Brown line to Midway..

[teck22]

I know on occasion for construction on the tracks they have ran the orange line and brown line as one, but during AM rush I noticed a few things. At the Belmont stop the display that shows arrival time showed showed Brown line to Midway. Then a few days later I saw the trailing brown line turned and head south after Library/state. Is this just Orange Line 3200s being borrowed by the Brown line runs? If so I thought the Brown Line would not need to borrow equipment following service reductions.

[Busjack]

I can't comment on the exact train, or on the effect of the Feb. cutbacks. However, the inherent problem, as pointed out by Adam Kerman about a decade ago, was that the Brown Line Project didn't expand the Kimball Yard, while there apparently is capacity at Midway. There certainly is capacity at 54th once the Pink Line was disconnected from the Blue (apparently capacity for 108 cars and use by 44).

In that I don't see the CTA being able to pay to condemn the center of Albany Park to expand the yard, I suppose this will continue.

[ArcherRider]

That is run 703 that is Orange Line that go to from Midway to Kimball then back to Midway only in AM rush.

[artthouwill]

That is run 703 that is Orange Line that go to from Midway to Kimball then back to Midway only in AM rush.

Not just in the A.M. I've seen a Brownage train in the late P.M. rush leave Library heading south. Most of the time this near empty train happens to get in front of a more crowded Orange Line train that went through its regular route. Because I am usually coming in from the south on a GreenLine train, I don't know if that Brownage train changes signs at Mdse Mart or Library. I don't know how I would feel if I am standing on the right platform at say, Library, and I watch my train pass by on the opposite platform going my way.

[Busjack]

Not just in the A.M. I've seen a Brownage train in the late P.M. rush leave Library heading south....

Not especially clear here, but are all of you saying that the southbound train follows the Brown Line route to Wabash-Van Buren, at which point it becomes an Orange Line train, and that the northbound train follows the Orange Line route to Wells-Lake, at which point it heads north? That would make a difference if someone was intending to go to Lake or Wabash on the Loop.

[artthouwill]

Not especially clear here, but are all of you saying that the southbound train follows the Brown Line route to Wabash-Van Buren, at which point it becomes an Orange Line train, and that the northbound train follows the Orange Line route to Wells-Lake, at which point it heads north? That would make a difference if someone was intending to go to Lake or Wabash on the Loop.

When I have seen this particular train late P.M. rush, it would be sitting at the Library station heading east on Van Buren, albeit with the Orange line markings and signage. When it gets to Wabash/Van Buren, it turns south and continues as an Orange Line train to Midway. I don't know when this train becomes an Orange Line train (either at Mdse Mart or Library), but it is obvious that it was a Brown Line train before entering downtown. I've seen this train numerous times. I can only surmised that there is no yard room at Kimball, and since Orange Line trains run similar rolling stock, it was easy to thru route a train from Midway.

So the short version answer to your question is yes.

[Amtrak41]

Does anybody know what times these Brownage trip occur ?

[teck22]

So I rode the Brownage line today. I got on it had the Brown LOOP sign then didn't realize until the automated voice said: This is a Brown line Train to Downtown and Midway. Then @ majors stop i.e. Belmont the operator would let ppl know that at Library the train will become a orange line train. Once a Library the train changed from the BRN LOOP sign to Midway turned south after Library and proceeded on the normal orange line route. I got off at Roosevelt, worked well since I was taking the Green Line to class.

As far as time it was @ montrose @ 820am; belmont @ 829am, and Library @ 851am.

[Amtrak41]

I just came back from a visit to Chicago. On my agenda was to ride the "Brownage" Line, which I did Monday morning. It arrived Diversey at 8:31am. It was packed even though there was a Purple 2 minutes ahead of it, and a Brown 2 minutes ahead of it. Train was numbered in the low and mid 3200's (Midway cars). All roll signs were set to Orange/Midway when I got on. The physical run number on the train was 703, but auto announcements said Brown Line run 403 to Downtown and Midway. After Library, it was Orange Line run 703. I got off at Roosevelt and took a Green to get along Wabash where I was going to.