Fire near Armitage & Brown Line Subway

[briman94]

Well, I can successfully say that I haven't slept since yesterday thanks to a fire across from my house near Armitage. The old building that used to be a high school has been on fire since about 1am. Here's a picture courtesy of my roommate:

As a result, all Purple Line Express trains have been cancelled until further notice and all Brown Line trains are either turning at Fullerton or running through the State Street Subway to 35th/Bronzeville - IIT.

Also as a result, my power went out and my house was filling with light smoke blowing from the fire, so I left early to go to school. Unfortunately it didn't open until 7am so I took an adventure on the Brownredgreen line (pictures to follow!).

[briman94]

More pictures of my unique Brown Line ride this morning. I intended to get off at Jackson because the train was originally going to turn at Roosevelt, but they announced it would be going to 35th on the Green Line after Roosevelt, and I just had to take it all the way so I could say I rode on three lines without leaving the train .

Here's inside #3368 between North/Clybourn and Clark/Division:

At Harrison, with a northbound Red Line in the background:

Still has its "Loop" sign at Roosevelt:

Some shots of the morning Chicago skyline between Roosevelt and 35th:

And here it is at its penultimate stop, 35th/Bronzeville - IIT:

[Busjack]

News is now saying Brown suspended south of Fullerton and Purple south of Howard.

Was the old school being used for anything?

[briman94]

News is now saying Brown suspended south of Fullerton and Purple south of Howard.

Was the old school being used for anything?

Some Brown lines are still continuing south through the subway to my knowledge. Most are being turned at Fullerton.

The school was being renovated into condos, up until 1am this morning, that is.

[Mr.cta85]

Speaking of fire 4333 was the bus that caught fire on lake shore drive earlier today. The back end is totaled, R.I.P to that bus.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Some Brown lines are still continuing south through the subway to my knowledge. Most are being turned at Fullerton...

It's official, according to the CTA website.

Speaking of fire 4333 was the bus that caught fire on lake shore drive earlier today. The back end is totaled, R.I.P to that bus.

RIP indeed. ;_;

Garmon found a picture of it, and you can see it in the Random CTA thread.

[Kevin]

Thanks for sharing your unique morning commute! Those kinds of maneuvers are ones you'd typically only experience on a charter!

[Busjack]

It's official, according to the CTA website.

...

I guess the misunderstanding was that the traffic reporters said "suspended between Fullerton and Mdse. Mart" without saying there was some subway service.

Of course, the recommendation to use 146, 147, or 151 wasn't going to work, either.

[briman94]

Thanks for sharing your unique morning commute! Those kinds of maneuvers are ones you'd typically only experience on a charter!

I know, that's why I took so many pictures ! I originally was going to take a regular Red Line train but the driver closed the doors as I was running along the train trying to find a car with room for me. I'm actually glad I missed it now!

[briman94]

I saw in your pictures that this one had a "Loop" sign. Were you able to tell if there was some other indication that other trains were only going to Fullerton?

Not until they got to Fullerton. At that point, they'd set their signs to "Not In Service," ask all passengers to leave, and go to Armitage where they would change ends and go back to Fullerton to start a northbound run.

[chicagopcclcar]

Due to the fire, Purple line suspended south of Howard. Brown line suspended with trains turned south to north at Armitage, except every third Brown line train rerouted through the subway. Reroutes go through to 35th on the Green line and where they are turned south to north at 37th Middle track. I couldn't report because my lap top went belly up. Briman94 was correct in his reports. Channel 9 and 32 both said all Red lines closed by the fire which was incorrect. They did that for TWO hours! I finally called Channel 9 and asked them to call the CTA to get their coverage updated. Today's execise was also an example showing how Clark Tower has control of the Clark Corridor managing the turnbacks at Armitage remotely.

[briman94]

Speaking of fire 4333 was the bus that caught fire on lake shore drive earlier today. The back end is totaled, R.I.P to that bus.

I'm not familiar with the numbering scheme on the buses. I know it was an articulated model, but was it one of the hybrid models?

[Kevin]

I'm not familiar with the numbering scheme on the buses. I know it was an articulated model, but was it one of the hybrid models?

