5000-series - Updates

[geneking7320]

While on the Purple Line today [6:40am at Randolph and Wabash] I spotted a train of northbound 5000s on the Brown Line. :)

[Busjack]

Starting on the home page, and clicking through various links, CBS Chicago reports that CTA got the RTA's permission to exercise the options for the full 706 cars, although it still hasn't given the notice to proceed on the initial order and option for 406. However, it did so because the options on the remaining 300 would have run out. Also, the report has a good reference to the 84 Airport Express cars, which now probably will be standard cars.

Nothing on the CTA Press Release site, yet.

[chgofan78]

Looks like the Pink Line might be up next for the 5000-series. The cars were sitting in the yard at 54th/Cermak at 8 a.m. this morning.

[RJL6000]

Your hunch that the Pink Line is next is confirmed, as per the press release on the CTA Web site:

Prototype Rail Cars to Begin Testing on the Pink Line Monday

The testing on the Pink Line will begin after the Christmas weekend but before the New Year.

And the 5000-series cars were sitting in the 54th Yard this past weekend because the Kimball Yard is still short of space.

[artthouwill]

Your hunch that the Pink Line is next is confirmed, as per the press release on the CTA Web site:

Prototype Rail Cars to Begin Testing on the Pink Line Monday

The testing on the Pink Line will begin after the Christmas weekend but before the New Year.

And the 5000-series cars were sitting in the 54th Yard this past weekend because the Kimball Yard is still short of space.

Though some may disagree, I think this is the perfect opportunity to run 2 trains on the Pink Line. All runs on this line have four car consists maximum, and you would still have two spares. I don't know if rotating cars would be sufficient for accurate testing, and running 8 car consists on that line is not reality since this line doesn't operate under those conditions. But knowing CTA, they probably will run either an 8 car consist or rotate one 4 car consist.

[sw4400]

Though some may disagree, I think this is the perfect opportunity to run 2 trains on the Pink Line. All runs on this line have four car consists maximum, and you would still have two spares. I don't know if rotating cars would be sufficient for accurate testing, and running 8 car consists on that line is not reality since this line doesn't operate under those conditions. But knowing CTA, they probably will run either an 8 car consist or rotate one 4 car consist.

You mean one spare, don't you? Two cars make one married pair(e.g 5011-5012= one unit)

[New Flyer]

Theres one way to find out get the schedule to see what time the train is running

[trainman8119]

CTA is running 6 car 5000 series trains on the Pink Line. I saw a set going west over Ogilvie yesterday morning (around 9:30 am).

[Mr.cta85]

CTA is running 6 car 5000 series trains on the Pink Line. I saw a set going west over Ogilvie yesterday morning (around 9:30 am).

That's interesting but my question is why would they run a 6 car instead of 2 sets of 4car trains considering the Pink Line only consists of 4car trains. Unless they're about to start running 6 car trains which in my opinion would be a great idea.

[Busjack]

That's interesting but my question is why would they run a 6 car instead of 2 sets of 4car trains considering the Pink Line only consists of 4car trains. Unless they're about to start running 6 car trains which in my opinion would be a great idea.

They have the room to run 8 cars there (from when it was still connected to the Blue Line), so I guess why not check clearances.

[railfan4072]

That's interesting but my question is why would they run a 6 car instead of 2 sets of 4car trains considering the Pink Line only consists of 4car trains. Unless they're about to start running 6 car trains which in my opinion would be a great idea.

They have the room to run 8 cars there (from when it was still connected to the Blue Line), so I guess why not check clearances.

I've seen the 5000s in all three configurations on the Pink Line in the last two days: 4-, 6-, and 8-car consists. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I saw 8-car trains in the AM rush periods. Then on Tuesday afternoon, I saw two different 4-car trains around the Loop. On Wednesday, I spotted the 5000s as a 6-car consist. So it looks like they are testing the cars multiple ways.

[artthouwill]

From the Infrastructure Improvements CTA Press Release found on the Chicagobus.org home page

"The new rail cars will replace older cars in CTA’s fleet on the Brown and Yellow lines, which will improve service reliability. The new cars also offer a number of customer amenities in addition to added safety features and technologies that will enhance operations and maintenance and provide a smoother, more comfortable ride. The CTA is using capital funding from the Federal Transit Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation in addition to revenue bonds to purchase the rail cars"

The Brown and Yellow Lines? Does anyone at CTA proof this stuff? The oldest cars are on the Blue and Green Lines. (oh yeah and some on the Purple too).

