Your New Blue - O'Hare Branch Rehab

[BusHunter]

Here's my newest video of Damen Milwaukee's reconstruction jumping from week 1 to week 4. During that time they painted the structure on which the future platform will sit as well placed the footings (those gray metal pieces 90 degrees to the structure steel) on which the wood will rest and now they are in the process of building the wood deck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_fbzu5Cf4s&feature=youtu.be

[TripleTransit1]

It's above the center of Western Av on the NB side. Don't know if there's a SB side one yet. I was at California/Milwaukee and it looks like it will be difficult to put one there as both the NB and SB side has huge billboards covering the steel area. On a sidenote, I was noticing the red bricks to the California station house are having a ghosting effect, which is like a powdery like whiteness emanating from the brick. I've seen this before and don't know the cause, maybe it's the quality of the bricks? They still have workers here and they installed a Titan Media sign right before the exit rotogate on the Nb street side, which I don't understand why they would put that there as you are leaving the station. They should have put it front and center at the bottom of the staircases.

I looked yesterday, there is one on both sides.

[strictures]

It's above the center of Western Av on the NB side. Don't know if there's a SB side one yet. I was at California/Milwaukee and it looks like it will be difficult to put one there as both the NB and SB side has huge billboards covering the steel area. On a sidenote, I was noticing the red bricks to the California station house are having a ghosting effect, which is like a powdery like whiteness emanating from the brick. I've seen this before and don't know the cause, maybe it's the quality of the bricks? They still have workers here and they installed a Titan Media sign right before the exit rotogate on the Nb street side, which I don't understand why they would put that there as you are leaving the station. They should have put it front and center at the bottom of the staircases.

The bricks have what's called "efflorescence". The cure is usually brushing muriatic acid on the bricks.

From Wikipedia: Primary efflorescence is named such, as it typically occurs during the initial cure of a cementitious product. It often occurs on masonry construction, particularly brick, as well as some firestop mortars, when water moving through a wall or other structure, or water being driven out as a result of the heat of hydration as cement stone is being formed, brings salts to the surface that are not commonly bound as part of the cement stone. As the water evaporates, it leaves the salt behind, which forms a white, fluffy deposit, that can normally be brushed off. The resulting white deposits are referred to as "efflorescence" in this instance. In this context efflorescence is sometimes referred to as "saltpetering."

[BusHunter]

Here is the status of Blue Line Damen Reconstruction for week 6 of 8. (12/4/14) They are now done decking the platform except for the North Avenue exit which is ongoing. They have begun to install the lighting poles as well as the guardrails. The steel you see by North Avenue is newly installed last night and the entrance exit roofing is ongoing, but tonight for the first time they have two working lights on the SB side, so things are progressing. Soon the wicker park neighborhood will have their stop back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkOgYyndH-k&feature=youtu.be

[Juniorz]

Looking good, anticipating for the December 22nd relaunch of Damen

[BusHunter]

Seems to becoming a CTA Hallmark along the elevated line lines, very nice concept, hope it surely expands to the rest of the elevated lines

I don't know why, but they have taken down the light up CTA signs over Western/Milwaukee on the Blue line. Maybe they needed them for the Red line.

[Busjack]

I don't know why, but they have taken down the light up CTA signs over Western/Milwaukee on the Blue line. Maybe they needed them for the Red line.

Maybe after having their gift sale of heritage logos, they thought it was time to create another.

[BusHunter]

Maybe after having their gift sale of heritage logos, they thought it was time to create another.

Or they could have installed them at Cermak/Chinatown. They gave them a metal non light up sign.

[BusHunter]

Here's the latest update to the Damen Blue line reconstruction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoCss_FxPQQ&feature=youtu.be

[Juniorz]

Here's the latest update to the Damen Blue line reconstruction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoCss_FxPQQ&feature=youtu.be

they've got until Monday to get that together

[BusHunter]

Wow they have installed four train tracker signs, the small ones, affixed to the ends of the shelters here at Damen/Milwaukee on the nb side. Talk about overkill. If they do the same for the sb that's 8 signs. If I was a California/Milwaukee rider I would be very jealous or po'ed right now.