No, it was the first non-hybrid in that series. 4333 and up are diesels.

[briman94]

No, it was the first non-hybrid in that series. 4333 and up are diesels.

Ok, so at least it couldn't have been caused by a faulty hybrid system. That was one of the first things that went through my mind when I saw it was an articulated bus.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Ok, so at least it couldn't have been caused by a faulty hybrid system. That was one of the first things that went through my mind when I saw it was an articulated bus.

The best way to tell if it's a hybrid bus or not is to look at the size of the stuff on the roof of the bus, so no need to strain your eyes to see the bus number (at least that's what I have to do). CTA hybrid buses usually have big rectangles on top that are for AC and hybrid equipment. Diesel buses have smaller boxes just for the AC.

On the topic of this morning's fire, according to the CTA's Facebook, the problem of getting ice off all of the rails after the firefighters did their job (good for them!) was almost as troublesome as the fire itself.

[Busjack]

The best way to tell if it's a hybrid bus or not is to look at the size of the stuff on the roof of the bus, so no need to strain your eyes to see the bus number (at least that's what I have to do). CTA hybrid buses usually have big rectangles on top that are for AC and hybrid equipment. Diesel buses have smaller boxes just for the AC.

On the topic of this morning's fire, according to the CTA's Facebook, the problem of getting ice off all of the rails after the firefighters did their job (good for them!) was almost as troublesome as the fire itself.

In that series (up to 4332) there are roof skirts hiding the equipment.

However, in the traffic copter shots of the wreck, it was obvious that only air conditioners were on the roof.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

In that series (up to 4332) there are roof skirts hiding the equipment.

However, in the traffic copter shots of the wreck, it was obvious that only air conditioners were on the roof.

You're definitely right about the roof skirts, so I actually feel those buses are almost in another design category despite being in the same generation and series. The main thing I had failed to point out was that I was comparing the DE60LF (4000 Series) and D60LFR (4333+), because of their similar looks from a distance. I was mostly trying to explain that hybrids generally have "bigger roofs/roof equipment" to briman94.

[sw4400]

Some Brown lines are still continuing south through the subway to my knowledge. Most are being turned at Fullerton.

The school was being renovated into condos, up until 1am this morning, that is.

You probably got on when the disruption first began and traffic was relatively light on the Brown and Red Lines. Once rush hour hit, CTA Rail Supervisors put the kabbash on Brown Line trains going through the Subway to 35th-Bronzeville-IIT because it was probably causing congestion in the Subway for Red Line trains and backing up service for both lines. There could've been a bit of effect on the Green Line too.

[chicagopcclcar]

I monitored radio communication through the rush hour and I can report that every third Brown line train was rerouted. "Kabbash"???

[Busjack]

You probably got on when the disruption first began and traffic was relatively light on the Brown and Red Lines. Once rush hour hit, CTA Rail Supervisors put the kabbash on Brown Line trains going through the Subway to 35th-Bronzeville-IIT because it was probably causing congestion in the Subway for Red Line trains and backing up service for both lines. There could've been a bit of effect on the Green Line too.

I see that you were not exhaustive about posting the alert (as usual, getting only the unimportant ones). You saying the alert didn't mean what it said?

[briman94]

While I was at school waiting for class yesterday, I decided to make my first actual scenario on my CTA route in Train Simulator. I essentially recreated the situation yesterday from the perspective of a Brown Line driver.

Here's a video:

Brown Line through Subway (Fire Reroute)

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

While I was at school waiting for class yesterday, I decided to make my first actual scenario on my CTA route in Train Simulator. I essentially recreated the situation yesterday from the perspective of a Brown Line driver.

Here's a video:

Brown Line through Subway (Fire Reroute)

Very nice! Maybe we'll see a Brownage run or an over the top run (Red Line) in the future!

[briman94]

Very nice! Maybe we'll see a Brownage run or an over the top run (Red Line) in the future!

Definitely! I'm planning on including scenarios for normal day-to-day runs as well as unique runs such as those you mentioned, or even simple yard maneuvers or line transfers for certain rail cars.