What color for next CTA rail line?

[Pink Jazz]

I was wondering, if CTA were to ever come out with another colored rail line, what color should it be?

Here are my thoughts:

• Black and White Line are out due to possible racial stigmas of such designations.
• Gray Line is also out since there is a touring company called Gray Line.
• Gold Line is a possibility, but may be too similar to Yellow.
• Silver Line is another possibility, as it was one of the alternate proposed names for the Pink Line.
• Bronze Line is another possibility, but may be too similar to Brown.
• Other possibilities include Lime Green (could be shortened to Lime Line), Sky Blue (could be shortened to Sky Line or Azure Line), Tan, Turquoise, Mauve, and Teal.

My pick would be Teal. What would be yours?

[sw4400]

I was wondering, if CTA were to ever come out with another colored rail line, what color should it be?

Here are my thoughts:

• Black and White Line are out due to possible racial stigmas of such designations.
• Gray Line is also out since there is a touring company called Gray Line.
• Gold Line is a possibility, but may be too similar to Yellow.
• Silver Line is another possibility, as it was one of the alternate proposed names for the Pink Line.
• Bronze Line is another possibility, but may be too similar to Brown.
• Other possibilities include Lime Green (could be shortened to Lime Line), Sky Blue (could be shortened to Sky Line or Azure Line), Tan, Turquoise, Mauve, and Teal.

My pick would be Teal. What would be yours?

Going over a few of your selections:

• Black can't be used because that color is designated for "Not In Service" and "Express" trains. Black & White would cause racial issues with those who let it.... it's a color to me.... I have no problem with riding the Black Line or the White Line. We never had racial issues with the Brown or Yellow Lines.
• Gray Line is/was designated for a connecting line for all rail lines somewhere downtown. This idea has pretty much gone cold and may never come to fruition.

Any other line color would be a play on another color already designated, as ROYGBIV are the primary colors of the color spectrum and Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet(Purple) are already used. Indigo is not, but that's just a bluish hue.

[strictures]

I was wondering, if CTA were to ever come out with another colored rail line, what color should it be?

Here are my thoughts:

• Black and White Line are out due to possible racial stigmas of such designations.
• Gray Line is also out since there is a touring company called Gray Line.
• Gold Line is a possibility, but may be too similar to Yellow.
• Silver Line is another possibility, as it was one of the alternate proposed names for the Pink Line.
• Bronze Line is another possibility, but may be too similar to Brown.
• Other possibilities include Lime Green (could be shortened to Lime Line), Sky Blue (could be shortened to Sky Line or Azure Line), Tan, Turquoise, Mauve, and Teal.

My pick would be Teal. What would be yours?

Silver or gold are the only logical choices.

Teal can't be used because it would make Zay Smith, formerly of the Sun-Times, far too happy.

[Pink Jazz]

Going over a few of your selections:

• Black can't be used because that color is designated for "Not In Service" and "Express" trains. Black & White would cause racial issues with those who let it.... it's a color to me.... I have no problem with riding the Black Line or the White Line. We never had racial issues with the Brown or Yellow Lines.
• Gray Line is/was designated for a connecting line for all rail lines somewhere downtown. This idea has pretty much gone cold and may never come to fruition.

Any other line color would be a play on another color already designated, as ROYGBIV are the primary colors of the color spectrum and Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Violet(Purple) are already used. Indigo is not, but that's just a bluish hue.

Well, CTA has both a Red Line and a Pink Line, and Pink can be considered a light shade of red. I don't see what would be the problem with colors such as lime green or sky blue.

[Busjack]

Well, CTA has both a Red Line and a Pink Line, and Pink can be considered a light shade of red. I don't see what would be the problem with colors such as lime green or sky blue.

The color of the next line is going to be invisible, because that's what the line will be.

[briman94]

Sky Line sounds cool, but they'd most likely go with Silver as it doesn't conflict with any other lines.

[Tcmetro]

At this time it seems unlikely that there will be another CTA line for at least another generation or two at the earliest. If anything the Gray/Gold proposal is the most likely to happen, but all the service boards haven't mentioned anything about it and aren't interested in it at all. Circle line is dead, especially if the city is going to continue to persue Ashland BRT. The only other line that seems possible is the Clinton St Subway which was mentioned 5 years ago in a Downtown Visioning study by the city.

