Wells Street Bridge Project, Part Two

[chicagopcclcar]

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.

1. "Ashand/63" is not a 63rd St. sign. 2. The trains being turned don't go to 63rd anyway. 3. They don't want passengers boarding at intermediate stops only to be told to get off at another intermediate stop. 4. 63rd to avoid so many trains on the incline....13th St. is not the best of interlocking towers. 5. The Ryan is not a complete slow zone. It has stretches of 35 and 55 still. 6. It's only five days. But you can bet that this tweak was discussed and modelled over and over. They didn't just flip a coin.

[BusHunter]

1. "Ashand/63" is not a 63rd St. sign. 2. The trains being turned don't go to 63rd anyway. 3. They don't want passengers boarding at intermediate stops only to be told to get off at another intermediate stop. 4. 63rd to avoid so many trains on the incline....13th St. is not the best of interlocking towers. 5. The Ryan is not a complete slow zone. It has stretches of 35 and 55 still. 6. It's only five days. But you can bet that this tweak was discussed and modelled over and over. They didn't just flip a coin.

Three minute intervals on the Red line? Not tomorrow. But don't say I didn't warn you.

[joechicago]

This morning I personally saw a Brown Line to Roosevelt on the outside tracks at Fullerton, so not sure if they were moving all the trains to the inside. There were a few Red Lines at the time, so maybe they just put it there to help with capacity.

[chicagopcclcar]

This morning I personally saw a Brown Line to Roosevelt on the outside tracks at Fullerton, so not sure if they were moving all the trains to the inside. There were a few Red Lines at the time, so maybe they just put it there to help with capacity.

That was a "Oops"!!

[chicagopcclcar]

"Gap trains" are trains that sit on side tracks or other out-of-the-way places until they are authorized to go into service by rail control. For the five weekday Wells Street bridge project, gap trains wait on the western-most track north of Clark Junction. Most gap trains I saw today were 2400 series rail cars from Howard yard and those cars carried signs both for the Mart and for Roosevelt. But despite the signage, most seemed to go into service as Red line trains. A platform of disapointment at Belmont was quickly reversed when a completely empty eight car gap train crossed over from track one to track two and threw open the doors to completly empty cars. And many of those passengers had been left behind by prior trains. Ole timers would call gap trains "brooms" as they would sweep the platforms clean. I didn't see any 5000s on Monday that weren't assigned to regular Red line trains. I did think I saw a set of 2600s running as a Brown line reroute originating on the Orange line.

The third of three gap trains waits with signs designating " out of service" as a Red line train approaches Addison station.

You could liken it to Christmas in April for the passengers waiting for Red line service as a gap train full of empty seats crosses to the Red line route at Clark Junction. Most people don't realize how the track level drops north of Clark St. as the 'L' crosses an old beach line of primitive Lake Michigan.

[BusHunter]

So they did use the extra Purple line cars like I said they would. That makes sense now that Purple line operators were scheduled to do red line service. only 3 gap trains? I would think there would be more. I wonder what happened in the PM? (the sun angle appears to be in the AM in your shots) The gaps went to Kimball?

[chicagopcclcar]

All Brown line trains from the branch stay on the outside track and serve the outer platform at Belmont while Red line subway trains serve the inner platform. But the "red Roosevelt" roll signs show that at Altgeld Ingterlocking, this train will switch from track one to track two. Which train should waiting passengers board, since they're both "subway" trains?

Since they have to cross all four tracks, northbound Brown line trains leave a sea of red over red signals in their wake at Clark Junction. The only opposing move is a southbound off the branch. This action is seen from the southbound platform at Belmont. By the way, Belmont is named for a Civil War battle.

[chicagopcclcar]

So they did use the extra Purple line cars like I said they would. That makes sense now that Purple line operators were scheduled to do red line service. only 3 gap trains? I would think there would be more. I wonder what happened in the PM? (the sun angle appears to be in the AM in your shots) The gaps went to Kimball?

You are probably correct about using Purple line cars. I don't keep track of car numbers. There was an ill passenger in the pm rush that delayed the NB subway. A Red line train was turned from south to north at Belmont to make up. One "Roosevelt" train worked all the way to 95th in the pm rush. Otherwise the Roosevelts ran lite both ways between 63rd Middle and Roosevelt. Its still out if Midway Browns ran inservice outbound. Biggest news is there were no 5000 series used as gap trains.

[chicagopcclcar]

After a start-up glitch at Altgeld Crossover, things ran smoothly the rest of the day. Here a series of photos shows a "Roosevelt" crossing over from track one to track two to serve Fullerton from the inner platform.

Another crossover move. Based on the equipment and the run number, this was probably a "gap train" from Clark Tower inserted into "Roosevelt Brown" service.

Scheduled times in the subway range down to headways of 3.5 to 4 minutes.

[chicagomotorman]

I heard from a source that yesterday's morning rush was a little fouled up because the towerman asigned for Altgeld St. Tower, went to Argyle instead. SMH

[chicagopcclcar]

It's not as simple as that! I'll leave it...I won't say anymore.

