2600-series - Updates & Retirements

[chgofan78]

I wonder if any of the other retired or semi-retired cars will start making their way down there.  At this point, there really has to be an issue with space in certain yards.   For instance, Midway has space for 192 cars.  I travelled through there earlier today and saw the Orange Line has picked up 14 or more 2600-series cars from the Red and Blue Lines (2795-2796, 2671-2672, 2683-2684, 2709-2710, 2723-2724, 2869-2870, 2823-2824) within the last few weeks.  Not to mention a few Brown Line cars were there too- probably because of the weekend reroute. 

[Busjack]

I wonder if any of the other retired or semi-retired cars will start making their way down there.  At this point, there really has to be an issue with space in certain yards.   For instance, Midway has space for 192 cars.  I travelled through there earlier today and saw the Orange Line has picked up 14 or more 2600-series cars from the Red and Blue Lines (2795-2796, 2671-2672, 2683-2684, 2709-2710, 2723-2724, 2869-2870, 2823-2824) within the last few weeks.  Not to mention a few Brown Line cars were there too- probably because of the weekend reroute. 

There is a contract to scrap up to 200, so once the last 50 5000s somehow get onto the system, there should be some action there. In the meantime, your tour to the Orange Line has to take into account that somehow a number of 3200s are making their way to Skokie Shops for the scheduled rehab.

[garmon757]

There is a contract to scrap up to 200, so once the last 50 5000s somehow get onto the system, there should be some action there.

50??? They ordered 10 more??? Let me find out they're being sneaky! LOL I'm kidding.

[Busjack]

50??? They ordered 10 more??? Let me find out they're being sneaky! LOL I'm kidding.

I'm only estimating based on what was reported on the rails vs. the 714 ordered. Maybe 40.

[garmon757]

I'm only estimating based on what was reported on the rails vs. the 714 ordered. Maybe 40.

I know. My appalling work schedule is preventing me from continuing my hunt for the last 40 5000s. 

[garmon757]

There aren't any out on the road yet. They're still at Skokie.  

Dang!

[chgofan78]

• Besides 3213-3214, I wonder which other 3200-series cars are out for rehab.  My guess would be cars in the 3220s or 3230s.

[briman94]

Ponder this... I was on the brown line pulling SB into Belmont and I saw a 2600 on the southbound express tracks waiting for us to clear the junction... It had 95th signs. Why would there be a 2600 with in service signs, and why would it be on the express track? I don't know where the purple line returns to the express tracks but I know the purple line for sure is only 5000s now. What gives?

[andrethebusman]

Ponder this... I was on the brown line pulling SB into Belmont and I saw a 2600 on the southbound express tracks waiting for us to clear the junction... It had 95th signs. Why would there be a 2600 with in service signs, and why would it be on the express track? I don't know where the purple line returns to the express tracks but I know the purple line for sure is only 5000s now. What gives?

Lollapalooza - at midnight there was a 8 car 2600 train SB at 87th with 2900 at the north end.

[garmon757]

I've spotted an 8-car 2600s heading northbound on Brown Line tracks displaying "Forest Park" around 1am.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

I've spotted an 8-car 2600s heading northbound on Brown Line tracks displaying "Forest Park" around 1am.

Interesting find. Doubt they could have displayed "Kimball" or "Loop" because of their roll sign set up, but I'm not sure why they didn't say "Not In Service" instead.

Of course the big question is why they were there in the first place.

[garmon757]

Interesting find. Doubt they could have displayed "Kimball" or "Loop" because of their roll sign set up, but I'm not sure why they didn't say "Not In Service" instead.

Of course the big question is why they were there in the first place.

I'm guessing to Howard Yard.

[Guest]

Ponder this... I was on the brown line pulling SB into Belmont and I saw a 2600 on the southbound express tracks waiting for us to clear the junction... It had 95th signs. Why would there be a 2600 with in service signs, and why would it be on the express track? I don't know where the purple line returns to the express tracks but I know the purple line for sure is only 5000s now. What gives?

I wish the Red Line would be all 2600s!

