Wells Street Bridge Project, Part Two

[chicagopcclcar]

A Brown line train with "red Roosevelt" rollsigns pulls into Belmont station on the outer track. Track assignments at Belmont will remain the same but Roosevelt bound Brown line trains will use the inner platform at Fullerton during am rush periods on the five weekdays.

A Brown line train shows its "Loop" destination signs as it pulls into the Merchandise Mart station, terminal for the five weekday operations during the bridge project. We learned that the roofwalk easily cleared the tunnels when those former Yellow lline cars operated on the Roosevelt reroute.

This weekend begins Part Two of the Wells Street Bridge Project and just like Part One there are reroutes, new roll signs, shuttle buses, and operational changes on the Loop 'L'. And just like Part One, the Purple line will not run downtown and every second of three Brown line trains will reroute through the Red line subway as far as Roosevelt. There will be one change to SB service during the am rush at Fullerton on the north side.....– all southbound Red Line and Brown Line trains operating to Roosevelt via the subway will serve the Red Line (inner) side of the platform at Fullerton. The rerouted Brown line trains will cross over to the inside tracks just before Fullerton. All Brown line trains will still service Diversey and Wellington stations as normal. Brown Line trains (to Merchandise Mart) will serve the outer side of the platform at Fullerton. Having subway-bound trains serve one side of the platform and elevated trains serve the other side will help eliminate confusion and speed transfers. At Belmont, all Brown line trains, both Merchandise Mart and Roosevelt destinations will use the normal outer side of the platform.

Most observers agree that the last three days of the first bridge project went as well as possible. The sticker system allowed train personnel to locate and assign rail cars containing the "red Roosevelt" roll signs to the rerouted Brown line trains. Since the Roosevelt trains had to pass 35th Bronzeville station on the Green line before they were turned back, that designation even showed up on Train Tracker. I never found out if Brown line reroutes operating from Midway ran inservice when they were on the Orange line tracks.

The biggest problem I observed was that the number of trains operating in the subway was way beyond the capacity of the signal system. I will look to see if management was able to improve train handling.

[SamRoman]

Were there any photos of the Red Line 5000's on the Brown Line during part 1 of the Wells Street Bridge

[chicagomotorman]

Same bs as last time. Same scheduled unneeded extra red line service to 95th St.

[chicagopcclcar]

Same bs as last time. Same scheduled unneeded extra red line service to 95th St.

Hey Irwin...have you seen the schedule??? I noticed on the scanner that some Purple line crews went through the subway. Were these extras? I agree that there seems to be too many trains in the subway for the signal systm to handle. Are the extras going southbound to 95th to become extras northbound in the pm rush? Maybe gap trains would be better than making whole round trips.

DH

[sw4400]

Were there any photos of the Red Line 5000's on the Brown Line during part 1 of the Wells Street Bridge

If there were any 5000's doing Brown Line(Broosevelt) runs, I never seen or heard of them being used. Can they be??? If Red Line stock & trained operators are used to supplement rail service, then yes, they can be used. But I think that's why the Brown Line picked up 3267-3294 from the Orange Line. It would be interesting to see if this block returns to the Orange Line after this and 3355-3378 return to the Brown Line.

I think the reason the "Broosevelt" trains are using the Red Line tracks at Fullerton is exactly what chicagopcclcar stated above... less confusion. I never rode the "Broosevelt" trains to the North Side Main Line to see how service went there, but I'm sure you had a lot of angered Brown Line riders board the train with "Roosevelt" signs on a red background, no less, at Belmont, Wellington or Fullerton and get irate when the train shoots past Armitage and descends into the State St. Subway portal.

I wonder if any geniuses tried to pull the cherries to stop the train and open the doors somewhere between Armitage and the Subway.

[chicagopcclcar]

If there were any 5000's doing Brown Line(Broosevelt) runs, I never seen or heard of them being used. Can they be??? If Red Line stock & trained operators are used to supplement rail service, then yes, they can be used. But I think that's why the Brown Line picked up 3267-3294 from the Orange Line. It would be interesting to see if this block returns to the Orange Line after this and 3355-3378 return to the Brown Line.

I believe he understands that any 5000s with Brown line "Loop" signs are operated by Red line crew and only run as gap trains from Belmont to Merchandise Mart...in other words no subway reroute because 5000s do not have the "Roosevelt" sign.

[chicagomotorman]

no. these are regular Evanston 500 run number crews.