LA has come across this problem, and will be switching from a color coded system to one based on letters. They already have Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Gold, and Silver. The line to Santa Monica is called the "Expo Line", but will eventually become a part of the Gold Line. I think that the next line is going to be called the "Crenshaw Line" despite having a brown color on the maps.

SF BART has been referencing their lines by color more often. I think they will eventually phase out the names (SFO-Millbrae-Pittsburg/Bay Point line is quite a mouthful) as they are considering new lines and a service reorganization.

Denver seems to have taken the right route with the lettering system. A huge service expansion is coming online in 2016, and will result in the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, L, N, R, and W lines. The first BRT line will open in 2016 as well, but will have a separate branding from the rail lines.

Minneapolis is using a similar model to the LA and Boston models, with color lines for rail and BRT. Currently we have Blue and Green LRT lines, and Highway BRT on the Red Line. Highway BRT is also planned for the Orange Line and dedicated ROW BRT for the Gold Line. We will probably see 3-4 more Highway BRT lines and perhaps another 1-2 LRT lines in the next 20 or so years. Arterial BRT will recieve letters (A line opens next year). Considering that there may be too many lines for colors, and buses and arterial BRT using letters and numbers we could have an interesting case on our hands.

[peter.pyterek]

At this time it seems unlikely that there will be another CTA line for at least another generation or two at the earliest. If anything the Gray/Gold proposal is the most likely to happen, but all the service boards haven't mentioned anything about it and aren't interested in it at all. Circle line is dead, especially if the city is going to continue to persue Ashland BRT. The only other line that seems possible is the Clinton St Subway which was mentioned 5 years ago in a Downtown Visioning study by the city.

LA has come across this problem, and will be switching from a color coded system to one based on letters. They already have Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Gold, and Silver. The line to Santa Monica is called the "Expo Line", but will eventually become a part of the Gold Line. I think that the next line is going to be called the "Crenshaw Line" despite having a brown color on the maps.

SF BART has been referencing their lines by color more often. I think they will eventually phase out the names (SFO-Millbrae-Pittsburg/Bay Point line is quite a mouthful) as they are considering new lines and a service reorganization.

Denver seems to have taken the right route with the lettering system. A huge service expansion is coming online in 2016, and will result in the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, L, N, R, and W lines. The first BRT line will open in 2016 as well, but will have a separate branding from the rail lines.

Minneapolis is using a similar model to the LA and Boston models, with color lines for rail and BRT. Currently we have Blue and Green LRT lines, and Highway BRT on the Red Line. Highway BRT is also planned for the Orange Line and dedicated ROW BRT for the Gold Line. We will probably see 3-4 more Highway BRT lines and perhaps another 1-2 LRT lines in the next 20 or so years. Arterial BRT will recieve letters (A line opens next year). Considering that there may be too many lines for colors, and buses and arterial BRT using letters and numbers we could have an interesting case on our hands.

CTA could split the East 63rd branch of the Green Line into its own Cottage Grove-Garfield shuttle to double the service frequency to both Ashland/63rd and Cottage Grove. If that was to happen, what would be a good color to go with the Woodlawn neighborhood?

[sw4400]

The color of the next line is going to be invisible, because that's what the line will be.

We all know there is no new lines in the works, Busjack... Pink Jazz was just getting opinions on a color line for a new rail line if the CTA down the line decided "Let's make a 'L' line that starts at (starting point here) and runs to (ending point here)." It's just getting opinions on a color choice the CTA might decide for it...

I was wondering, if CTA were to ever come out with another colored rail line, what color should it be?

Here are my thoughts:

You are welcome to give a suggestion of a proposed color they might choose, if one day another line is thought up and built... that's the point of this thread.

[peter.pyterek]

We all know there is no new lines in the works, Busjack... Pink Jazz was just getting opinions on a color line for a new rail line if the CTA down the line decided "Let's make a 'L' line that starts at (starting point here) and runs to (ending point here)." It's just getting opinions on a color choice the CTA might decide for it...

You are welcome to give a suggestion of a proposed color they might choose, if one day another line is thought up and built... that's the point of this thread.

See my reply above. I would suggest Gold for an East 63rd shuttle.

[peter.pyterek]

We all know there is no new lines in the works, Busjack... Pink Jazz was just getting opinions on a color line for a new rail line if the CTA down the line decided "Let's make a 'L' line that starts at (starting point here) and runs to (ending point here)." It's just getting opinions on a color choice the CTA might decide for it...

You are welcome to give a suggestion of a proposed color they might choose, if one day another line is thought up and built... that's the point of this thread.

