2000s run @ IRM

[buslist]

<http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/1490-More-Progress-on-the-CTA-2000s.html>

Today, for the first time in almost 20 years, CTA L cars 2153-2154 moved as a two-car train, with both cars powering properly. After replacing a motor, then troubleshooting and solving propulsion system issues, the cars made a test trip around the carline followed by several mainline trips and performed beautifully. Barring any unforeseen situation, this ensures that these cars will be in the Trolley Pageant on Saturday, July 06. While there are still some minor details that still need to be worked on, there is a very good chance that these cars will be IN SERVICE before the end of the season!!!

A big THANK YOU to project lead Richard Schauer who spent an enormous amount of time on this project along with his main assistant David Fullarton. And with apologies to those who are not listed, there have been many others who have helped on the project including support from Car Dept. Superintendent Rod Turner, and wrench-turners Jerry Saunders, Nick Espevik, Greg Kepka, Bill Ligeros, Warren Lloyd, Joel Ahrendt, and many others.

[buslist]

From the IRM BLOG

[RJL6000]

Thanks for that info! The IRM had to get those 2000s restored so that the trackage that those 2000s were going to be operated on could be used for any 2200s and/or 2400s that were to be acquired by IRM. Remember, these High Performance Family cars never had overhead equipment to begin with; they operated their entire revenue service lives over third rail.

[chicagopcclcar]

Thanks for that info! The IRM had to get those 2000s restored so that the trackage that those 2000s were going to be operated on could be used for any 2200s and/or 2400s that were to be acquired by IRM. Remember, these High Performance Family cars never had overhead equipment to begin with; they operated their entire revenue service lives over third rail.

Heh..Heh...Some 2400s did operate from catenary...at least one maybe. That was at the production site where they were assembled. For testing purposes since the test site didn't have third rail. A temporary pantograph was clamped onto the roof. There are pictures too.

[buslist]

Heh..Heh...Some 2400s did operate from catenary...at least one maybe. That was at the production site where they were assembled. For testing purposes since the test site didn't have third rail. A temporary pantograph was clamped onto the roof. There are pictures too.

.

Yup that was @ Boeing Vertol's plant in S. Philly right next to the NEC.

Had fun on the CTA charter for the APTA rail conference a few years ago telling some Japanese that we were riding in Boeing products, they didn't believe it.

[BusHunter]

Thanks for that info! The IRM had to get those 2000s restored so that the trackage that those 2000s were going to be operated on could be used for any 2200s and/or 2400s that were to be acquired by IRM. Remember, these High Performance Family cars never had overhead equipment to begin with; they operated their entire revenue service lives over third rail.

So are you saying that a #2200's car or a #2400's car can run with a #2000 if the #2000 is hooked up electrically by pantagraph or trolley pole? They should be electrically linked through the coupler? If so, all they would need is to run the #2000 and they could run any existing equipment from the #2000's to the #3200's, as long as it's in the same consist, so they wouldn't need to modify a #2200 when it shows up.

[sw4400]

So are you saying that a #2200's car or a #2400's car can run with a #2000 if the #2000 is hooked up electrically by pantagraph or trolley pole? They should be electrically linked through the coupler? If so, all they would need is to run the #2000 and they could run any existing equipment from the #2000's to the #3200's, as long as it's in the same consist, so they wouldn't need to modify a #2200 when it shows up.

Well according to buslist here...

After replacing a motor, then troubleshooting and solving propulsion system issues...

IRM had to replace a motor and tweak the propulsion system so the railcars would work again, so it all depends on what motor and propulsion system modifying they did with these cars that would determine if they are trainable with the 2200's or 2400's. I don't recall if the 2000's were ever paired with 2600's and I'm really not sure if they would be trainable with 3200's. I would presume they could be able to be trained together, but I don't honestly know.

[trainman8119]

The 2000s were together with 2200s and 2600s during their lifetime.

[chicagopcclcar]

Well according to buslist here...

IRM had to replace a motor and tweak the propulsion system so the railcars would work again, so it all depends on what motor and propulsion system modifying they did with these cars that would determine if they are trainable with the 2200's or 2400's. I don't recall if the 2000's were ever paired with 2600's and I'm really not sure if they would be trainable with 3200's. I would presume they could be able to be trained together, but I don't honestly know.

I believe you've got this all wrong. What BusHunter is speaking to is not whether the 2000s and 2400s and 2200s can run together electrically and if they did so on the CTA....but can the IRM 2000 equipped with pantographs supply power to any 2200s and 2400s the museum may acquire so that the 2200s and 2400s would not need pantographs added to them for operation on the museum railroad, so long as they were coupled to the 2000 set.