[busfan2847]

After a start-up glitch at Altgeld Crossover, things ran smoothly the rest of the day. Here a series of photos shows a "Roosevelt" crossing over from track one to track two to serve Fullerton from the inner platform.

XXX CUT XXX

Another crossover move. Based on the equipment and the run number, this was probably a "gap train" from Clark Tower inserted into "Roosevelt Brown" service.

Scheduled times in the subway range down to headways of 3.5 to 4 minutes.

If this photo was taken around 8:40am yesterday morning this train originated at Kimball. I caught the head car 2543 from Franscisco to Roosevelt. Progress was very slow from Fullerton to Roosevelt! We passed two Red line trains stopped north of Fullerton before moving across to the subway track.

The Brown Loop train was a 8-car set of 2400 from the Green line including mismatched pair 2469-2504.

[chicagopcclcar]

If this photo was taken around 8:40am yesterday morning this train originated at Kimball. I caught the head car 2543 from Franscisco to Roosevelt. Progress was very slow from Fullerton to Roosevelt! We passed two Red line trains stopped north of Fullerton before moving across to the subway track.

The Brown Loop train was a 8-car set of 2400 from the Green line including mismatched pair 2469-2504.

I'm going by the run number....that is a Purple line crew. There are/were 2400s out of Kimball, yes, but they were 700 run numbers...Midway crews. But if you had the car number written down, I can't argue with that, LOL. A Brown line crew made it all the way to 95th Monday, in service.

DH

[geneking7320]

I got on a Red Line train at Howard around 4:45pm yesterday and rode to Chicago ave. Between Howard and Lawrence (not exactly certain) I saw a northbound Red Line train of 8 2400s [which I thought was atypical]. Could it have been a 'gap' train

heading to Howard?

[chicagopcclcar]

I got on a Red Line train at Howard around 4:45pm yesterday and rode to Chicago ave. Between Howard and Lawrence (not exactly certain) I saw a northbound Red Line train of 8 2400s [which I thought was atypical]. Could it have been a 'gap' train

heading to Howard?

In the words of the ole disco classic...."Yousa, yousa, yousa."

[chicagomotorman]

anymore

[chicagopcclcar]

anymore

I did hear two southbounds running "express" from Howard on track one this morning. They crossed 1 to 2 and served Addison. Q & A...did they carry fare paying folks from Howard? They and gap trains held at Belmont to "pick up passengers and make connections" with Browns. Otherwise everything seemed to run smoothly.

[geneking7320]

I forgot to mention that last night around 8:10pm or so I boarded a Red Line train of 5Ks. I was on the last car and noticed

that all the cards over the doorways were Brown Line cards (didn't see an all lines card).

[jajuan]

If this photo was taken around 8:40am yesterday morning this train originated at Kimball. I caught the head car 2543 from Franscisco to Roosevelt. Progress was very slow from Fullerton to Roosevelt! We passed two Red line trains stopped north of Fullerton before moving across to the subway track.

The Brown Loop train was a 8-car set of 2400 from the Green line including mismatched pair 2469-2504.

On this one I'll agree with chicagopplcar. 2469-2504 an 2543-2544 had been Green Line cars earlier this year but they were recently transferred from the Green Line to the Purple Line some time around late last month/early this month. I've ridden consists on the Purple Line Express that had 2469-2504 and/or 2543-2544 within the train at different points from when they first went to the Purple up to as late as last week before part two of the Wells bridge construction began. So those were Purple line cars used as a Brown Line to Roosevelt subway station, not Green Line cars.

[BusHunter]

Service was pretty dicey on the south side this afternoon. There was a gap in trains of about 20 minutes. Then it took an additional 25 minutes to get to Roosevelt from Garfield. The train I was on got stopped in a slow zone for 5-10 minutes. Other than that service was better than before, all the gap trains went to 95th and the brown line trains ran light to 63rd middle. I counted about 8-10 brown line trains between Roosevelt and Garfield (that's 64 to 80 cars out of service during the rush) The question I had was if all the gap trains went to 95th, where was the extra service NB on the Brown? I don't know if it's my imagination, but most of the extra service catered to the Red line. The Brown line platforms were packed. BTW, I was checking out the ties on the Ryan. They actually look better than the Purple line's ties!! There's even a spot north of 47th that already has new ties. If there going to rip this up that seems kind of foolish. Looks like there piling up running rails and equipment south of Cermak-Chinatown. There's not too many days until the 19th.

[busfan2847]

On this one I'll agree with chicagopplcar. 2469-2504 an 2543-2544 had been Green Line cars earlier this year but they were recently transferred from the Green Line to the Purple Line some time around late last month/early this month. I've ridden consists on the Purple Line Express that had 2469-2504 and/or 2543-2544 within the train at different points from when they first went to the Purple up to as late as last week before part two of the Wells bridge construction began. So those were Purple line cars used as a Brown Line to Roosevelt subway station, not Green Line cars.

I know 2543 + 2544 are purple line cars. They were part of an 8 car train that started at Kimbell and were not a gap train from Clark tower as chicagopplcar had thought from it's run number. They have been on the Purple Line since Jun-11 (although they spent some months on the Red line last year). They have always been Purple or Red cars since Feb 94 except for 15 months on the Green from Mar-10.