[chicagomotorman]

These operators picked Evanston. They should work Evanston.

[sw4400]

I believe he understands that any 5000s with Brown line "Loop" signs are operated by Red line crew and only run as gap trains from Belmont to Merchandise Mart...in other words no subway reroute because 5000s do not have the "Roosevelt" sign.

I stand corrected on that... I forgot about the "gap train".

[chicagopcclcar]

These operators picked Evanston. They should work Evanston.

You realize the Evanstons (Purple) aren't running, at least all the way downtown. So what do the excess operators (motormen) do for the week.

[chicagomotorman]

Went yesterday to my former employers trainroom at Howard St. I saw the supplemental schedule. Same thing as last time time, selected Evanston crews going to 95th St. More congestion, unneeded extra service.

I didn't see this other tidbit in writing, but sources told me that the Ravenswood/brown line trains going to Rooselvelt will be turned at 63rd. middle on the Red line instead of 37th middle on the Green.

[chicagopcclcar]

Went yesterday to my former employers trainroom at Howard St. I saw the supplemental schedule. Same thing as last time time, selected Evanston crews going to 95th St. More congestion, unneeded extra service.

I didn't see this other tidbit in writing, but sources told me that the Ravenswood/brown line trains going to Rooselvelt will be turned at 63rd. middle on the Red line instead of 37th middle on the Green.

63rd Middle instead of 37th Middle....that would be newsworthy. Operationally, you wouldn't need a towermqn at 13th St. or at 17th St., but one at 59th St, entrance to the Middle track. You wouldn't have to intermix detour trains twice, just once at 59th St. (Ryan). Then trains would be in order all the way back to and through the subway. Then if they could smooth out the trains through the subway, we wouldn't have NBs sitting at every station on the Ryan waiting to be "restarted." Good find.

[chicagomotorman]

See you Monday Dave?

[chicagopcclcar]

See you Monday Dave?

Yes, I'll be checking Roosevelt, Belmont, and Fullerton in the am rush. Put a time for one.

Verified the Brown line turning at 63rd St. Middle. It is still up in the air how far south they'll let passengers ride. Also verified that the south incline will still see some use.....the Brown line reroutes that come from Midway will still use the south incline. So in effect, the subway will be stuffed with 900 runs, 800runs, 400 runs, a few 500 runs and a few 700 runs. And no, there has not been any change to the signal capacity.

[chicagomotorman]

So 63rd middle is not hearsay. I will be going in the pm rush. I still sleep late, This time I want to go to the Mart and check out the bridge.

[chicagopcclcar]

An ole friend will be "terminal director" at the Mart for the week. The Mart will have a gap train too.

[chicagomotorman]

Is this a mystery ole friend terminal director?

[chicagopcclcar]

What to look for on Monday, first weekday of Wells Bridge Project Two.....1. All rerouted Brown line trains should have "red Roosevelt" signs which should mean no large scale transfers of equipment, no stickers either. All the 2400s from Midway and all 3200s from Kimball are said to have the correct signs. 2. At Altgeld Interlocking, just north of Fullerton station, watch to see rerouted Brown line trains switch from track one to track two. It has been reported and I saw it too that there was extensive track work done in this location in the past few weeks. 3. I'm looking to see if any enhancements to the signal system were done in the subway. 4. Southbound rerouted Brown line trains should be emptied at Roosevelt and should run "lite" to 63rd St. Middle track for turning. This avoids picking up passengers at in-between stops, only to have to remove them at Garfield/ Red. 5. Midway reroutes might run "in service" on Orange line, both directions. There evidently are many passengers taking advantage of service to the east side of the Loop. 6. Merchandise Mart will have a "gap train". 7. Any standing SB at Chicago/Franklin is partly due to safety margin for single track operation into Merchandise Mart, so temper complaints.

Photo taken from Historical Car Transfer move shows crossovers north of Fullerton that will be used to place Brown line subway reroutes onto Red line subway track and inside berthing SB at Fullerton. This will simplify boarding at Fullerton.....subway trains on the inner, Mart trains on the outer.

[BusHunter]

The only thing I don't like about the Brown line trains going to 63rd middle on the Ryan is they may end up using more trains than they did for the 37th middle turnaround. Isn't it going to take twice to three times as long to turn trains and bring them back to Roosevelt using 63rd middle? Not counting the service already going to M. Mart. I would think they would have transfer over some Purple line #2400's to make this work.

[mkohut]

I don't think its a good idea to have to have Brown Line trains go to 63RD.