[briman94]

I wish the Red Line would be all 2600s!

i wish the 2600s were gone entirely!

In other news, I just saw a brownage to Midway at Rockwell with 6 3200s and 2 2600s so I guess the "no 2600s on Brown Line" thing has been verified to be false (or no longer in place).

[artthouwill]

The 2600s I rode on the Orange Line are well maintained.   The Blue Line trains look like crap.

[Guest]

The 2600s I rode on the Orange Line are well maintained.   The Blue Line trains look like crap.

Of course! Because they shipped all the oldest 2600 cars to the BL! 

Edited August 5, 2015 by Guest

[Busjack]

Of course! Because they shipped all the oldest 2600 cars to the BL! 

But that was because the "newest" ones were already on the Blue Line, although about 16 of them no longer are, but are at the scrapper. That is, unless you have a "more car moves" thread that those above 3000 were moved from the Blue Line to the Orange Line.

[BusHunter]

The 2600s I rode on the Orange Line are well maintained.   The Blue Line trains look like crap.

That's because the Orange line has alot of downtime it can work on cars, plus it has a smaller fleet and easier to maintain. When the #2600's were on the Pink they were very well maintained, AC was cold, cars were clean, and mechanically were in good condition. The blue line cars aren't that bad, but CTA is asking them to maintain a large fleet of 400 cars that are 30 years old. That's not an easy task when you think about it, plus it is a big line, might be the biggest, roundtrip is like 2 1/2 hrs, maybe longer due to Forest Pk slow zones which are getting pretty bad. What seems to have had a big decline to me is the brown line, those cars look like they need a rehab, but they are 22 years old and not much newer than the blue line cars.  

[teck22]

Ponder this... I was on the brown line pulling SB into Belmont and I saw a 2600 on the southbound express tracks waiting for us to clear the junction... It had 95th signs. Why would there be a 2600 with in service signs, and why would it be on the express track? I don't know where the purple line returns to the express tracks but I know the purple line for sure is only 5000s now. What gives?

if this was during AM rush I've seen this before too.   My guess is that they are "gap" trains to be used as needed as a result of the 3 track operations at Wilson .

[Guest]

That's because the Orange line has alot of downtime it can work on cars, plus it has a smaller fleet and easier to maintain. When the #2600's were on the Pink they were very well maintained, AC was cold, cars were clean, and mechanically were in good condition. The blue line cars aren't that bad, but CTA is asking them to maintain a large fleet of 400 cars that are 30 years old. That's not an easy task when you think about it, plus it is a big line, might be the biggest, roundtrip is like 2 1/2 hrs, maybe longer due to Forest Pk slow zones which are getting pretty bad. What seems to have had a big decline to me is the brown line, those cars look like they need a rehab, but they are 22 years old and not much newer than the blue line cars.  

Having an entire fleet of cars as old as the 2600s on the second busiest CTA line where breakdowns and accidents are frequent, is just utter stupidity on their part!

[garmon757]

Having an entire fleet of cars as old as the 2600s on the second busiest CTA line where breakdowns and accidents are frequent, is just utter stupidity on their part!

Failure to rectify the Congress Branch fiasco is beyond stupid and I believe it's playing a huge factor in why no other rail vehicles yet to infiltrate the Blue Line. 

[Busjack]

Failure to rectify the Congress Branch fiasco is beyond stupid and I believe it's playing a huge factor in why no other rail vehicles yet to infiltrate the Blue Line. 

Not sure whether you are referring to the slow zones, or the fact that decrepit 3100s caused the inexplicable crash at Harlem in Forest Park.

[garmon757]

Not sure whether you are referring to the slow zones, or the fact that decrepit 3100s caused the inexplicable crash at Harlem in Forest Park.

Both

[Busjack]

Both

But then you get the circular causal problem that the obsolete cars caused the problem resulting in obsolete cars being there.

[garmon757]

There are only two rail vehicles that the Blue line could use....2600s and 3200s.  You know that, right?

True but do they seriously want to roll the dice by adding 3200s on a jacked up line?