2600's on Brown Line

[Zol87]

Today I saw 2600's on the Brown Line at Diversey around 5pm heading south to the Loop. I don't remember all the numbers except 2955-2956.

[Guest]

Today I saw 2600's on the Brown Line at Diversey around 5pm heading south to the Loop. I don't remember all the numbers except 2955-2956.

Could that have been the "Ravenston"? :)

[sw4400]

Could that have been the "Ravenston"?

I doubt that... for one, the sighting was at 5p, the Raventson runs during the early morning. Secondly, 2955-2956 are Red Line cars, not Purple Line(where Ravenston cars come from). Although why the Brown Line is using, at the very least a set of 2600's is puzzling. Unless they are down some 3200's and needed to borrow some.

Anyone else want to take a crack as to why two Red Line cars are on the Brown Line, be my guest... this perplexes me. :blink:

[rmadisonwi]

Who said Ravenstons only operate in the morning?

[jcmellencamp78]

Who said Ravenstons only operate in the morning?

what is the Ravenston!?

[ibebobo]

what is the Ravenston!?

Combination of Ravenswood and Evanston Express

[dauber]

Now by "combination," do you mean the occasional Brown Line that becomes a Purple Line upon leaving the Loop???

[Kevin]

A detailed explanation and history of "Ravenston" operations can be found on Chicago-L.org.

[chgofan78]

What you saw was a Brown Line train that uses Red Line equipment. When service levels were increased this past December on the Brown and Purple lines, neither route had enough equipment to cover the additional runs. What happens is a train of Red Line equipment starts from Howard to Belmont non-stop; then becomes a regular Brown Line to the Loop and back to Kimball. It operates two or three trips. I'm not sure what happens after its final trip. Before December, a few Brown Line trains would operate to Clark/Lake, then they would do a midday lay-up at Midway. I don't know if that still exists or do these runs just terminate at Belmont and go back to Howard yard.

[nflyer22]

I saw a run just half an hour ago; I was walking to the bus stop at State and Van Buren, and caught some 2600s going east. At first glance I thought it was the Pink Line, but I realized that the Pink Line travels the opposite direction on Van Buren, and surely enough, once I got closer, it was a Brown Line train! Didn't get the first 2 married pairs, but got the last 2: 2699 - 2700 and 2817 - 2818.

[Busjack]

What you saw was a Brown Line train that uses Red Line equipment.

I saw a run just half an hour ago; I was walking to the bus stop at State and Van Buren, and caught some 2600s going east. At first glance I thought it was the Pink Line, but I realized that the Pink Line travels the opposite direction on Van Buren, and surely enough, once I got closer, it was a Brown Line train! Didn't get the first 2 married pairs, but got the last 2: 2699 - 2700 and 2817 - 2818.

With those numbers, from Howard Yard, but in the last case, not necessarily Red Line cars. At least according to Chicago-L.org's 2005 Car Assignment Sheet, 10 2600s were on the Brown Line prior to the 3 track work. I'm sure there have been scrambles before and after 3 track. However, it would seem to make sense to have a couple of runs out of Howard Yard, since (as one transit pundit has frequently noted) Kimball Yard was not expanded.

[sw4400]

With those numbers, from Howard Yard, but in the last case, not necessarily Red Line cars. At least according to Chicago-L.org's 2005 Car Assignment Sheet, 10 2600s were on the Brown Line prior to the 3 track work.

Busjack, your info is out of date!!! The latest car assignment page is from August 30, 2007. Not the newest, but the most recent since no updates have been put up on the chicago-l.org page.

BTW, I know that the Brown Line had 2993-3002 a while back(i took it occassionally and got one or two sets of these cars in my six car train).

But, if you want to know when the Brown Line was last stated as having 2993-3002, check January 18, 2006. At some point between this date and June 25, 2006, the Brown Line went to all 3200's.

[Busjack]

Busjack, your info is out of date!!! The latest car assignment page is from August 30, 2007. Not the newest, but the most recent since no updates have been put up on the chicago-l.org page.

You missed the point. Especially when you missed the word "scrambles."

All I'm saying is that they were once Brown Line cars, they weren't for a while, and they might be again, especially since capacity supposedly was restored after ending 3 track.

As even you imply, chicago-l.org is a year and a half behind.

[chgofan78]

Right now, there are not any 2600 series cars assigned to the Brown Line- only 3200 series cars (numbers 3301-3452). The only cars moved around in recent months were cars brought from the Green Line (2537-2538) and from the Blue Line (2963-2976) to the Purple Line.

