Shades of 1999 again?

[sw4400]

Checking the transitchicago website at 10:21p shows minor delays on the Purple and Red Lines @ Howard and all service suspended on the Yellow Line. Is this more than likely a random problem on a set of railcars/rails in the area, or are there some problems with the 2400's/2600's at Howard?

[RJL6000]

Checking the transitchicago website at 10:21p shows minor delays on the Purple and Red Lines @ Howard and all service suspended on the Yellow Line. Is this more than likely a random problem on a set of railcars/rails in the area, or are there some problems with the 2400's/2600's at Howard?

It's more than likely weather-related. The winds continued to blow strongly throughout the day and evening yesterday, resulting in a large portion of the Yellow Line covered with enough snow to make them impassable. As a result, service was temporarily suspended on the Yellow Line while the CTA's snow crews cleared the trackage during the overnight hours.

[greenstreet]

Checking the transitchicago website at 10:21p shows minor delays on the Purple and Red Lines @ Howard and all service suspended on the Yellow Line. Is this more than likely a random problem on a set of railcars/rails in the area, or are there some problems with the 2400's/2600's at Howard?

This is most likely a result of switching problems at Howard - and was ongoing for hours before you noticed at 10:21p. There were radio reports of switch problems around 5:30; then minutes later a northbound Purple Line train derailed over a switch on track 4. Service on Yellow Line was suspended; customers were told to use #97 bus. Posted alerts said a bus shuttle was taking Purple Line customers between Howard and South Boulevard. Rerail equipment could be seen from the platform for hours. Announcements that service was restored to Red and Purple were made around 10:45p and bus shuttle was supposed to continued for awhile longer. (Red had also suffered delays, with some trains being turned (at Addison?) to maintain service.)

There were no reports of rail car failure or equipment needed to clear blowing snow from the Yellow Line tracks.