4 car trains on the Skokie Swift

[BusHunter]

Today they were running 4 car trains on the Skokie Swift. Weird part about it is they were not using the 2 cars at the south end of the consist. (Doors wouldn't open) Equipment was the same as what's assigned except one of the 3 trains had #2537-38, and #2482-2531 (mismate) Could they be training these for future use?

[sw4400]

Well you said the Red, Yellow and Purple Lines borrow equipment from each other. Since 2893-2898 are currently assigned to the Yellow Line, perhaps a married pair or two are out of service for repairs requiring some Purple Line equipment for fill-in service.

Another possibility is that the switching issue today forced some Purple Line cars to be temporarily assigned to the Yellow Line.

[BusHunter]

Well you said the Red, Yellow and Purple Lines borrow equipment from each other. Since 2893-2898 are currently assigned to the Yellow Line, perhaps a married pair or two are out of service for repairs requiring some Purple Line equipment for fill-in service.

Another possibility is that the switching issue today forced some Purple Line cars to be temporarily assigned to the Yellow Line.

Yes they do assign extra cars between the 3 lines. Today there was a #2600 set off the Red line on the Purple, which is usually a daily occurrence. They would have to borrow trains in the case of four car trains on the Swift. The Swift only has the six cars assigned. Weird part about it is Dempster/Skokie can only take a 2 car train, unless maybe there's overcrowding inbound and they figure they can use the other two cars at Oakton/Skokie and Howard. (but it's not that easy to cut the doors in/out on a repeated basis anyway for service)

[jajuan]

Or it could be those extra cars were used as snow pushers to clear up any ice on the tracks since there was sleet and snow earlier in the day today.

[BusHunter]

Or it could be those extra cars were used as snow pushers to clear up any ice on the tracks since there was sleet and snow earlier in the day today.

There was not that much snow. Anyway what do they do in the opposite direction!!

[Busjack]

Yes they do assign extra cars between the 3 lines. Today there was a #2600 set off the Red line on the Purple, which is usually a daily occurrence. They would have to borrow trains in the case of four car trains on the Swift. The Swift only has the six cars assigned. Weird part about it is Dempster/Skokie can only take a 2 car train, unless maybe there's overcrowding inbound and they figure they can use the other two cars at Oakton/Skokie and Howard. (but it's not that easy to cut the doors in/out on a repeated basis anyway for service)

Others said that Dempster and the reversal track can take 4 cars.

Supposedly, though, the mismatch cars were only supposed to be used as belly cars, but obviously that can't happen on a 4 car train.

[sw4400]

Another farfetched possibility is that 2893-2898 were on assignment as work cars(they are work capable as 2401-2422, 2891-2892, 2899-2900 and 3441-3444 are) as evidenced by the chart here. What they might've been working on if this was the case is unknown to me.

[sw4400]

Others said that Dempster and the reversal track can take 4 cars.

Supposedly, though, the mismatch cars were only supposed to be used as belly cars, but obviously that can't happen on a 4 car train.

Why? They are the same car type, just renumbered. 2351-2352 are actually mismates 2307-2316(although 2200's are now belly cars only, I'm sure this pair did lead trains at one point in the past, but only Blue Line riders can confirm this or not), 3457-3458 have lead trains before, and they're not only mismates, but trains of a different series.

[T8H5307A]

Others said that Dempster and the reversal track can take 4 cars.

Supposedly, though, the mismatch cars were only supposed to be used as belly cars, but obviously that can't happen on a 4 car train.

The turnback track at Dempster holds 5 cars. Common practice as of recent is to run 4 car trains during winter weather (ice, snow, sleet, etc). One unit has the deicing equipment on board. They cut the doors out on the one unit since you can't properly berth a 4 car train at Dempster.

[Busjack]

Why? They are the same car type, just renumbered. 2351-2352 are actually mismates 2307-2316(although 2200's are now belly cars only, I'm sure this pair did lead trains at one point in the past, but only Blue Line riders can confirm this or not), 3457-3458 have lead trains before, and they're not only mismates, but trains of a different series.

Look it up at chicago-l,org,

....Common practice as of recent is to run 4 car trains during winter weather (ice, snow, sleet, etc). One unit has the deicing equipment on board. They cut the doors out on the one unit since you can't properly berth a 4 car train at Dempster.

The proper answer. There were "mixed winter precipitation" warnings Monday, but apparently the worst of it didn't get that far north. However, I didn't think Dempster was that short. Maybe I'm wrong on that account.

[chicagopcclcar]

I agree with T8H5307A that the Yellow line runs four cars mainly to insure the train gets good third rail contact and won't get stalled in gaps, especially street crossings when inclement weather threatens, including carrying rail car sleet fighting apparatus. Dempster/Skokie platform cannot accomodate four cars although the turnback track can. The northern deuce should carry the passengers so that berthed trains don't block the pedestrian crossing. My question....Are the cab doors inbetween the two car deuces in the closed one-man-cab position, blocking the end doors to prevent passengers from going into the third car?

DH

[jajuan]

There was not that much snow. Anyway what do they do in the opposite direction!!

No but the weather was still dicey. And T8H and chicagopplcar confirmed my hypothesis. Care to try challenging another post?

[BusHunter]

No but the weather was still dicey. And T8H and chicagopplcar confirmed my hypothesis. Care to try challenging another post?

