2600-series - Updates & Retirements

[Mr.cta85]

3 hours ago, Policeman said:

wrong. theres still at least a set there

You right I seen some today 👍🏽

[renardo870]

On 10/9/2025 at 7:26 PM, renardo870 said:

3113-3114 & 2715-2716 is the consist. Looks like it's from the Blue Line.

2716 - 2715, 3114 - 3113, 3002 - 3001 & 2797 - 2798 is laid up at Linden.

[Bus1883]

5 hours ago, renardo870 said:

2716 - 2715, 3114 - 3113, 3002 - 3001 & 2797 - 2798 is laid up at Linden.

They’ve been down south at 98th to Howard now linden both up north. Send them to Skokie for scrapping at this point 

[renardo870]

On 10/22/2025 at 4:25 AM, Bus1883 said:

They’ve been down south at 98th to Howard now linden both up north. Send them to Skokie for scrapping at this point 

Another 8 car set was transferred from Howard to Linden yesterday. They were 2619-2620, 3051-3052, 2705-2706 and 2849-2850. 

Edited January 12 by renardo870
Added more information

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

2673-2674, 2723-2724, 2775-2776, 2781-2782, 2789-2790, 2837-2838, 2913-2914, 2925-2926, 2941-2942, 2983-2984, 3013-3014, are off the roster and presumably scrapped.

[Bus1883]

Whatever 2600s are rehabbed or will be, LED interior lighting will look good in place of the fluorescent bulbs originally installed from the 1999-2002 rehabs. As it won’t be simple I believe they'd have to rewire them to install them like they’ve done the 3200s, as the last of the 5000s and 7000s had came with theirs already installed.

[renardo870]

On 11/18/2025 at 4:48 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

2673-2674, 2723-2724, 2775-2776, 2781-2782, 2789-2790, 2837-2838, 2913-2914, 2925-2926, 2941-2942, 2983-2984, 3013-3014, are off the roster and presumably scrapped.

Were they from the Blue Line roster?

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

1 hour ago, renardo870 said:

Were they from the Blue Line roster?

Most of them were on Orange line

[Bus1883]

On 11/22/2025 at 6:46 AM, renardo870 said:

Were they from the Blue Line roster?

All Orange except 2781-82

On 11/22/2025 at 7:52 AM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Most of them were on Orange line

2781-82 came off blue 

[Bus1883]

2601-02 and 3027-28 now assigned to Orange 

[andrethebusman]

On 11/18/2025 at 2:48 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

2673-2674, 2723-2724, 2775-2776, 2781-2782, 2789-2790, 2837-2838, 2913-2914, 2925-2926, 2941-2942, 2983-2984, 3013-3014, are off the roster and presumably scrapped.

 

2025 departures, all to Scrap Metal Services

2607-2608 7/25/25

2673-2674 3/19/25

2723-2724 7/25/25

2775-2776 6/27/25

2781-2782 6/6/25

2837-2838 2/25/25,2/28/25

2913-2914 5/9/25

2925-2926 6/27/25

2983-2984 8/20/25

3013-3014 8/13/25

3181-3182 11/11/25

 

[Bus1883]

On 1/13/2026 at 10:49 AM, andrethebusman said:

 

2025 departures, all to Scrap Metal Services

2607-2608 7/25/25

2673-2674 3/19/25

2723-2724 7/25/25

2775-2776 6/27/25

2781-2782 6/6/25

2837-2838 2/25/25,2/28/25

2913-2914 5/9/25

2925-2926 6/27/25

2983-2984 8/20/25

3013-3014 8/13/25

3181-3182 11/11/25

 

So far altogether 70 #2600s have been scrapped between 2023 and 2025

[Rhys Pate]

2600 series update: 2871-2872 are retired and are now at the Illinois Railway Museum! Photos taken today (May 16th, 2026). 2871 is on the right and 2872 is on the left.

[Rhys Pate]

IRM’s 2600s (2871-2872) were retired late last year and sat for a few months before going to IRM. They went to IRM on Friday (May 15th, 2026).

[Elkmn]

any idea when they'll be operating?

[Rhys Pate]

3 hours ago, Elkmn said:

any idea when they'll be operating?

I don’t know. 2871-2872 don’t have trolley poles installed on them yet, which they need in order to run at IRM.

[RJL6000]

Yes. 2871-2872 was selected even though they started out on the West-Northwest Route (today’s Blue Line) and spent a large part of their service life on the rough Red Line. Their final assignment to the Orange Line instead of the Blue Line made the chouce a no-brainer.

[Rhys Pate]

On 5/20/2026 at 10:44 AM, RJL6000 said:

Yes. 2871-2872 was selected even though they started out on the West-Northwest Route (today’s Blue Line) and spent a large part of their service life on the rough Red Line. Their final assignment to the Orange Line instead of the Blue Line made the chouce a no-brainer.

2871-2872 were also assigned to the Purple Line for a few years (after leaving the Blue Line/West-Northwest and before their mid-life rehab and going to the Red Line; their mid-life rehab occurred in 2000; they were reassigned to the Red Line after their mid-life rehab was completed).

[Rhys Pate]

The complete history of 2871-2872:

Built in 1984

West-Northwest/Blue Line: 1984-1996

Purple Line: 1996-2000

Mid-life rehab in 2000

Red Line: 2000-2014

Orange Line: 2014-2025

Retired in 2025

Delivered to IRM in 2026

 

[Rhys Pate]

On 5/20/2026 at 10:44 AM, RJL6000 said:

Yes. 2871-2872 was selected even though they started out on the West-Northwest Route (today’s Blue Line) and spent a large part of their service life on the rough Red Line. Their final assignment to the Orange Line instead of the Blue Line made the chouce a no-brainer.

Are the Orange Line 2600s generally in better shape than the Blue Line (current or recent) 2600s? If so, probably due to less abuse. Do you think 2871-2872 being on the Purple Line from 1996-2000 was also a break for them, contributing to them being in better condition now?

[Rhys Pate]

 

2871-2872 are coupled back together again sitting outside of IRM barn 8 today (May 23rd, 2026). 2871 in front and 2872 in back.

[Rhys Pate]

 

Views of 2871-2872 from IRM barn 8. May 23rd, 2026.

[Rhys Pate]

IRM powered up 2871-2872 yesterday (May 23rd, 2026) by connecting the cars to a cable touching a trolley wire. The cars are being inspected for issues. Supposedly, a flat wheel was found, which will need to be replaced.

[Bus1883]

2687-88 and 2981-82 were spotted on the Orange run #717

[WCR]

Blue line 206 is running with solid 2600s this morning, which i haven't seen in at least a couple years.

3090-89, 3077-78, 3127-28, 3100-3099