[BusHunter]

Wow they have installed four train tracker signs, the small ones, affixed to the ends of the shelters here at Damen/Milwaukee on the nb side. Talk about overkill. If they do the same for the sb that's 8 signs. If I was a California/Milwaukee rider I would be very jealous or po'ed right now.

Thinking more about these signs, I wonder if they could have possibly goofed on their placement. They are in an open area without a canopy and I can't seem to think of another sign that's out in the open. (I can only think of maybe Francisco or Rockwell Brown line, but I'm not sure about those either) These signs are electrical and not waterproof I think. I was looking at the ones at Cermak Chinatown today and they have holes in the back of the signs so they are ventilated as it probably would burn up and quit otherwise. I hate to see what will happen in a snowstorm unless they plan on enclosing the signs somehow or putting a sheet metal canopy over them.

Btw, they have started putting up the Damen signs on the sb platform.

[BusHunter]

They have the lighting booms fired up for tonight at Damen/Milwaukee. Looks like they are starting to work around the clock. The NB platform now has Damen signs but it's just the small ones so far. They still have to hook up the train tracker signs and the whole section of platform between the canopy and the tower needs railing and light poles installed and they still have to install the rotogate at North. (Would be nice if it was a turnstile equipped one that could accept cards. ) So they still have a few more things to do. They have placed up signs along the branch saying that the station will open at 4AM on the 22nd and Division has a sign that thanks customers for their patience during the Damen Reconstruction project.

[Juniorz]

They have the lighting booms fired up for tonight at Damen/Milwaukee. Looks like they are starting to work around the clock. The NB platform now has Damen signs but it's just the small ones so far. They still have to hook up the train tracker signs and the whole section of platform between the canopy and the tower needs railing and light poles installed and they still have to install the rotogate at North. (Would be nice if it was a turnstile equipped one that could accept cards. ) So they still have a few more things to do. They have placed up signs along the branch saying that the station will open at 4AM on the 22nd and Division has a sign that thanks customers for their patience during the Damen Reconstruction project.

Can't wait to see the finished product, i guess for the residents, this will be a very nice Christmas present. I'm assuming they also have a thank you sign at Western too thanking customers for their patience

[strictures]

Wow they have installed four train tracker signs, the small ones, affixed to the ends of the shelters here at Damen/Milwaukee on the nb side. Talk about overkill. If they do the same for the sb that's 8 signs. If I was a California/Milwaukee rider I would be very jealous or po'ed right now.

And yet, not a single one at Clark/Devon, a major transfer point for three different routes!

[rvwnsd]

And yet, not a single one at Clark/Devon, a major transfer point for three different routes!

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but BusHunter said the train tracker signs are at the Damen/Mikwaukee 'L' station. The closest 'L' station to Clark and Devon is Loyola, which is .7 miles away according to Google Maps. I'm not sure a TrainTracker sign would do much good.

[BusHunter]

Really I shouldn't complain about the signs, I was at Cermak Chinatown and I counted 4 Titan signs, four of the smaller Train Tracker signs and I know they have a Titan sign at the Cermak entrance too and maybe they have one at the Archer entrance so that's 10 signs. But I think Fullerton and Belmont Red line have the most, I think there's 2 or 3 Titan signs in the mezzanine, 4 Titan signs on each platform, 4 of the Orange displayed train tracker signs on each platform, 8 if there double sided which I think they are. So they might have 27 signs per station.

I'm just used to not having any tracker signs on the platform on the Blue line, just at key stations like Logan, Jeff, and the downtown loop stations.

[strictures]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but BusHunter said the train tracker signs are at the Damen/Mikwaukee 'L' station. The closest 'L' station to Clark and Devon is Loyola, which is .7 miles away according to Google Maps. I'm not sure a TrainTracker sign would do much good.

I thought he meant bus tracker signs on the street outside the station.

[Busjack]

I thought he meant bus tracker signs on the street outside the station.

That's what I figured, too, but since Devon & Kedzie is the layover point, it wouldn't make much difference, except to the extent that a 155 is so late that it wouldn't meet its scheduled departure time. Might have marginal value in tracking the 1 #11 bus or 2 #96 buses.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Hold on just a little longer guys! Looking good!

