Tornado Warning! What are CTA procedures?

[sw4400]

First, thankfully things were basically ok(minus some damage and loss of power to several hundred thousand customers) after the Tornadic Storm on August 4th(which did according to some people drop a Tornado in Logan Square). In the event a storm comes through which prompts a Tornado Warning and subsequent action of our Civil Defense/Tornado Sirens, what is the CTA procedures at this time? Do they stop all service(bus and train) in the Warning area(s) until the all-clear is announced? Or do they go about their business despite the possible danger in the area?

[Busjack]

Jerry Taft said that the L was running past 190 N. State "on time" during the height of the lightning, FWIW.

[Buslover88]

First, thankfully things were basically ok(minus some damage and loss of power to several hundred thousand customers) after the Tornadic Storm on August 4th (which did according to some people drop a Tornado in Logan Square).

Yep, that storm did actually drop a Tornado here in Logan Square since I heard it whistle right past me while I was in my basement, and there's damage around here that looks like there has been.

In the event a storm comes through which prompts a Tornado Warning and subsequent action of our Civil Defense/Tornado Sirens, what is the CTA procedures at this time? Do they stop all service(bus and train) in the Warning area(s) until the all-clear is announced? Or do they go about their business despite the possible danger in the area?

It seems to me that they keep service going as I haven't heard of any buses being stopped or anything being stopped during the Tornado. Or, maybe if a bus was in a terminal, they might have kept the bus in the terminal, but who knows.

[mikeymc77]

:lol: Tornados are overrated. Its just a big gust of wind. Dont think it could move a bus tho.

[Busjack]

Tornados are overrated. Its just a big gust of wind. Dont think it could move a bus tho.

Wrong. A tornado in Oak Lawn destroyed a bus barn and the buses in it. See Bill V. about the garage being destroyed and this roster from Al Reinschmidt. Even if not lifted in the air, something could impale or fall on it.

[Guest]

Wrong. A tornado in Oak Lawn destroyed a bus barn and the buses in it. See Bill V. about the garage being destroyed and this roster from Al Reinschmidt. Even if not lifted in the air, something could impale or fall on it.

Hello everyone

Im writing from Guatemala, I had to cancel my California trip, the flights were so oversold. So Im spending a few days here with the in laws. Ill be back monday. As for the Oak Lawn tornado I saw a picture recently of the buses that were detroyed in the tornado. They were all crushed and piled up one on top of another, a group of GM old looks. It was an unbelieveable photograph. I dont know if anyone else has seen this.

[jajuan]

Tornados are overrated. Its just a big gust of wind. Dont think it could move a bus tho.

I remember news reports of semi tractor trailers being flipped over or knocked a few hundred feet of the highways they traveled during tornados that hit other states in Tornado Alley ast year. So if a semi can be moved by a tornado, a transit bus or any other bus for that matter can definitely be moved if the winds hit it just right. I wouldn't be so cavalier about the destructive power that tornados can have if I were you.

[MVTArider]

Being in Minnesota I have seen lots of damage reports on the news about tornados. A tornado would chew up a bus easy. I don't know what the procedures are here but I remember a car card on the Lynx Bus I was on in '05 said service would be canceled in severe weather when there were sustained wind speeds of 30+ mph. (might have been a little higher I'm not sure.) Just another thing to throw in the mix.

Sorry to hear you had to cancel your California trip CTA5750 Maybe another time though.

[Chicago13]

Just as an FYI, there were no confirmed tornado touchdowns inside the city limits according to news reports. There only 3 confirmed tonadoes during that storm. One in Bloomingdale, one in Bolingbrook, and one in Griffith, Indiana.

If there were a tornado touchdown in Logan Square, you can be sure there would have been far more damge done. It was more likely just extremely high winds gusts.

[BusExpert32]

Just as an FYI, there were no confirmed tornado touchdowns inside the city limits according to news reports. There only 3 confirmed tonadoes during that storm. One in Bloomingdale, one in Bolingbrook, and one in Griffith, Indiana.

If there were a tornado touchdown in Logan Square, you can be sure there would have been far more damge done. It was more likely just extremely high winds gusts.

It was Logan Square, but in Indiana. :lol:

[nflyer22]

Hello everyone

Im writing from Guatemala, I had to cancel my California trip, the flights were so oversold. So Im spending a few days here with the in laws. Ill be back monday. As for the Oak Lawn tornado I saw a picture recently of the buses that were detroyed in the tornado. They were all crushed and piled up one on top of another, a group of GM old looks. It was an unbelieveable photograph. I dont know if anyone else has seen this.

I still have yet to see anything from the tornadoes and the damage the storms have caused, but I'll hear from my relatives back in Chicago on what they experienced . Hope you're having an awesome time in Guatemala! :)

[Buslover88]

Just as an FYI, there were no confirmed tornado touchdowns inside the city limits according to news reports. There only 3 confirmed tonadoes during that storm. One in Bloomingdale, one in Bolingbrook, and one in Griffith, Indiana.

If there were a tornado touchdown in Logan Square, you can be sure there would have been far more damge done. It was more likely just extremely high winds gusts.

Yeah, COMFIRMED. Not uncomfired. You haven't been here on some of the blocks to see the damage. I know what I heard and saw (damage only).

It was Logan Square, but in Indiana.

LOL that's funny, I guess.

[Kevin]

Yeah, COMFIRMED. Not uncomfired. You haven't been here on some of the blocks to see the damage. I know what I heard and saw (damage only).

There were no confirmed tornadoes within the city limits. You don't necessarily need a tornado for there to be significant wind damage.

[Guest]

I still have yet to see anything from the tornadoes and the damage the storms have caused, but I'll hear from my relatives back in Chicago on what they experienced . Hope you're having an awesome time in Guatemala!