Perhaps I had not made this clear enough, 2469 + 2504 were part of the eight car Loop Shuttle Train, along with 2473, 2474, 2475, 2476, 2477 & 2478, and not on a Brown line train to Roosevelt. The CTA L roster for the Green Line dated 4/23/2013 on this site show all eight cars to be still allocated to the Green Line. Perhaps you were thinking of the other mismatch pair 2531 + 2482 which have been on the Purple (or 6 months on Red last year) since Dec-11?

[jajuan]

I know 2543 + 2544 are purple line cars. They were part of an 8 car train that started at Kimbell and were not a gap train from Clark tower as chicagopplcar had thought from it's run number. They have been on the Purple Line since Jun-11 (although they spent some months on the Red line last year). They have always been Purple or Red cars since Feb 94 except for 15 months on the Green from Mar-10.

Perhaps I had not made this clear enough, 2469 + 2504 were part of the eight car Loop Shuttle Train, along with 2473, 2474, 2475, 2476, 2477 & 2478, and not on a Brown line train to Roosevelt. The CTA L roster for the Green Line dated 4/23/2013 on this site show all eight cars to be still allocated to the Green Line. Perhaps you were thinking of the other mismatch pair 2531 + 2482 which have been on the Purple (or 6 months on Red last year) since Dec-11?

It's a possibility though I also know that there have been recent shifts of Green 2400s up to the Red and Purple Lines in recent weeks, moreso the Purple soon before Round Two of the Brown Line reroutes. As for the condition of some of the ties on the Dan Ryan branch that Bushunter mentions, yes it's true that there are pockets on the Dan Ryan end of the Red Line that are in better condition than in spots on the Purple, but the ties aren't the only issue that CTA says need to be fixed. There are also the drainage problems that others mentioned that were thought to be fixed previously that will be worked on and replacement of the ballast under the rails and ties that also needs to be done. From what the CTA says along with the ties the track bed itself is well past its useful lifespan after over years time, 44 to be more exact given the 1969 open date of the Dan Ryan rail segment, is a large contributor to the Dan Ryan segment's 40% slow zones plaguing those tracks.From what I understand of the project webpage, the old ballast in the track bed is also a contributor to the drainage problems on that part of the line. So that's pretty much why they're pulling out everything and rebuilding it all from scratch. The stopgaps of replacement rail and tie pockets just isn't enough anymore to slow the slow zones plaguing that section unfortunately.

[chicagopcclcar]

Updates....Updates Regarding the 2543, it might have been on its second trip if it originated from Kimball. But its first insertion in service must have been as a "gap train" or as a regular train from Midway since Kimball doesn't store 2400s...agreed??? Which brings up another question...how do the gap trains and Midway trains get back to their origins. Do the crews stay with the equipment rather than "falling back" which is the usual custom.

"Express trains"....overheard again that Howard is sending out extra trains. They go "express" from Howard to Addison using track one, the usual Purple track and not the fastest track for sure, LOL. If they're running "express" they should be carrying passengers. There are three of them.

Of course I don't normally listen on a daily basis, but there seem to be at least two medical emergencies a day that cause trains to stand waiting for the CFD. And everyone I saw stumbling off trains at the Mart, lost, unaware of what was happening, had their ears stuffed with ear buds. Ya think that's why they didn't hear any announcements???

[busfan2847]

Updates....Updates Regarding the 2543, it might have been on its second trip if it originated from Kimball. But its first insertion in service must have been as a "gap train" or as a regular train from Midway since Kimball doesn't store 2400s...agreed??? Which brings up another question...how do the gap trains and Midway trains get back to their origins. Do the crews stay with the equipment rather than "falling back" which is the usual custom.

"Express trains"....overheard again that Howard is sending out extra trains. They go "express" from Howard to Addison using track one, the usual Purple track and not the fastest track for sure, LOL. If they're running "express" they should be carrying passengers. There are three of them.

Of course I don't normally listen on a daily basis, but there seem to be at least two medical emergencies a day that cause trains to stand waiting for the CFD. And everyone I saw stumbling off trains at the Mart, lost, unaware of what was happening, had their ears stuffed with ear buds. Ya think that's why they didn't hear any announcements???

Yes agrred that it could not have originated from Kimball but must have come down from Howard. On the way out to Francisco we past several trains formed of 2400. I had assumed that they were off the Orange line but it might be that a number of the gap trains did a full run to Kimball from Roosevelt and back.

[BusHunter]

Yes agrred that it could not have originated from Kimball but must have come down from Howard. On the way out to Francisco we past several trains formed of 2400. I had assumed that they were off the Orange line but it might be that a number of the gap trains did a full run to Kimball from Roosevelt and back.

I saw something weird myself yesterday with a Brown line #2400. There was a #2400 train with cars off the Orange line mixed with cars off the Purple. I believe the consist had #2443-44, #2463-64 and #254? in it. I thought gap trains coming off a certain line would not be mixed with other lines, but I guess I was wrong.