You call yesterday dicey? Again T8H and Busjack has the real explanation, I'm looking for. (there was bad weather called for but it didn't reach that far north) So, before you get too almighty take a look and see who got the answer right and who partially got it right. (besides that's what we're here for to challenge each others opinions right) Besides you still didn't answer my question (professor Jajuan ) what do they do in the other direction? All trains had the same two cars cordoned off. (the south two)

[Busjack]

...Besides you still didn't answer my question (professor Jajuan ) what do they do in the other direction? All trains had the same two cars cordoned off. (the south two)

The answer might be that since, after the rehabs, each cab has left and right door controls on both sides, use the ones in car 3. That, of course, would assume that there is a conductor in there.

Now, I don't know if any of my assumptions will prove out, though.

[BusHunter]

The answer might be that since, after the rehabs, each cab has left and right door controls on both sides, use the ones in car 3. That, of course, would assume that there is a conductor in there.

Now, I don't know if any of my assumptions will prove out, though.

That would mean running the first two cars over ice and the third deices. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose, to spare the first two cars any ill effects of the ice?

[artthouwill]

The answer might be that since, after the rehabs, each cab has left and right door controls on both sides, use the ones in car 3. That, of course, would assume that there is a conductor in there.

Now, I don't know if any of my assumptions will prove out, though.

Couldn't the cars have their doors "cut out" prior to starting each trip? In other words, the operator could "cut out" the car doors not being used while sitting on the stub track either at Howard or Skokie/Dempster prior to beginning his trip, thus when he pulls into the station, only the doors not cut out would open?

[Busjack]

That would mean running the first two cars over ice and the third deices. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose, to spare the first two cars any ill effects of the ice?

Might, but at least it clears the tracks for the next train. Sometimes the issue is more keeping ahead of the storm.

[chicagopcclcar]

In the PCC days, we had a zone switch, or a pass-through switch. If that was opened, doors beyond the switch location would not respond to the door controls. Todays' new equipment has done away with that. Snow is not the problem with the 'L' unless we get blizzards like the good ole days. Sleet, rain freezing on; snow freezing on..... the third rail is the problem. Every car has two trolley shoes, two ice scrapers. The sleet fighter cars put an anti-freeze gel-like goop on the third rail. "L' cars don't plow snow. The Yellow line runs two car trains. The CTA no longer runs two car trains on the other lines. Many of you remember when they did. Every street crossing on the Yellow line is a long gap in the third rail....a gap longer than two cars. A two car train could get stuck whereas four cars would always have some shoes on a third rail. That's one reason for running four cars.

If the ice and freezing got to be too much on the third rail, not just the street crossings, but all up and down the line, four cars have more shoes and scrapers to get you through, that's a second reason for four cars.

You want your sleet fighters to put down the anti-freeze on the third rail. There's an employee aboard who monitors that operation. The equipment is in a closed off section of the passenger compartment. That's a third reason to run four cars. To keep that separate from the passengers and not cut down on seating capacity.

Only two cars will fit the platform at Dempster-Skokie. Put all the passengers in the north-two cars...sorry, I called the cars a deuce...that's CTA jargon. Cut the doors out in the south two cars. Northbound stop at the two-car mark. That won't block the pedestrian crossing at Dempster-Skokie. Pull all four cars into the turnback, operator walks through four cars to the south end, pull train into SB platform, all four cars (there must be a four car mark for this). Train stopped at the four car mark will clear the pedestrian crossing. Open doors, only the north end two cars will board people. Operator will work from the south end, the empty two cars. Close and go. Makes no difference which way the sleet fighter is going, it's bi-directional. So are the shoes and the sleet scrapers....bi directional.

Now I asked the question....are the cabs closed off into one-man position to keep passengers from going between north cars and south cars.(Like on the Holiday Train) Guess I'll have to get up north and see for myself.

DH

[BusHunter]

No they were not closed off.

[jajuan]

You call yesterday dicey? Again T8H and Busjack has the real explanation, I'm looking for. (there was bad weather called for but it didn't reach that far north) So, before you get too almighty take a look and see who got the answer right and who partially got it right. (besides that's what we're here for to challenge each others opinions right) Besides you still didn't answer my question (professor Jajuan ) what do they do in the other direction? All trains had the same two cars cordoned off. (the south two)

The date in question was Monday. And yes the weather was dicey during part of that day with some sleet, a bit of ice and a bit of snow. And I pretty much said the same as T8H. So you wish to continue being a smart aleck?

[BusHunter]

The date in question was Monday. And yes the weather was dicey during part of that day with some sleet, a bit of ice and a bit of snow. And I pretty much said the same as T8H. So you wish to continue being a smart aleck?

I can't help it if you didn't like my response. And if you don't like people being a smart aleck, then don't act like one yourself.

[jajuan]

I can't help it if you didn't like my response. And if you don't like people being a smart aleck, then don't act like one yourself.

Do point to where I supposedly acted like a smart aleck sir as I'm fairly certain you can't. And if you're speaking of my initial response, I will have to correct you as it's just as I laid it out and phrased it, a simple rhetorical question since I remembered that scenario being raised by one of the rail operators on the forum and that's what similar procedure should have been followed during the big ice storm we had a few weeks ago and some of you reported that the Green Line had a lot of problems that day. Next time ask if I'm making a challenge before just going in and assuming. This isn't the first time you made that assumption toward me and it turned out to be incorrect.