No Purple Express During Brown Line Bridge Reroute

[chicagopcclcar]

I found out today from exclusive sources that during the five-day Brown line reroutes for the Wells Street bridge reconstruction, there will be no Purple Express service run to the Loop. Express riders will use the Red line service for those five days. Brown line trains rerouted through the State Street subway will turn at 37th Street middle track on the Green line. The other half of Brown line trains during those five weekdays will terminate at Merchandise Mart. Still to be determined is weekend routings.....so there's still another question, LOL.

DH

[chicagopcclcar]

. Still to be determined is weekend routings.....so there's still another question, LOL.

DH

Actually a second question isn't necessary. On the weekends there should be suffucient capacity on regular Red line trains to downtown stations. Brown line passengers will transfer at Belmont or at Fullerton. Sorry, no one-seat ride downtown for the four weekends involved.

DH

[westing]

It will be interesting to see 3200s in the subway, thats a site you don't see too often. I'm guessing passengers will be able to ride to 35th? Emptying trains at Roosevelt and checking the cars seems like it has the potential to mess up the busier Red line operations.

[chicagopcclcar]

It will be interesting to see 3200s in the subway, thats a sight you don't see too often. I'm guessing passengers will be able to ride to 35th? Emptying trains at Roosevelt and checking the cars seems like it has the potential to mess up the busier Red line operations.

Yes, temporarily there will be a "new service"....a one-seat ride to 35th Bronzeville. Maybe all three towers will be "manned" during the reroutes.

DH

[chicagopcclcar]

Still to be seen is the level of identification the rerouted Brown line trains will offer. New roll signs for two weeks does not seem justifiable. But a special class light color scheme might. The north side crossovers are all remotely controlled by Clark Tower, but a local tower operator at the crossover might relieve Clark Tower. Still, without roll signs, how will passengers know which destination their train is bound to?

In the old days when southbound cuts were made at 61st St., trains carried a sign hanging from the chains across the front door. The sign read, "61st ONLY." Of course they were only useful if the passenger saw the front car as the train entered a station. Later, the Blue line had actual roll signs for UIC Halsted and for Rosemont.

Admittedly, we might be making a mountain out of a molehill, LOL. For two weeks a simple PA announcement could do....."This is a Brown line reroute train via the subway to 35th St." After all, its only ten days.

DH

[artthouwill]

Still to be seen is the level of identification the rerouted Brown line trains will offer. New roll signs for two weeks does not seem justifiable. But a special class light color scheme might. The north side crossovers are all remotely controlled by Clark Tower, but a local tower operator at the crossover might relieve Clark Tower. Still, without roll signs, how will passengers know which destination their train is bound to?

In the old days when southbound cuts were made at 61st St., trains carried a sign hanging from the chains across the front door. The sign read, "61st ONLY." Of course they were only useful if the passenger saw the front car as the train entered a station. Later, the Blue line had actual roll signs for UIC Halsted and for Rosemont.

Admittedly, we might be making a mountain out of a molehill, LOL. For two weeks a simple PA announcement could do....."This is a Brown line reroute train via the subway to 35th St." After all, its only ten days.

DH

Don't all of the cars have black Downtown signs? Maybe the Mdse Mart trains carry Loop signs as normal and the 35th trains get the black Downtown signs?

[chicagopcclcar]

Don't all of the cars have black Downtown signs? Maybe the Mdse Mart trains carry Loop signs as normal and the 35th trains get the black Downtown signs?

Interesting....I have to admit, I know little about the rollsigns. I know a manager who gets a lots of the charters loves to play the special PA announcements, like "We're standing because of a raised bridge,"

DH

[jajuan]

Still to be seen is the level of identification the rerouted Brown line trains will offer. New roll signs for two weeks does not seem justifiable. But a special class light color scheme might. The north side crossovers are all remotely controlled by Clark Tower, but a local tower operator at the crossover might relieve Clark Tower. Still, without roll signs, how will passengers know which destination their train is bound to?

In the old days when southbound cuts were made at 61st St., trains carried a sign hanging from the chains across the front door. The sign read, "61st ONLY." Of course they were only useful if the passenger saw the front car as the train entered a station. Later, the Blue line had actual roll signs for UIC Halsted and for Rosemont.

Admittedly, we might be making a mountain out of a molehill, LOL. For two weeks a simple PA announcement could do....."This is a Brown line reroute train via the subway to 35th St." After all, its only ten days.

DH

Whatever solution they come to, it's definitely going to be an interesting ten days.

[chicagopcclcar]

More detailed plans are posted on Transit Chicago website. The re-routed Brown line trains in the State Street subway will carry special roll signs but will be in service only as far south as Roosevelt Road. The trains will continue up the incline to the south side elevated, but will not carry passengers. I have been informed that some out of service trains will continue south to the 37th St. Middle Track to be turned while other out of service trains will continue to Midway Yard to lay up. Trains turned at 37th Street will go back into the State Street subway and go into service Roosevelt Road to Kimball. In the pm rush, the Brown line trains originating at Midway will also go into service Roosevelt Road to Kimball.

On the four weekends, Brown line trains will only operate from Kimball to Chicago/Franklin. This allows trackwork to occur at Tower 18 and on the Hubbard Street curves. Pink, Orange, and Green line service will also not operate through Tower 18 on those weekends.

David Harrison

[See Tea Eh]

Lots of interesting stuff on this site for folks to foam about, including the temporary 37A bus.

http://www.transitchicago.com/wellsbridge/

I bet this is why the artics are being shoved into Kedzie and NP right now.