See my reply above. I would suggest Gold for an East 63rd shuttle.

[sw4400]

See my reply above. I would suggest Gold for an East 63rd shuttle.

Well, I know that they could recolor a section of the Green Line, as there are several(they did this to the Blue Line and created the Pink Line). Gold Line is possible if they decide to make a new line color via renaming an extension. They could also keep the Purple Line running from Howard to Linden and rename the Howard to Loop express as well. Maybe that could be the Silver Line(like Silver Bullet, although that line runs sloooooooooow at times between Howard and Belmont, probably due to track conditions. I took it once from Howard and was like "This is an express?" I counted several 95th-bound Red Line trains running right by us quickly)

[Pink Jazz]

See my reply above. I would suggest Gold for an East 63rd shuttle.

Gold may be too similar to Yellow. Silver would be a better choice.

[rvwnsd]

Well, CTA has both a Red Line and a Pink Line, and Pink can be considered a light shade of red. I don't see what would be the problem with colors such as lime green or sky blue.

The problem is embedded in your statement. "Pink" and "Red" are distinct words that are names for colors. "Sky Blue" is a phrase that contains the word "Blue" and therefore would be confusing. ""Sky" is not a color, so it is out. Additionally, the shade of blue CTA uses on its signs is pretty close to Sky Blue, so the color itself would be confusing. Lime is a color, so it could be used.

Colors that could be used include aqua, maroon, bronze, copper, chartreuse, magenta, tan, and turquoise.

[Pink Jazz]

The problem is embedded in your statement. "Pink" and "Red" are distinct words that are names for colors. "Sky Blue" is a phrase that contains the word "Blue" and therefore would be confusing. ""Sky" is not a color, so it is out. Additionally, the shade of blue CTA uses on its signs is pretty close to Sky Blue, so the color itself would be confusing. Lime is a color, so it could be used.

Colors that could be used include aqua, maroon, bronze, copper, chartreuse, magenta, tan, and turquoise.

Bronze and copper may be too similar to brown. Magenta may be too similar to pink, and too long to pronounce. Maroon may difficult to distinguish from both red and brown. Aqua, chartreuse, tan, and turquoise are viable options, though.

For Sky Blue, Azure may be a better term.

[Busjack]

See my reply above. I would suggest Gold for an East 63rd shuttle.

East 63rd Shuttle would make no sense. Sending half the Green Line to East 63rd makes little sense, but clearly the neighborhood would prefer that the L come down.

Despite someone trying to criticize me, I still suggest the invisible line for any rail extension. Maybe colors can be put on bus lines, like they just did in Milwaukee, or they did in Hammond until all bus lines also became the Invisible Line.

Otherwise, as demonstrated above, the choices are limited by the originator's PC attitudes. Run the Black Line from 79th and Ashland to Congress and Ashland and see what people say.

[sw4400]

East 63rd Shuttle would make no sense. Sending half the Green Line to East 63rd makes little sense, but clearly the neighborhood would prefer that the L come down.

Despite someone trying to criticize me, I still suggest the invisible line for any rail extension. Maybe colors can be put on bus lines, like they just did in Milwaukee, or they did in Hammond until all bus lines also became the Invisible Line.

Otherwise, as demonstrated above, the choices are limited by the originator's PC attitudes. Run the Black Line from 79th and Ashland to Congress and Ashland and see what people say.

There might be a way to go around the whole color discrimination thing which some people can't seem to let rest(I read about a demonstration shutting down the Mall Of America for a period for the Ferguson, MO and New York incidents recently. We get the point, but I think it's becoming annoying and overkill now. Here's the story if anyone wishes to read it. Anyhow, back on topic....

Getting back to the color lines, a White Line can be called the Cream Line and be black text on a white background(this should allow the line to be created with little race-related issues). Black couldn't be used even if we could figure a name to pacify the racists in the world, as "Not In Service" and "Express" signage are white text on a black background.

[SlickFlair_859]

I like Silver.

 

Also thought of extending the Purple to cover one of the Green branches so there is no confusion over which line goes where (and it gets rid of the dual tone green signs on 5K cars). Please don't shoot me ?

[Sam92]

4 minutes ago, SlickFlair_859 said:

I like Silver.

 

Also thought of extending the Purple to cover one of the Green branches so there is no confusion over which line goes where (and it gets rid of the dual tone green signs on 5K cars). Please don't shoot me ?