Photo from the CTA's Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/thecta/photos/pcb.767030736719885/767026323386993/?type=1&theater

[Juniorz]

Preview of the Damen Station that will reopen at 4:00 am Monday morning. The worker's are scrambling to put the finishing touches to the station!!! People around the neighbor are anticipating for the station's return. A "mature" gentlemen politely engaged a light little conversation with "Juniorz" and was kind of disappoint that the station wouldn't get any escalators or elevators, but otherwise, excited that the station would reopen!!!!

[BusHunter]

Hold on just a little longer guys! Looking good!

Photo from the CTA's Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/thecta/photos/pcb.767030736719885/767026323386993/?type=1&theater

Why does that picture look like they rebuilt the glass part of the tower?

BTW, I think I found out what happened to the mysterious disappearance of the lightup CTA signs over Western.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20141219/wicker-park/cta-damen-blue-line-l-station-reopens-monday

Reading the article further, most of the walkup restaurants close to the station are offering free deals Monday morning. Wow. Where's the red carpet? LOL!! That's two things now I see that California/Milwaukee didn't get. The Damen station is just about done. The tactile edging was installed Thursday and Friday as well as most of the other stuff. They were working on the rotogate all day today and they are starting to put up the steel backing for the rectangular shaped Damen signs. They were working on a few station camera adjustments and that's about it. The station looks useable already.

[Busjack]

Why does that picture look like they rebuilt the glass part of the tower?

BTW, I think I found out what happened to the mysterious disappearance of the lightup CTA signs over Western.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20141219/wicker-park/cta-damen-blue-line-l-station-reopens-monday

Reading the article further, most of the walkup restaurants close to the station are offering free deals Monday morning. Wow. Where's the red carpet? LOL!! That's two things now I see that California/Milwaukee didn't get. The Damen station is just about done. The tactile edging was installed Thursday and Friday as well as most of the other stuff. They were working on the rotogate all day today and they are starting to put up the steel backing for the rectangular shaped Damen signs. They were working on a few station camera adjustments and that's about it. The station looks useable already.

• If you are implying the signs went to Damen, instead of Damen getting new ones.
• The thing that bothered me about the DNAInfo article is that they interviewed people with luggage and strollers about the lack of elevators. Somehow, the ADA was not for their benefit.

[strictures]

• If you are implying the signs went to Damen, instead of Damen getting new ones.
• The thing that bothered me about the DNAInfo article is that they interviewed people with luggage and strollers about the lack of elevators. Somehow, the ADA was not for their benefit.

That reminds me of the news article from 20 or so years ago.

It seems former VP Walter Mondale & his wife took the L from O'Hare to visit their daughter, who was living in Wicker Park then. Someone saw them struggling down the stairs at Damen with a lot of luggage.

[BusHunter]

• If you are implying the signs went to Damen, instead of Damen getting new ones.
• The thing that bothered me about the DNAInfo article is that they interviewed people with luggage and strollers about the lack of elevators. Somehow, the ADA was not for their benefit.

Well the signs are almost new if that helps. What bothered me about that article was the response from the CTA about accessibility.

"On Friday, Catherine Hosinski, a CTA spokeswoman, said that making the Damen station ADA complaint "will cost tens of millions of dollars" and would likely require property acquisition and the construction of a new station house.

Hosinski said that there would need to be two elevators added to serve each platform and that the platforms would

require widening, which is "extremely difficult given the station’s configuration, historic considerations and surrounding structures." When asked if there is a timeframe for making the station accessible, Hosinki said, "The CTA remains committed to providing accessibility where feasible; however, there is no timeframe for this work to be performed. More time is needed to thoroughly analyze the highly complex schemes presented for making the Damen station accessible."

So there really is no plan to make that station accessible in the near future. The station does do pretty good revenue to not be accessible in some way. Probably more than Argyle/Red line which actually has a planned ADA upgrade. With no plan here it looks like they are not even interested or discussing this. Too bad they couldn't build an escalator here with really wide steps or more steps to lower the pitch of being on two stairs at once to take a wheelchair then people could use it like an elevator. That design has to exist somewhere. Even though the station is rebuilt it's still going to function as a 1896 relic with no escalators or any modern station transportation systems. So i guess it's a modern 1896 station!! LOL!!