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Holiday Train 2013


TheBrunswickBowler

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Does anybody know if there will be a Holiday Train for the CTA this year? I haven't heard any news or updates on it. If anybody knows anything about the 2013 Holiday Train, please comment below. By the way, what rail line is cars #2893-2894, 2895-2896, 2897-2898 on?

It is in the works currently... when the schedule comes out, I'll post it to my "L" Rosters line by line what day(s) the Santa Train will be on each line. When assigned, you will see the railcars assigned in Bold Colored Text to identify them from the rest of the rosters. Probably going to go with a Red-Green combo to make it festive.

These cars are, for the moment, assigned to the Yellow Line regularly. There is speculation that after this year, 2893-2898 will be reassigned to the Red or Blue Line and the Yellow Line will keep a set of six 5000's.

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If you want to know where they are right now. #2893-94 has been getting ready at Skokie Shops to become the Santa express now for about a month and #2897-98 just got started last week. Both are wrapped and the latter is just starting to get it's X-Mas lights. #2895-96 is most likely off getting rehabbed for the event. Those cars all go through a light rehab before they start decorating them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Kevin over at CTA Tattler has posted an advance look at the CTA Holiday Train schedule. (He says it's unconfirmed by the CTA as yet.) It appears to be consistent with the last few years: Green, then Brown/Orange, then Pink/Blue, then Red/Purple/Yellow.

Green

Friday, 11/29/13

Saturday, 11/30/13

Tuesday, 12/3/13

Orange & Brown

Wednesday, 12/4/13

Thursday, 12/5/13

Friday, 12/6/13

Saturday, 12/7/13

Pink

Tuesday, 12/10/13

Wednesday 12/11/13

Blue

Thursday, 12/12/13

Friday, 12/13/13

Saturday, 12/14/13

Red

Tuesday, 12/17/13

Thursday, 12/19/13

Saturday, 12/21/13 (Red and Purple)

Purple Express

Wednesday, 12/18/13

Friday, 12/20/13

Saturday, 12/21/13 (Red and Purple)

Yellow

Monday, 12/23/13

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Friday is the first big day. And yes although the generic schedule says the Green Line gets the train first on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday, the more detailed schedule reveals that it will actually be on the Orange Line as well as the Green Line between 3 PM and 7 PM during Friday's operation. It will leave Midway at 3:07 PM approximately, operating as an Orange Line train toward the Loop up to Halsted. After leaving Halsted. it will operate as a Green Line train to Harlem beginning at Roosevelt, which it departs at about 3:30 PM. It leaves Harlem at about 4:31 PM as a Green Line to Cottage Grove. Once it gets to Cottage Grove, it will depart at 5:50 and operate as a Green Line train to 35th-Bronzeville-IIT only after which it becomes an Orange Line train toward the Loop starting at Roosevelt upon which it circles the Loop elevated via the Orange Line's routing and then travel back to Midway. Saturday's operation is Green Line only operations between about 2 PM and 7 PM. The schedule isn't up for Tuesday which is as stated above is supposed to be another Green Line day, so it's not yet known if that day will be Green Line only or combination Green Line and Orange Line like Friday. At any rate, get your cameras and smart phones ready starting Friday either way for those on the forum who like to get pictures.

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The schedule isn't up for Tuesday which is as stated above is supposed to be another Green Line day, so it's not yet known if that day will be Green Line only or combination Green Line and Orange Line like Friday. At any rate, get your cameras and smart phones ready starting Friday either way for those on the forum who like to get pictures.

The schedule is up for Tuesday, and it's a split Green and Orange run. Check my rosters here and here for schedule links.

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The schedule is up for Tuesday, and it's a split Green and Orange run. Check my rosters here and here for schedule links.

They may have placed a link after I made my post earlier in the day this morning, but they did not have a link up at 9:30 AM as I was writing my post. Only Friday and Saturday were up this morning. :)

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Apparently, The CTA has a couple of guidelines for safe traveling on the CTA Holiday Train posted on it's facebook page. The CTA Holiday Train begins on Friday November 29th & Here are some guidelines in ensuring that you have a safe and fun experience this holiday season on the Holiday Train!!!!!!!!!!!

To ensure everyone has an opportunity to see and take part in this annual tradition, here are some tips we suggest to make the most of your Holiday Train experience:

- Travel light: with many families making the Holiday Train a part of their holiday traditions, collapsible strollers are encouraged so that you and others have an opportunity to board the train.

- Boarding: the train will become more crowded as it travels down the rail line; therefore, we recommend customers consider the following:

-> board at a station close to the beginning of the route. Unlike other in-service trains, customers who board the Holiday Train often stay on board until it reaches the terminal and will take it back home if the train is scheduled to make a return trip.

-> rail cars toward the front or back of the train will be less crowded compared to those immediately adjacent to Santas sleigh.

- Taking photos: if you are planning to ride the Holiday Train and take photos from a station platform, dont miss your opportunity to board the train! Board the train first and then plan to take photos of Santa or the train when exiting at your destination. The Holiday Train is an in-service train and has to maintain a service schedule; therefore it cannot dwell at stations for long periods of time.

- Photos with Santa: on selected Saturdays there are opportunities to take photos with Santa at rail line terminals. Check the Holiday Train website for dates and specific times.

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Apparently, The CTA has a couple of guidelines for safe traveling on the CTA Holiday Train posted on it's facebook page. The CTA Holiday Train begins on Friday November 29th & Here are some guidelines in ensuring that you have a safe and fun experience this holiday season on the Holiday Train!!!!!!!!!!!

To ensure everyone has an opportunity to see and take part in this annual tradition, here are some tips we suggest to make the most of your Holiday Train experience:

- Travel light: with many families making the Holiday Train a part of their holiday traditions, collapsible strollers are encouraged so that you and others have an opportunity to board the train.

- Boarding: the train will become more crowded as it travels down the rail line; therefore, we recommend customers consider the following:

-> board at a station close to the beginning of the route. Unlike other in-service trains, customers who board the Holiday Train often stay on board until it reaches the terminal and will take it back home if the train is scheduled to make a return trip.

-> rail cars toward the front or back of the train will be less crowded compared to those immediately adjacent to Santas sleigh.

- Taking photos: if you are planning to ride the Holiday Train and take photos from a station platform, dont miss your opportunity to board the train! Board the train first and then plan to take photos of Santa or the train when exiting at your destination. The Holiday Train is an in-service train and has to maintain a service schedule; therefore it cannot dwell at stations for long periods of time.

- Photos with Santa: on selected Saturdays there are opportunities to take photos with Santa at rail line terminals. Check the Holiday Train website for dates and specific times.

My Roster Page will be updated with links to Holiday Train schedules for each line as well. When the train is scheduled for a line, I'll include it in bold, festive Red and Green text as well as a archived photo of the Santa's Express train in the photo library for the line(s) it'll be on.

If I catch it on the Brown Line this year, I'll upload my pics here...

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