Too much imbalance. Purple line has a point in rush when some trains come 3-5 min apart which would be too much to sort schedule wise. You’d still have to turn every other train to avoid the same issue as too many trains out south on the red that should be north side short turns 

[SlickFlair_859]

5 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

Too much imbalance. Purple line has a point in rush when some trains come 3-5 min apart which would be too much to sort schedule wise. You’d still have to turn every other train to avoid the same issue as too many trains out south on the red that should be north side short turns 

I guess. I just have a disposition with multi branch rail lines. Alright then lol

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, SlickFlair_859 said:

I guess. I just have a disposition with multi branch rail lines. Alright then lol

Having branches is what’s keeping the green line at a reasonable balance to while not over serving a particular area. Lake holds the highest ridership of that line. The branches keep that side balanced with the lake so as to not waste too many trains in areas not needed

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Too much imbalance. Purple line has a point in rush when some trains come 3-5 min apart which would be too much to sort schedule wise. You’d still have to turn every other train to avoid the same issue as too many trains out south on the red that should be north side short turns 

That shouldn't be an issue.  When multiple lines share tracks, it's bound to happen.   It certainly happens on all of the Loop elevated lines.  I see nothing wrong with Purple going to both 63rd terminals.  I think sending some Green trains to 63rd and Ashland and some Purple trains to 63rd and Cottage Grove will cause too much confusion.  

For now, alternating branch service works.   Unfortunately CTA has no money to implement my idea.  I would abolish both branches but extend the line past Lower 63rd yard to run along the abandoned railway near the Skyway stopping at 79th, 71st, 79th and Stony Island, 87th, 92nd and Commercial, Ewing, 108th (Hammond) and terminating at 113th and Avenue O.

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

That shouldn't be an issue.  When multiple lines share tracks, it's bound to happen.   It certainly happens on all of the Loop elevated lines.  I see nothing wrong with Purple going to both 63rd terminals.  I think sending some Green trains to 63rd and Ashland and some Purple trains to 63rd and Cottage Grove will cause too much confusion.  

As far as sorting I didn’t mean on the tracks moreso on schedule. The SSM doesn’t need the 3-5 min frequency of the peak purple line in the PM peak n top of the green so you’d be having to figure how to short turn purples in the loop on top of still figuring out how many purples to send through Alternating between the green line without over serving. You’d be better off doing what you suggested and send the purples to both branches and cut green line service to just Harlem-Loop. If it were up to me instead of running to 63rd through downtown on the elevated I would run the purple via red line tracks south of Belmont Into the subway, beef up the AM peak frequency to 3-7 min just like in the PM, alternate with the red line which would cut a few runs to accommodate the extra purple service thus ending the imbalance on the Dan Ryan. The purple would then exit via 13th streeet incline continuing to 63rd terminals. Then on the south end I’d reduce service on the 3 and 4. Introduce an 3A/4A south cottage grove/king drive respectively to add and feed service south of 63rd onto the increased service now provided by the purple reducing the need for so many buses downtown. 

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Sam92 said:

As far as sorting I didn’t mean on the tracks moreso on schedule. The SSM doesn’t need the 3-5 min frequency of the peak purple line in the PM peak n top of the green so you’d be having to figure how to short turn purples in the loop on top of still figuring out how many purples to send through Alternating between the green line without over serving. You’d be better off doing what you suggested and send the purples to both branches and cut green line service to just Harlem-Loop. If it were up to me instead of running to 63rd through downtown on the elevated I would run the purple via red line tracks south of Belmont Into the subway, beef up the AM peak frequency to 3-7 min just like in the PM, alternate with the red line which would cut a few runs to accommodate the extra purple service thus ending the imbalance on the Dan Ryan. The purple would then exit via 13th streeet incline continuing to 63rd terminals. Then on the south end I’d reduce service on the 3 and 4. Introduce an 3A/4A south cottage grove/king drive respectively to add and feed service south of 63rd onto the increased service now provided by the purple reducing the need for so many buses downtown. 

Actually Purple peak frequency is more like 7 to 12 minutes according to the schedule.   Obviously from Belmont south, the service frequency is higher due to Brown Line service. 

[Sam92]

12 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Actually Purple peak frequency is more like 7 to 12 minutes according to the schedule.   Obviously from Belmont south, the service frequency is higher due to Brown Line service. 

PM peak is higher. Check the 4-5 pm hours