Ive seen a couple of MCI MC9 coaches here and I remember a few years ago there were GMC fishbowls spotted here. Most of the bus system here comprises of rebuilt, front engine 35ft Bluebird ex school buses repainted all red to represent the transit system here in Guatemala City, the buses are marked "Ciudad de Guatemala" or "City of Guatemala". Ive also seen artic buses here from Mercedes Benz. Bus transit is big here but they dont use transit type coaches. Most of the buses here are ex-american school buses and are pretty busted up but they do the job here. Suburban buses are modified school buses with storage racks on top. You wont find much of Gillig, Flyer, GMC or Flxible here. CTAs NABIs would be kings here! they certainly would find a niche here I think! I keep a sharp eye out for any american transits but so far havent spotted any. Im going to get a couple of photos of the transit here. Id love to cruise a 2400 Nova Classic down the city center here.

[Buslover88]

There were no confirmed tornadoes within the city limits. You don't necessarily need a tornado for there to be significant wind damage.

I know there wasn't, but so what? It doesn't need to be comfirmed for it to happen. And if the whistling sound doesn't prove enough, so be it.

[nextstopchicago]

I was driving home from Western/Belmont at about the worst of the storm. I heard a report on WBBM of a supposed tornado spotted near Park Ridge, heading towards Jeff Park, Bucktown and Wicker Park.

My idea was just to get north fast, since that seemed the best way to get out of the way of any such tornado. It was dark as hell and rain in sheets so that you couldn't see, and many vehicles pulled over. I kept going at a slow pace (thanks Rainex). As I approached Western/Belmont, the light blew a fuse or whatever and went to flashing red, and it's a tricky intersection to go through on flashing red.

Anyway, by the time I got north of Irving, it was incredibly windy, but slightly less rain, so you could see well enough to take stock, and I remember seeing someone run across the street from Welles Park to the bus shelter, and I though, wow, that shelter may not help much. And I saw a southbound bus, possibly before that, since I don't remember thinking, well, at least the guy can get on the bus.

Both things had me wondering -- the many people sitting in bus shelters at the time, and the Western bus heading southward into the supposed path of the supposed tornado.

The trick with trying to have a plan for such things is that it's hard to get a take on whether there is really a tornaodo, and if so, where it's really heading, and in the meantime, if you take some sort of action that gets the bus off its route, you're stranding people, possibly leaving them in danger.

I think it's best to leave the buses running, though I could understand if someone reached a different conclusion.

[trainman8119]

Tornados are overrated. Its just a big gust of wind. Dont think it could move a bus tho.

Check out this link to see what a tornado can do to a bus. From the 1967 Oak Lawn twister

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/?n=OakLawn_tornado_pics

Even though the description shows these old GM's as school buses, I think you can get the idea.

[Chicago13]

Yeah, COMFIRMED. Not uncomfired. You haven't been here on some of the blocks to see the damage. I know what I heard and saw (damage only).

LOL that's funny, I guess.

Actually I have been there..several times in the last couple days in fact. I've been to a bunch of areas on the north & northwest sides and have seen quite a bit of the damage caused by the high winds. I've also been up close & personal with more than one tornados in my life time too.

[nflyer22]

Ive seen a couple of MCI MC9 coaches here and I remember a few years ago there were GMC fishbowls spotted here. Most of the bus system here comprises of rebuilt, front engine 35ft Bluebird ex school buses repainted all red to represent the transit system here in Guatemala City, the buses are marked "Ciudad de Guatemala" or "City of Guatemala". Ive also seen artic buses here from Mercedes Benz. Bus transit is big here but they dont use transit type coaches. Most of the buses here are ex-american school buses and are pretty busted up but they do the job here. Suburban buses are modified school buses with storage racks on top. You wont find much of Gillig, Flyer, GMC or Flxible here. CTAs NABIs would be kings here! they certainly would find a niche here I think! I keep a sharp eye out for any american transits but so far havent spotted any. Im going to get a couple of photos of the transit here. Id love to cruise a 2400 Nova Classic down the city center here.

That's awesome, since for me in Hong Kong, I've seen Volvos on the KMBs (Kowloon Motor Bus) a lot, some Dennis's here and there, and for me, quite rare to bump into an Alexander, even more rare to see an Alexander Dennis (rode one only once in my whole trip), and still have yet to see a Scania or MAN in person. Maybe it's because I live in Cheung Sha Wan; not really deep urbanized, but not quiet as a ghost town. Or maybe it's just where I live. :lol:

[Guest]

That's awesome, since for me in Hong Kong, I've seen Volvos on the KMBs (Kowloon Motor Bus) a lot, some Dennis's here and there, and for me, quite rare to bump into an Alexander, even more rare to see an Alexander Dennis (rode one only once in my whole trip), and still have yet to see a Scania or MAN in person. Maybe it's because I live in Cheung Sha Wan; not really deep urbanized, but not quiet as a ghost town. Or maybe it's just where I live.

Wow incredible tornado pics from Oak Lawn. Those were Safeway buses correct? How many of them were demolished? It ooked like the whole fleet.

I wonder if China´s Flxibles are still running.

[Buslover88]

Actually I have been there..several times in the last couple days in fact. I've been to a bunch of areas on the north & northwest sides and have seen quite a bit of the damage caused by the high winds. I've also been up close & personal with more than one tornados in my life time too.

Okay. I've been up close to one also a few years back.

[Busjack]

Wow incredible tornado pics from Oak Lawn. Those were Safeway buses correct?

No, it would have been Suburban Transit.

Safeway's barn was in Harvey (where the Transit Center now is).

I always thought Suburban Transit was weird, because one of its destination signs was "FANTASY-CHARTER."

Again, see Reinschmidt's roster, which confirms both, and indicates those buses destroyed..