[Busjack]

Lots of interesting stuff on this site for folks to foam about, including the temporary 37A bus.

http://www.transitchicago.com/wellsbridge/

I bet this is why the artics are being shoved into Kedzie and NP right now.

I guess the more surprising thing is that most Brown Line trains won't run in the subway, although some will.

[chicagopcclcar]

I guess the more surprising thing is that most Brown Line trains won't run in the subway, although some will.

In the rush hour two of every three Brown line trains will run through the subway. In the non rush hour and on the weekends it was never planned for Brown line trains to run through the subway.

David Harrison

[jajuan]

Lots of interesting stuff on this site for folks to foam about, including the temporary 37A bus.

http://www.transitchicago.com/wellsbridge/

I bet this is why the artics are being shoved into Kedzie and NP right now.

It's possible that the extra artics are in part for this though not necessarily for the temporary 37A. I gather they'd more be for use on the extra service on 22, 146 and 147 at various rush periods and for the bus shuttles that will be supplementing the Brown Line and covering for the times none of the trains are able to move across the junction.

[Sam92]

It's possible that the extra artics are in part for this though not necessarily for the temporary 37A. I gather they'd more be for use on the extra service on 22, 146 and 147 at various rush periods and for the bus shuttles that will be supplementing the Brown Line and covering for the times none of the trains are able to move across the junction.

They might be used on both the 37 and 37A on kedzie's part. I've seen a few artics on the 37

[Sam92]

Interesting....I have to admit, I know little about the rollsigns. I know a manager who gets a lots of the charters loves to play the special PA announcements, like "We're standing because of a raised bridge,"

DH

A ccording to the site, the Red "Roosevelt" signs will be used for subway bound brown line trains.

[jajuan]

They might be used on both the 37 and 37A on kedzie's part. I've seen a few artics on the 37

My point is that they're probably still going to be used more for the temporary bus shuttle routes as bus shuttle replacement services for the rail lines have been increasingly been getting done with artic buses and ramped up service on 146 and 147 and maybe the 22. I wasn't saying 37 and 37A wouldn't see a few artics. I've seen artics on 37 here and there as well but MOST (over 90%) of the time that route sees 40 foot buses.

[mkohut]

I think 37 should be starting at Belmont.

With no Purple Line trains they are all ready going to be pack before Belmont.

Plus,Wellington and Diversey will have less train service.

[Busjack]

I think 37 should be starting at Belmont.

With no Purple Line trains they are all ready going to be pack before Belmont.

Plus,Wellington and Diversey will have less train service.

You have a certain point to that.

The questions are whether the additional Red Line service will make up for that, as well as people forced off the Purple Line at Howard, as well as whether people will try to board at Wellington and Diversey if the best they will get is a train that ends at the Merchandise Mart or a 1:3 chance of getting a train that goes into the subway rush hour.

Another thing pointed out by someone on the CTA Tattler, and can be found if one goes to the Weekend Service part at the bottom of the announcement, is that pretty much all Loop service will be disrupted on weekends, apparently as a result of work at Tower 18 junction (with more shuttle buses). So, it will be a bigger mess than first thought.

[sw4400]

With Subway-bound Brown Line trains terminating at Roosevelt with a special "Roosevelt" sign on a red background, two things come to mind

-Are there Mylar curtains that say "Roosevelt" on a red background?

-If not, could we see a temporary 3200 for 5000-Series swap on the Red and Brown Lines during this rebuild of the Wells St. Bridge as LED signs can be quickly programmed for new destinations.

[jajuan]

With Subway-bound Brown Line trains terminating at Roosevelt with a special "Roosevelt" sign on a red background, two things come to mind

-Are there Mylar curtains that say "Roosevelt" on a red background?

-If not, could we see a temporary 3200 for 5000-Series swap on the Red and Brown Lines during this rebuild of the Wells St. Bridge as LED signs can be quickly programmed for new destinations.

Yes they do have Mylar curtains with Roosevelt on them against a Red background. They're normally used on the Red Line when those trains have to do a short turn at the Roosevelt station for whatever reason and head back north to Howard. So no temporary swaps for 5000s are needed. Plus remember it probably wouldn't make as much sense to do that anyway since the 5000s LEDs are based on the Mylar curtain signs.

[Amtrak41]

They sure could have used the old 11-Lincoln bus to downtown for this as an alternative to the Brown. They will be jammed without Purples. Maybe some people will take METRA out of Evanston and Ravenswood (and not come back).

[Busjack]

... Maybe some people will take METRA out of Evanston and Ravenswood (and not come back).

Metra had beefed up service (at CTA's request) for Three Track, and basically hasn't rescinded it. However, there is also the question when Metra will get its own project on the UPN line going. Remember there was the stink about 1-1/2 years ago about trying to run it as a single track, which was later taken back.

[wesmich]

The UP north line bridge replacement project is in full swing. Well as full swing as winter construction season gets. Because of the previous stink, there will be two tracks open at all times and schedules will not be affected. However, the Ravenswood station really only serves people north of belmont, who already can transfer to the red line at Belmont and get into the loop that way. People south of Fullerton will either have to back track and take a crowded red line or go on a bus(either the shuttle or 37).

[Busjack]

..However, the Ravenswood station really only serves people north of belmont, who already can transfer to the red line at Belmont and get into the loop that way. People south of Fullerton will either have to back track and take a crowded red line or go on a bus(either the shuttle or 37).

There is the Clybourn station on Courtland near Ashland. Don't know if it is worth it to hop a train there.

[See Tea Eh]

There certainly is the Clybourn station, but the problem is getting there. Other than those taking an eastbond 73 that normally transfer to the Brown Line, I can't think of Clybourn being a practical alternative to anybody impacted by this.