[blanham]

I saw two strange assignments yesterday (Saturday). At Roosevelt I saw a Green Line train that contained a 2400 work car (It had red/white striping along the sides and on the front). I believe it was #2424/2423. Later, at Jackson on the Red Line, I saw a 95th bound train that was made up of 2400s. I wouldn't be surprised if these were results of the service increase due to the NABI artic buses being withdrawn from service.

[rmadisonwi]

There's nothing strange about either sighting.

The 2400-series work cars are normal rail cars that operate in regular revenue service all the time. They just happen to be available for "work motor" duty when needed (usually overnight). The rest of the time, they operate mixed in with the passenger fleet.

As for the Red Line train...it doesn't happen all the time, but it's still not rare to see a Purple Line trainset wind up on Red Line service. It all depends on what was going on at Howard when that train was sent out. Having not been there, I can't speculate. But since the rail system has plenty of spare capacity on weekends, and the NABI problems have not caused any weekend service disruptions on bus (maybe subbing a few 40-footers in for normal artic work; but that would happen on occasion in the past anyway), there wouldn't be a need to run extra Saturday rail service using borrowed cars from another line.

[trey824]

There's nothing strange about either sighting.

The 2400-series work cars are normal rail cars that operate in regular revenue service all the time. They just happen to be available for "work motor" duty when needed (usually overnight). The rest of the time, they operate mixed in with the passenger fleet.

As for the Red Line train...it doesn't happen all the time, but it's still not rare to see a Purple Line trainset wind up on Red Line service. It all depends on what was going on at Howard when that train was sent out. Having not been there, I can't speculate. But since the rail system has plenty of spare capacity on weekends, and the NABI problems have not caused any weekend service disruptions on bus (maybe subbing a few 40-footers in for normal artic work; but that would happen on occasion in the past anyway), there wouldn't be a need to run extra Saturday rail service using borrowed cars from another line.

i totally agree because yesterday i rode a purple line train with only 1 budd car 2971 which was at the end of the train .

[qwantae]

This afternoon when I was driving on North Ave. towards Clybourn from Wells. I spotted an unknown 2600 cars operating Northbound on elevated track said "Kimball". Are they short on 3200s, or whats going on?

[Busjack]

This afternoon when I was driving on North Ave. towards Clybourn from Wells. I spotted an unknown 2600 cars operating Northbound on elevated track said "Kimball". Are they short on 3200s, or whats going on?

There were almost always some 2600s on the Brown Line (usually in the upper 2900s), and some car shifts when it went to 8 cars, and also 3 track ended.

Unfortunately, chicago-l.org hasn't updated its assignment sheet in two years.

[RJL6000]

BTW, I know that the Brown Line had 2993-3002 a while back(i took it occassionally and got one or two sets of these cars in my six car train).

But, if you want to know when the Brown Line was last stated as having 2993-3002, check January 18, 2006. At some point between this date and June 25, 2006, the Brown Line went to all 3200's.

In the spring of 2006, 2993-3002 were all transferred to the Blue Line. Unit 3001-3002 was assigned to the Pink Line when that line began operations independently from the rest of the Blue Line, but has since returned to the Blue Line. The Pink Line is now operated with the last 44 cars in the 2600 series (3157-3200).

[qwantae]

In the spring of 2006, 2993-3002 were all transferred to the Blue Line. Unit 3001-3002 was assigned to the Pink Line when that line began operations independently from the rest of the Blue Line, but has since returned to the Blue Line. The Pink Line is now operated with the last 44 cars in the 2600 series (3157-3200).

3157-3200 are 1987 models?

[rl12383]

I saw a set of four 2600's with four 3200's on the orange line yesterday morning. Could be the same train being seen on the brown line. I've seen this same set up a couple of times, and they are in revenue service.

[redlinerider]

Saw an 8-car Brown Line bound for Kimball this evening rush around 4:30 with 2 2400s with the red stripes (work cars), 4 other 2400s and a set of 2600s. Interesting.

[dauber]

Well, they were definitely doing some kind of "Ravenston" thing in regards to equipment yesterday...boarded the Brown Line at Sedgwick -- and the car had Red Line maps in it...I'm thinking they borrowed some Red Line equipment for whatever reason...

[trey824]

Well, they were definitely doing some kind of "Ravenston" thing in regards to equipment yesterday...boarded the Brown Line at Sedgwick -- and the car had Red Line maps in it...I'm thinking they borrowed some Red Line equipment for whatever reason...

this all happens occasionally as the kimball yard is short on 3200s and too small to accomadate any others ,so thats when howard yard steps in to put out budds or even work motors for brown line service.