[Mr.cta85]

From the Infrastructure Improvements CTA Press Release found on the Chicagobus.org home page

"The new rail cars will replace older cars in CTA’s fleet on the Brown and Yellow lines, which will improve service reliability. The new cars also offer a number of customer amenities in addition to added safety features and technologies that will enhance operations and maintenance and provide a smoother, more comfortable ride. The CTA is using capital funding from the Federal Transit Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation in addition to revenue bonds to purchase the rail cars"

The Brown and Yellow Lines? Does anyone at CTA proof this stuff? The oldest cars are on the Blue and Green Lines. (oh yeah and some on the Purple too).

I hope this isn't correct because you're right the oldest cars are on the Blue and Green Line as well as Purple. If they DO put them on the Brown Line I would be quite suprised cosidering they have the 3200's it wouldnt make sense to me if they put the 5000's on the Brown Line. But since they the (5000's) 1st order are coming in 2011 I still think they should put the 2400's on the Blue Line so when it's time to replace the 22 and 2400 series cars they would kill 2 birds with one stone. And since the 2600 will be put on the Green Line everything will be pretty much in place for the new Cars on the Blue. One another note cta should really read these post you all put on here because you guys be saying some good stuff and you all have alot of good ideas and suggestions.

[Busjack]

I think it is just bad proofreading, or usual ignorance in the PR department.

For that matter, there is the ambiguity that while they may replace the oldest cars, that doesn't mean that they will replace them on the same lines where the oldest cars are located. The history of the 1000 series buses proves that.

[RJL6000]

I think it is just bad proofreading, or usual ignorance in the PR department.

For that matter, there is the ambiguity that while they may replace the oldest cars, that doesn't mean that they will replace them on the same lines where the oldest cars are located. The history of the 1000 series buses proves that.

And based on that, if the Brown and Yellow lines get the first 5000s, the 3200s (and some of the 2600s) would then move to the Green and Blue lines. (In this scenario, roof-board-equipped cars 3441-3456 would be the first to move - and only to the Green Line since the Logan Square-to-Kennedy subway portion of the Blue Line does not have quite enough clearance for the roof-board-equipped cars to operate normally.) And I said this because the Green Line has some of the earliest and some of the latest deliveries in the 2400 series group: While cars numbered in the lower 2400s were the first group of cars delivered to the CTA after the six-month testing period of 2401-2404 during 1976, cars 2493-2500 were actually the last of the delivered 2400s (after unit 2599-2600 had already been delivered).

This is 1992-1994 deja vu all over again: During 1993, the then newly-delivered 3200s went to the Orange Line and the Brown Line (by that time, the Green and Purple lines had some of the oldest equipment in the form of the 2000-series cars while the Brown Line was equipped entirely with 2600-series equipment at the time the 3200s were put into Brown Line service in large numbers since the 6000s were retired by the end of 1992).

[Mr.cta85]

And based on that, if the Brown and Yellow lines get the first 5000s, the 3200s (and some of the 2600s) would then move to the Green and Blue lines. (In this scenario, roof-board-equipped cars 3441-3456 would be the first to move - and only to the Green Line since the Logan Square-to-Kennedy subway portion of the Blue Line does not have quite enough clearance for the roof-board-equipped cars to operate normally.)

This is 1992-1994 deja vu all over again: During 1993, the then newly-delivered 3200s went to the Orange Line and the Brown Line (by that time, the Green and Purple lines had some of the oldest equipment in the form of the 2000-series cars while the Brown Line was equipped entirely with 2600-series equipment at the time the 3200s were put into Brown Line service in large numbers since the 6000s were retired by the end of 1992).

But my question is why would the Brown Line get the 5000's when the Blue Line are the ones with the oldest cars. The Brown Line has the 3200's but there are no problems with that series but if thats the case they do get the new cars putting the 32 and 2600 series on the Green and Blue line (even though the 26's are already on the Blue) would be cool too lol I guess you can say im just excited that the 2600's will be back on the Green Line and if the 3200's come too that would be even more awesome.

[Amtrak41]

From the Infrastructure Improvements CTA Press Release found on the Chicagobus.org home page

"The new rail cars will replace older cars in CTA’s fleet on the Brown and Yellow lines,

Grammatically, it is a true statement, the 3200's are older than the 5000's, so it got by them (they didn't say oldEST).

My common sense says they will go to the Blue and Red in some proportion, though they can't cover 100% of both unless they get another Option Order.

The 2600's go to the Purple & Green. Pink stays as is. They'll keep Brown and Orange uniform with 3200's because they run-thru twice a day, or for partial Loop outages. Whatever is laying around Howard Yard is fair game for the Yellow.

[sw4400]

From the Infrastructure Improvements CTA Press Release found on the Chicagobus.org home page

"The new rail cars will replace older cars in CTA’s fleet on the Brown and Yellow lines, which will improve service reliability. The new cars also offer a number of customer amenities in addition to added safety features and technologies that will enhance operations and maintenance and provide a smoother, more comfortable ride. The CTA is using capital funding from the Federal Transit Administration and Illinois Department of Transportation in addition to revenue bonds to purchase the rail cars"

The Brown and Yellow Lines? Does anyone at CTA proof this stuff? The oldest cars are on the Blue and Green Lines. (oh yeah and some on the Purple too).