Between slow zones on there and all the extra trains for the Red Line its going to be bottleneck train traffic.

There was a previous post that had trains northbound backup all the way to 87th street.

[chicagopcclcar]

The only thing I don't like about the Brown line trains going to 63rd middle on the Ryan is they may end up using more trains than they did for the 37th middle turnaround. Isn't it going to take twice to three times as long to turn trains and bring them back to Roosevelt using 63rd middle? Not counting the service already going to M. Mart. I would think they would have transfer over some Purple line #2400's to make this work.

Since this is not a "load and go" operation, (there is a schedule printed and distributed) I feel certain that the CTA managers have numbers for the trains they plan to run. This is coupled with a lesser number of Brown line trains overall than on normal days. Plus there are the five Midway trains. This change was probably prompted by the difficulty of meshing trains into the flow from the incline and the limited capabilities of 13th St. tower.

[chicagopcclcar]

I don't think its a good idea to have to have Brown Line trains go to 63RD.

Between slow zones on there and all the extra trains for the Red Line its going to be bottleneck train traffic.

There was a previous post that had trains northbound backup all the way to 87th street.

As I mentioned before, probably difficulties putting trains into service from the incline prompted the change.

[BusHunter]

I don't think its a good idea to have to have Brown Line trains go to 63RD.

Between slow zones on there and all the extra trains for the Red Line its going to be bottleneck train traffic.

There was a previous post that had trains northbound backup all the way to 87th street.

Yeah, it doesn't matter if the trains run light or not they can't pass the Red line trains in service ahead of them. Then to send them on slow zone track is a bad idea. Is it not naive to estimate it's going to take 45 minutes to an hour to do a round trip between Roosevelt and 63rd? (this I got to see) Maybe instead of Roosevelt signs they should have made 63rd ones. I have a hard time believing five trains extra is going to supplement the Brown line from the north portal of the subway to 63rd both ways. I think what's going to happen is there going to send a couple Red line trains to Kimball because there going to be short trains.

[chicagopcclcar]

Yeah, it doesn't matter if the trains run light or not they can't pass the Red line trains in service ahead of them. Then to send them on slow zone track is a bad idea. Is it not naive to estimate it's going to take 45 minutes to an hour to do a round trip between Roosevelt and 63rd? (this I got to see) Maybe instead of Roosevelt signs they should have made 63rd ones. I have a hard time believing five trains extra is going to supplement the Brown line from the north portal of the subway to 63rd both ways. I think what's going to happen is there going to send a couple Red line trains to Kimball because there going to be short trains.

63rd St. signs?????? You can't have a sign for every turnaround. Which incidentally is every interlocking. All interlockings have the capability to turn trains, one or a whole schedule, weekend, monthful. In Project One, the Brown line trains with the Roosevelt sign served 35th Brownsville as the last stop. Rather than dozens of rollsigns, for which there's no room, you depend upon announcements over the PA to inform your passengers of any service adjustment. New York trains only have one letter or one number on the front of their trains.

There is still room for a NB gap train at 63rd. Plus is rail control sees not enough Brown line trains in the lineup, they can always advise passengers to use Red line trains to Fullerton. There is also a gap train at the Mart.

[BusHunter]

63rd St. signs?????? You can't have a sign for every turnaround. Which incidentally is every interlocking. All interlockings have the capability to turn trains, one or a whole schedule, weekend, monthful. In Project One, the Brown line trains with the Roosevelt sign served 35th Brownsville as the last stop. Rather than dozens of rollsigns, for which there's no room, you depend upon announcements over the PA to inform your passengers of any service adjustment. New York trains only have one letter or one number on the front of their trains.

There is still room for a NB gap train at 63rd. Plus is rail control sees not enough Brown line trains in the lineup, they can always advise passengers to use Red line trains to Fullerton. There is also a gap train at the Mart.

I only mention the roll signs because the Red line has a 63rd sign. Here's a thought, if they intend on turning trains at 63rd middle, why not just run trains light or with passengers to Ashland/63rd Green line or 61st yard or Cottage/63rd? I would think that would be faster (although then they might as well go back to 37th middle). As far as schedules, how can you make an accurate schedule that uses slow zone track. I remember before the blue line got new rail ties the schedule was way off because trains were taking 30-40 minutes one way just to travel from Belmont to O' Hare. I suppose if 63rd doesn't work out they can go back to 37th middle? Has anyone tested this 63rd idea? If not that's bad planning.