Train Lengths

[Around the Horn]

What are the different lengths of trains for each line and when during the day are trains each length?

[renardo870]

Yellow 2 cars..all day everyday

Pink 4 cars ...all day everyday

Purple local 4 cars all day everyday unless NU games. Purple Express 6 cars M-F AM/PM Rush only

Green 4 cars eveyday off peak. 6 cars 6am-9am and 2:30pm - 5:45pm M-F Rush only.

Brown and Orange 4 cars off peak everyday. Rush 8 cars 5:30am - 10am and 2:30pm - 7:30pm M - F.

Blue 4 cars off peak everyday...8 cars M - F 5:00 am 11:00pm.

Red 4 cars 1am- 4:40am.. 8 cars 4:45am 1:00am daily.

These are approximate times.

[Around the Horn]

Yellow 2 cars..all day everyday

Pink 4 cars ...all day everyday

Purple local 4 cars all day everyday unless NU games. Purple Express 6 cars M-F AM/PM Rush only

Green 4 cars eveyday off peak. 6 cars 6am-9am and 2:30pm - 5:45pm M-F Rush only.

Brown and Orange 4 cars off peak everyday. Rush 8 cars 5:30am - 10am and 2:30pm - 7:30pm M - F.

Blue 4 cars off peak everyday...8 cars M - F 5:00 am 11:00pm.

Red 4 cars 1am- 4:40am.. 8 cars 4:45am 1:00am daily.

These are approximate times.

Thank you!

[artthouwill]

Actually Blue Line trains are 8 cars from about 5a.m to.10 p.m., Monday through Friday 4.cars at all other times. Eight car trains do run some weekends for special events.

[garmon757]

Yellow 2 cars..all day everyday

Pink 4 cars ...all day everyday

Purple local 4 cars all day everyday unless NU games. Purple Express 6 cars M-F AM/PM Rush only

Green 4 cars eveyday off peak. 6 cars 6am-9am and 2:30pm - 5:45pm M-F Rush only.

Brown and Orange 4 cars off peak everyday. Rush 8 cars 5:30am - 10am and 2:30pm - 7:30pm M - F.

Blue 4 cars off peak everyday...8 cars M - F 5:00 am 11:00pm.

Red 4 cars 1am- 4:40am.. 8 cars 4:45am 1:00am daily.

These are approximate times.

Just spotted a six car train on the Green Line at Central/Lake around 8:30pm.

Orange, Brown, Yellow, Pink and Purple Lines' cars scheduling are accurate. However, the Red Line start having 4 cars after 11pm everyday except for special events. The Blue Line starts having 4 cars trains after 10pm on weekdays and all day on weekends except for special events and certain holidays like Christmas (Shopping), New Years, and 4th of July. There are some days the Green Line have 6 cars after 6pm until between 8pm-11pm on weekdays and sometimes on weekends (if necessary).

[renardo870]

When the weather is cold and/or freezing, CTA will run all maximum equipment per line

[garmon757]

When the weather is cold and/or freezing, CTA will run all maximum equipment per line

That can be very reasonable.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

When the weather is cold and/or freezing, CTA will run all maximum equipment per line

With the sleet scrapers and anti-ice fluid, that makes a good snow fighting train.

[jajuan]

Also the Pink Line has operated with six-car trains in the past for special events. I remember the times of the summer festival events has seen six-car trains on the Pink Line.

[BusHunter]

Last week the blue line was running 8 car trains at 2:00 AM.

[MetroShadow]

Last week the blue line was running 8 car trains at 2:00 AM.

That has to be a rare occurrence.

As does running mixed 4-car and 8-car sets on the Blue, last weekend.

[trainman8119]

That has to be a rare occurrence.

As does running mixed 4-car and 8-car sets on the Blue, last weekend.

Not as rare as you may think. If this was the night of the snow, it makes sense. They will run 8 car sets all night to keep the build up of ice down. See it all the time.

Also for the first time since the Forest Park mishap, I saw a set of 8 cars powered up in the yard in Rosemont on my way in this morning.

[artthouwill]

That has to be a rare occurrence.

As does running mixed 4-car and 8-car sets on the Blue, last weekend.

I think mixed sets would work on the Green Line. It would alleviate some crowding if during rush periods Ashland trains operated with 8 car consists and the Cottage Grove trains (out of necessity) would still operate the 6 car sets. Eight car trains running to/from Harlem in the rush periods would ease crowding on the west branch of this line.

As for the Blue Line, I am guessing the four car consists went all the way to Forest Pk and the 8 cars were short turned at UIC.

[BusHunter]

Not as rare as you may think. If this was the night of the snow, it makes sense. They will run 8 car sets all night to keep the build up of ice down. See it all the time.

Also for the first time since the Forest Park mishap, I saw a set of 8 cars powered up in the yard in Rosemont on my way in this morning.

This was all week, this was the week Ringling Bros moved to the United Center from the Allstate Arena. They were moving triple trailers down Higgins being towed by a tow truck. (I was around Oriole/Higgins) Anyway it was kind of funny the four rear cars on the O'hare bound trains were totally empty, no passengers and this was like I say on multiple days.

[Kimball401]

Well whats really interesting is Ashland-63/Cottage Grover trains are running in straight 6 sets .

Kimball been running straight 8 sets except for Kimball- Belmont shuttles

Blue and Red are running 8`s

Im onboard redline 922 typing this cause I know or hoped I could get the proper answers to this .

#at 69th as I send this

[i8itall4u]

Back in the day, living along the Green/Red lines I saw an equipment move from Ashland/63 of 14 cars. They were 6000s. What's the longest trainset any of you may have seen. What do you thiink is max for 2600s, 3200s and the newbies?

[KedziePink]

In one of the stories of the memories section on chicago-l.org, there was a 16-car train mentioned. The story is on this page. (Scroll down until you see the picture of the 6000-series train.)

[Busjack]

In one of the stories of the memories section on chicago-l.org, there was a 16-car train mentioned. The story is on this page. (Scroll down until you see the picture of the 6000-series train.)

From that story, one 8 car train coupled up to push a disabled 8 car train. While that probably isn't unusual (given references that trains of the same series have to be able to intercouple), leaving passengers on it certainly is.

[sw4400]

From that story, one 8 car train coupled up to push a disabled 8 car train. While that probably isn't unusual (given references that trains of the same series have to be able to intercouple), leaving passengers on it certainly is.

I believe that any disabled train can be pushed by a powered train. If a 5000-Series train breaks down and a 2600-Series or 3200-Series train is the follower right behind, I'm sure they can give it a push to a station or wherever it is required to go. They aren't hooking to it to power it, just push it.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

From that story, one 8 car train coupled up to push a disabled 8 car train. While that probably isn't unusual (given references that trains of the same series have to be able to intercouple), leaving passengers on it certainly is.

I believe that any disabled train can be pushed by a powered train. If a 5000-Series train breaks down and a 2600-Series or 3200-Series train is the follower right behind, I'm sure they can give it a push to a station or wherever it is required to go. They aren't hooking to it to power it, just push it.

I experienced it myself on the Blue Line, only we were told to exit the train since there was another train behind us that could take us. I'm not sure if the trains were 4 or 8 cars, or if both sets were connected electrically, but the train I was on became the pusher train.