This could prove my "farfetched" theory that many of you said wasn't possible... The Brown, Yellow and eventually Orange Lines get the 5000's, and the Blue, Green and Purple Lines get the 3200's.

This is the current rail setup to this date:

Blue: 2200's & 2600's(age variance: 24-42 yrs. old)

Green and Purple: 2400's(age variance: 33-35 yrs. old)

Brown and Orange: 3200's(age variance: 16-20 yrs. old)

Yellow: 2600's(age variance: 24-30 yrs. old)

If this is the planned setup, and not some major typo by the CTA, then this might be the new look for the rail lines post arrival of the 406 railcars:

Blue: 2600's & 3200's(age variance: 16-30 yrs. old)

Green and Purple: 3200's(age variance: 16-20 yrs. old)

Brown and Orange: 5000's(age variance: 1 yr.* or brand new)

Yellow: 5000's(age variance 1 yr.* or brand new)

So the lines with the oldest railcars in the fleet will get newer cars, just not new-new cars. Again, presuming this is indeed not a typo.

Oh, and don't -1 this.... -1 the people at the CTA for saying it. Maybe that's the plan they have for the 5000's when they start arriving.

[artthouwill]

This could prove my "farfetched" theory that many of you said wasn't possible... The Brown, Yellow and eventually Orange Lines get the 5000's, and the Blue, Green and Purple Lines get the 3200's.

Oh, and don't -1 this.... -1 the people at the CTA for saying it. Maybe that's the plan they have for the 5000's when they start arriving.

I won't -1 you. With CTA, even farfetched is possible. If CTA actually goes through with the complete order of 706 cars, it is possible for Orange and Brown to receive 5000s. I still believe that Blue will be first and eventually will be exclusively 5000s. That leaves 388 cars. If you are correct and Brown and Orange get the next batch, that takes about 250, which would leave 138. The logical line left at that point would be the Green Line and the Yellow. Thus the 3200s would all have to go to the Red Line. My belief, however is that the Red would become exclusively 5000s as well, taking the majority of 5000s, leaving any remainders to the Yellow, depending on extension of the Red Line. The oldest of the 2600s would go away with the remainder going to the Green Line, and I don't foresee the Brown or Orange abandoning their 3200s, but you never know with CTA.

[toppdawg12]

I won't -1 you. With CTA, even farfetched is possible. If CTA actually goes through with the complete order of 706 cars, it is possible for Orange and Brown to receive 5000s. I still believe that Blue will be first and eventually will be exclusively 5000s. That leaves 388 cars. If you are correct and Brown and Orange get the next batch, that takes about 250, which would leave 138. The logical line left at that point would be the Green Line and the Yellow. Thus the 3200s would all have to go to the Red Line. My belief, however is that the Red would become exclusively 5000s as well, taking the majority of 5000s, leaving any remainders to the Yellow, depending on extension of the Red Line. The oldest of the 2600s would go away with the remainder going to the Green Line, and I don't foresee the Brown or Orange abandoning their 3200s, but you never know with CTA.

[toppdawg12]

Geez -- these ideas fall into the categories of:

1.) Wishful thinking

2.) Confusing logic and,

3.) Bad math

I wish I had the time to explain each, but I am rapidly running out of year. So, let's debunk each claim in 2011, and,in the meantime, may you all have a happy New Year!

[Mr.cta85]

Well since it's officially 2011 let me be the 1st to welcome the new 5000 series rail cars to the cta which will start coming in REAL soon. I'm excited about whichever line they appear on 1st and even excited about which lines the 26 and 3200 cars will cover once the 22 and most of the 2400 series are replaced.

[ChicagoNova]

Well since it's officially 2011 let me be the 1st to welcome the new 5000 series rail cars to the cta which will start coming in REAL soon. I'm excited about whichever line they appear on 1st and even excited about which lines the 26 and 3200 cars will cover once the 22 and most of the 2400 series are replaced.

Sure can't wait to see that happen.

[Busjack]

Well, as I said about 6 months ago, they are going to be tested on the Purple and Yellow Lines at the same time. Press Release noted on the home page.

[Mr.cta85]

Well, as I said about 6 months ago, they are going to be tested on the Purple and Yellow Lines at the same time. Press Release noted on the home page.

So after the 5000's are done testing on the last 2 lines how soon will it be before they order the 396 or more cars? Because im pretty sure they are going to pass the testing stage they have to go through before they make the final order for the rest of the new cars.