[Amtrak41]

When on the Empire Builder Lounge car a few years ago, I chatted with a couple of volunteers from the IRM. I asked why the 2000's don't run. They had 2 theories:

1) some were uncertain that the cars structurally could handle a trolley pole or pantograph and related equipment,

2) "Puritans" did not want these 3rd rail cars to run as God never intended on the CTA.

When do the NYCTA ACF R28's run ?

[chicagopcclcar]

When on the Empire Builder Lounge car a few years ago, I chatted with a couple of volunteers from the IRM. I asked why the 2000's don't run. They had 2 theories:

1) some were uncertain that the cars structurally could handle a trolley pole or pantograph and related equipment,

2) "Puritans" did not want these 3rd rail cars to run as God never intended on the CTA.

When do the NYCTA ACF R28's run ?

I don't think they have a schedule ...the Trolley Pagent would be the best bet. A pair of trolley poles have been installed so that they can run on the museum railroad. Here's a pic I took not long after they arrived.

[buslist]

Several items of confusion going on here.

To be operated together you need compatable couplers, which everything from the 6000s up through the current 5000s have, so they can be moved in a train with one or the other set providing the power. Then to get them all to operate you need compatable control systems. The 6000s had the PCCcompatable based system, the "high performance" cars begining with the 2000s had another and the 5000s have started a new generation there. But the other issue that has been brought up is the question of a power bus on the train.

Believe me, given the insulation requirements and the consequences of a power leak, no one is train lining traction power through a coupler. In fact interconnections of traction power between cars in the Chicago area was fairly limited. North Shore did not do it, hence poles up on every car north of Howard St. CSS&SB also did not do it except for low voltage to light the trailers. CA&E did do it to help with the long third rail gaps at some of the crossings. Note the socket above the train door on the CA&E cars which was for the power bus jumper.

CTA did it in a few instances. The Evanston 4000s were equipped with a single pole only so they had to have a power jumper from the adjacent car for operation in the opposit direction, so pairs were semi permanently operated together. There were a few plushies that were dual pole equipped and paired with a baldy, untill the arrival of the 2000s freeing up plushies from Lake St.

Due to the poorer power supply on Lake St. all cars were dual pole equipped and all drew power in the "overhead" powered section. CTA also had to use a power bus on the pole equipped 6100s as each had only one pole. The 2 2000s at IRM have a cable power bus between them. Also 6125-26 (were pole equipped on the CTA and still retain the double headlight configuration) and the other 2 6000 pairs will need them.

So at this point the 2200s and 2400s will need to be pole equipped to operate. (I don't see third rail being installed LOL)

BTW the cars are being equipped with poles not pantagraphs. IRM's overhead is not fully compatable with pantagraphs at this point.

The NYCTA rebirds have been receiving repairs to rusted out side panels recently not sure if repairs are sufficiently complete to permit operation.

On another note CRT 1024, the gate car, is receiving attention. The intention is to back date it to North Western 24 including the destination sign on the roof end.

[buslist]

BTW forgot to mention that IRM received a grant to return the 2000s to green and white.

<http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/1460-IRM-Receives-Charitable-Grant-for-Exterior-Restoration-of-CTA-2153-2154.html>

[buslist]

BTW forgot to mention that IRM received a grant to return the 2000s to green and white.

<http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/1460-IRM-Receives-Charitable-Grant-for-Exterior-Restoration-of-CTA-2153-2154.html>

[Busjack]

BTW forgot to mention that IRM received a grant to return the 2000s to green and white.

<http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/1460-IRM-Receives-Charitable-Grant-for-Exterior-Restoration-of-CTA-2153-2154.html>

Makes sense, in that the current isn't even the Bicentennial livery or the original platinum and black, but a takeoff on the 2600 original one.

[buslist]

Wow just announced today that 2243 and 2244 are now IRM property.

[RJL6000]

Wow just announced today that 2243 and 2244 are now IRM property.

The IRM ended up selecting 2243-2244 as one of the units to be preserved there. There may be more 2200-series sets to be sent there or to another transit museum. That last IRM charter (6-2-2013) on CTA trackage consisted of 2262-2261-2304-2303.

[BusHunter]

Wow just announced today that 2243 and 2244 are now IRM property.

Yeah I figured it was going to be that or #2249-50. #2243-44 has been only running in fantrip trains for months, so it's logical to assume IRM had there eyes on it.

Back to the #2000's discussion, running the trains all together would only work anyway if the lead car had the trolley poles, so any reverse operation wouldn't work and you couldn't run those on the main line. At Boeing-Vertol back in the days of testing with pantagraphs, it looks like they were using some type of portable system with electrical lines coming through the motorman's sliding window, so I guess it all depends on what type of system IRM prefers. I don't know though if such a system exists for trolley poles however.

