would stop at Armitage. I also used to love standing directly under the center tracks on the sidewalk to watch and listen to that loud train rumble over my head. I loved those cars for so many reasons, the body look, the windows, the windows opened, the various paint schemes, and who could forget that deafening screech when it made a curve. You guys might laugh at this but this is true. Those cars had a creepy look to them when the interiors were lit at night. It kind of reminded me of the lit candle inside the pumpkin on Halloween showing that creepy smiley face, sounds funny but its true!. l Then the 2200 Budds followed by the 3200 series MKs, the 2600 series Budd/TA cars and

[BusHunter]

Favorite CTA Rapid Transit cars, although long retired.....The St Louis Car 6000s!!! HANDS DOWN!!!

I grew up on those cars , I go to the Armitage Brown Line station where I used to live and I could still picture those 8 car North South rapid transit cars emerging or descending the subway portal or the 4 and 6 car Ravenswood trains that would stop at Armitage. I also used to love standing directly under the center tracks on the sidewalk to watch and listen to that loud train rumble over my head. I loved those cars for so many reasons, the body look, the windows, the windows opened, the various paint schemes, and who could forget that deafening screech when it made a curve. You guys might laugh at this but this is true. Those cars had a creepy look to them when the interiors were lit at night. It kind of reminded me of the lit candle inside the pumpkin on Halloween showing that creepy smiley face, sounds funny but its true!. l Then the 2200 Budds followed by the 3200 series MKs, the 2600 series Budd/TA cars and

Oh yeah, the #6000's without a doubt!!! I really liked the middle batch of them ( I think #6471 - ?, the numbers escape me now)that had the seats where the motorman sits. I have many childhood memories where i would board the Blue line at Damen/North and head straight for these seats (if no one was sitting in them.) Those seats were so cool. The #6000's have a lot going for them. I loved how when you entered the subway, the interior would get sorta half lit with those small overhead lights they had on them. It was kind of spooky. And then with the roll up windows, in the subway it would get so loud your ears would start ringing. For me they were like an amusement park ride, with that and the piercing screeches when you rounded curves. I really liked when #6101 -02 were decked out in the old 1950's livery on the brown line in the 1980's. I just couldn't get enough of that train. Probably the best two cars that exist today. Also they had there headlights in the original positions as ordered. 1 of 2 sets that remained if I'm correct. A few things I missed out on I wish i could've saw. #6669 i believe had AC at one time. That would've been cool to see. Also i wish I could've saw the red livery cars #1- #4 and #6123 - #6127 the high performance cars at that time. It's no wonder the Smithsonian got a hold of #6719 for there exhibit there. These cars are a true piece of american history that Chicago should be proud of. I know i am.

[Zol87]

2600-3200 series are the best. but bring back the old design with the 2 tone silver body with red, white and blue stripes. CTA 2600 RWB

[Busjack]

Favorite CTA Rapid Transit cars, although long retired.....The St Louis Car 6000s!!! HANDS DOWN!!!

I concur that they were typical of CTA, but since I almost froze my feet on one on a trip from about Loyola to Garfield, I pass. I also note that I still expect the screeching around the curve at State and Division, and miss it now that the windows don't open (for the most part) on the cars.

My vote goes for the 2000s when they were still green and white. CTA colors, but a radically modern car for its time. I could see why they were repainted silver to try to match the 2200s, but, in retrospect, vote for the original scheme.

As far as I am concerned, there is very little difference in the current cars to make much difference. 3200s are basically 2200s, except with sliding doors and less seating. It it weren't for the ADA issue, you probably could keep the stainless steel bodies of the 2200s and just put new electrical equipment on them, as far as I am concerned.

For that matter, the 2200 were better with the black leather (real or fake) seats than with the plastic retrofits.

[Guest ctafan630]

Favorite CTA Rapid Transit cars, although long retired.....The St Louis Car 6000s!!! HANDS DOWN!!!

I couldnt agree with you more. I loved the 6000 series.

[trainman8119]

My vote goes for the 2000s when they were still green and white. CTA colors, but a radically modern car for its time. I could see why they were repainted silver to try to match the 2200s, but, in retrospect, vote for the original scheme.

As far as I am concerned, there is very little difference in the current cars to make much difference. 3200s are basically 2200s, except with sliding doors and less seating. It it weren't for the ADA issue, you probably could keep the stainless steel bodies of the 2200s and just put new electrical equipment on them, as far as I am concerned.

For that matter, the 2200 were better with the black leather (real or fake) seats than with the plastic retrofits.

I will agree with you on every point except that the 3200's are 2200s, etc. I think they are simply 2600's with ribs on the side (which I guess they are). I loved the look of the 2000s, especially in the original colors, and think the 2200s lost some of there bizazz when they rehabbed them for single man operation, as well as took out the black seats.

[Orion VIII]

48, although no longer operating in Chicago, it's the one we have at the Halton County Radial Railway Museum in Milton, ON. I've ridden it several times too.

[artthouwill]

This is a tough one.

The 6000s were loud and jerky, no air in the summer, no heat in the winter, but I do have fond memories of them.

The 2000s were nice in the 70s, but became junk in the 80s. I don't miss them at all.

The 2200s were beautiful cars until the rehab in the 90s. I miss the very big picturesque windows. They are truly old and are ready for the scrapyard.

The 2400s are almost in their origninal form. They are okay.

The 2600s were very nice until their rehabs. I hate the blue seats, and what wss the purpose of relacing the windows on the end ofthe cars and not the middle ones too? I thought the idea was to try to make these cars look more like the 3200s.

The 3200s are nice except I hate the seating arrangement. If the wheelchair goes in the beginning/end of the car, why the single seat arrangement in the middle of the car?

I haven't seen the 5000s yet, but I like looking out the window and the perimeter seating problabley won't sit well with me

[Busjack]

The 2600s were very nice until their rehabs. I hate the blue seats, and what wss the purpose of relacing the windows on the end ofthe cars and not the middle ones too? I thought the idea was to try to make these cars look more like the 3200s.

The idea only was to provide ventilation if the AC didn't work.