This thread has got me thinking of IRM's CTA rapid transit equipment, #6461-62 was part of the #6000 order that had the motorman's cabs that could be folded down to become a passenger compartment. Those were really cool. I haven't seen those cars interiors in 30 years, when I was a child on the W-NW branch. #6125-26 had existing trolley poles when IRM received it, so it shouldn't have an issue electrically. Too bad they didn't get some of the high performance fleet (#6127 - #6130, #1 - #4) They could have painted those with the red livery. That would have been stunning. (I know some of those were test trains for GE and I believe they went back to the factory for further testing, so maybe it wasn't possible to acquire those.)

[i8itall4u]

BTW forgot to mention that IRM received a grant to return the 2000s to green and white.

<http://www2.irm.org/blogs/archives/1460-IRM-Receives-Charitable-Grant-for-Exterior-Restoration-of-CTA-2153-2154.html>

I think this is great. I saw an ameture video somewhere on the net recently from 1963 showing the 2000s and 4000s on Lake st. The new 2000s appeared very briefly but were absolutely stunning. Fast, bright, shiny alpine white over deep pine green, with silver wheels and undecarriage. The new 2400s were close, but the riding public had to have been impressed, (foamers must have been absolutely giddy) given the dark colors of all the other equipment in service at the time.

[RJL6000]

I think this is great. I saw an ameture video somewhere on the net recently from 1963 showing the 2000s and 4000s on Lake st. The new 2000s appeared very briefly but were absolutely stunning. Fast, bright, shiny alpine white over deep pine green, with silver wheels and undecarriage. The new 2400s were close, but the riding public had to have been impressed, (foamers must have been absolutely giddy) given the dark colors of all the other equipment in service at the time.

That had to have had been between May and August 1964, when the 2000s underwent training on the Lake Street Line before they displaced all of the line's remaining 4000s at once (the "Baldies" were retired while the "Plushies" were primarily reassigned to the Evanston route).

2153-2154's revenue service history went like this:

It first went into service on the West-Northwest Route (Milwaukee-Congress-Douglas) in late 1964. (At delivery, the Lake Line was assigned cars 2001-2140 while the West-Northwest Route got cars 2141-2180.) The pair was transferred to the Lake Street Line shortly before it became through-routed to the Dan Ryan Line (creating the then-new West-South Route) in 1969. It may have been one of the units that were temporarily transferred back to the West-Northwest Route in 1972 while the 2200s were receiving modifications at Harlem Shops. 2153-2154 remained on the West-South Route until 1982 when it was transferred to the North-South Route (Howard-Englewood-Jackson Park). By 1987, with the completion of the delivery of the 2600s, 2153-2154 was transferred to the Evanston line, where it remained until shortly after the South Side through-routings were swapped. The pair was then transferred back to the Green Line (Lake-Englewood-Jackson Park) for the final months of its revenue service life. (In later Evanston/Purple Line service and in Green Line service, the 2000s had to be trained together with at least one 2600-series unit to comply with the ADA law.)

[RJL6000]

Makes sense, in that the current isn't even the Bicentennial livery or the original platinum and black, but a takeoff on the 2600 original one.

Actually, the 2000s' original, as-delivered livery was Mint Green and Alpine White. The platinum and black livery was devised in the early 1970s when the West-South Route ran with both 2000s and 2200s. Most of the 2000s were repainted in the platinum and black livery by 1974, but one 2000-series pair retained its original green-and-white scheme into the early 1980s.

[sw4400]

Whatever happened to 1892-1992(ex-2007-2008)? If they are still at Skokie Shops, will they ever find their way to IRM?

Photo © Chicago-l.org

[chicagopcclcar]

Whatever happened to 1892-1992(ex-2007-2008)? If they are still at Skokie Shops, will they ever find their way to IRM?

Photo © Chicago-l.org

No one wants those cars...they have been altered too much from their original condition. By altered, means seats removed, tables put in.

[ArcherRider]

Actually, the 2000s' original, as-delivered livery was Mint Green and Alpine White. The platinum and black livery was devised in the early 1970s when the West-South Route ran with both 2000s and 2200s. Most of the 2000s were repainted in the platinum and black livery by 1974, but one 2000-series pair retained its original green-and-white scheme into the early 1980s.

I remembered is 2001-2002 but I could be wrong because I seen on old NS line in the 1980's.

[Busjack]

I remembered is 2001-2002 but I could be wrong because I seen on old NS line in the 1980's.

That's about 20 years after delivery, as the first assignment was on Lake, and then Lake-Dan Ryan. As rjl noted, they were repainted platinum and black in about 1974 to have them blend in better with the 2200s. What is depicted in the IRM units is probably the 4th paint scheme.

I seem to recall that in the early days of the Dan Ryan, they did not run mixed with the 2200s, but if that was the case, that quickly changed.