5000-series - Updates

[jtrosario]

As a amateur railfan, got to ride my first 5000 series today: 5070. It was in a 4 car consist of 5070(lead), 5069, 5060, 5059. Since it was 11-12am-ish, it was pretty empty, so enjoyed the side facing views, riding the Pink line completely from and to 54/Cermak. Just missed boarding another 5000 series consist ahead of us, and saw three(or four??) others on the opposing track, with only 2 pink line consists being 2600 series.

(The construction on the Morgan station held us up quite a bit both ways, maybe there are extra consists running at once? It took us over an hour and a half to complete the full run.)

Also, the yard was holding another 5 4-car 5000 series consists, so that adds up to 36(or 40??) cars either running on Pink or in the 54/Cermak yard. Just my amateur opinion, but it looks like the Pink line will be 100% series 5000 pretty soon.

[RJL6000]

As a amateur railfan, got to ride my first 5000 series today: 5070. It was in a 4 car consist of 5070(lead), 5069, 5060, 5059. Since it was 11-12am-ish, it was pretty empty, so enjoyed the side facing views, riding the Pink line completely from and to 54/Cermak. Just missed boarding another 5000 series consist ahead of us, and saw three(or four??) others on the opposing track, with only 2 pink line consists being 2600 series.

(The construction on the Morgan station held us up quite a bit both ways, maybe there are extra consists running at once? It took us over an hour and a half to complete the full run.)

Also, the yard was holding another 5 4-car 5000 series consists, so that adds up to 36(or 40??) cars either running on Pink or in the 54/Cermak yard. Just my amateur opinion, but it looks like the Pink line will be 100% series 5000 pretty soon.

This also means that we'll expect to see a few 5000s in the Harlem/Lake yard (and the yard at Ashland/63rd) some time around Christmas even if they will not be immediately put into revenue service on the Green Line until late-January at the earliest.

[Amtrak41]

This also means that we'll expect to see a few 5000s in the Harlem/Lake yard (and the yard at Ashland/63rd) some time around Christmas even if they will not be immediately put into revenue service on the Green Line until late-January at the earliest.

When I visit Chicago next summer, I expect the 2200's to be long gone. It'll be a fast death.

I will miss the forward facing railfan seat on the 2400's.

[ChicagoNova]

I wonder if the Pink Line will go to a 6-car consist. I saw a 6-car consist consisting of 5000-series cars going to the Loop while I was on the WB #20 Madison bus.

[Guest]

When I visit Chicago next summer, I expect the 2200's to be long gone. It'll be a fast death.

I will miss the forward facing railfan seat on the 2400's.

I wont miss the 2400s so much given that I never really spent much time riding them. There really isnt anything interesting about them. Theyre almost identical to the 2600s except for a little difference in the body and front cab end. The 2200s on the other hand are very interesting cars for many reasons, especially since these are the last series of cars with the Chicago style blinker doors. That will certainly be missed by many as well as myself. But I do love the 3200 and 5000 series rapid transit cars because of their fluted sides. They remind me a little of the old style transit cars such as the 2200s and the New York R32/R38s.

[Busjack]

...The 2200s on the other hand are very interesting cars for many reasons, especially since these are the last series of cars with the Chicago style blinker doors. That will certainly be missed by many as well as myself....

They were also the only ones designed by an architect (Skidmore Owings Merrill, as part of the design for the two expressway routes) and were much more memorable when new, because they had black leather seating. My main quarrel with the 2400s is that they incorporated bus seating (plastic with inserts) that was retrofitted into the 2200s and still survive into the 5000s (which gets us back to the topic).

The 2400s looked more impressive when they had the full body stripe decals, but I guess those wouldn't remain clean. They looked real fishy with the 2600 type stripes just on the rail and the black masks around the windows removed, and the plain stainless is at least preferable to that.

[Kevin]

One of the 22 purchase and/or sales award recommendations on the CTA Board agenda today is a change order to the 5000-series contract.

[RJL6000]

One of the 22 purchase and/or sales award recommendations on the CTA Board agenda today is a change order to the 5000-series contract.

The "change order" is more than likely a few tweaks to future deliveries - for example, the change from all-amber to multicolored destination signs.

[Busjack]

The "change order" is more than likely a few tweaks to future deliveries - for example, the change from all-amber to multicolored destination signs.

From the Committee on Finance Audit and Business agenda, there appear to be four change orders relating to this contract.

.

Depends on what the plus $8.5 million, or about $12,000 per car, on two change orders is for (maybe significant, maybe not, but probably more significant than you indicate).

On the other hand, the minus $11,000 and zero ones are probably chicken feed.

For that matter, they are still processing change orders on the Brown Line Capacity Expansion project, which was supposed to be done two years ago.

If things are the usual, the public won't find out the substance of any of these change orders.

[MetroShadow]

Typical Tribune Report Here: Looks like the 5000's will get the color LED signs after all.

[RJL6000]

From the Committee on Finance Audit and Business agenda, there appear to be four change orders relating to this contract.

.

Depends on what the plus $8.5 million, or about $12,000 per car, on two change orders is for (maybe significant, maybe not, but probably more significant than you indicate).

On the other hand, the minus $11,000 and zero ones are probably chicken feed.

For that matter, they are still processing change orders on the Brown Line Capacity Expansion project, which was supposed to be done two years ago.

If things are the usual, the public won't find out the substance of any of these change orders.

The biggest "change order" on the 5000-series order is just as reported on the Tribune: Future deliveries will come with multicolor LED destination signs, and the cars that are currently under delivery and those already on CTA property will be retrofit with the new signs. The earliest that we should be seeing the change from amber to multicolor is either in the middle of the Green Line delivery or when the Red Line starts receiving 5000s. (And yes, amber will still be one of the colors in the new multicolor signs since that color would have been correct for the Orange Line, which will be receiving 5000s immediately following the Red Line.) Blue and brown LEDs will also be included in the new signs; however, neither the Blue Line nor the Brown Line is currently slated to receive any 5000s (though the rehabbed 3200s that will eventually be assigned to those two lines will be retrofit with those new multicolor signs). The LEDs for the Yellow Line will be more of a greenish-yellow.

As for the "change order" on the Brown Line, most of them is to fix early deterioration (mainly the platforms) in some of the rebuilt stations.

[toppdawg12]

I would like to see periodic publication of which 5000s are on-site, how many there are, and where(or if) they are running.

[BusHunter]

I wonder if the Pink Line will go to a 6-car consist. I saw a 6-car consist consisting of 5000-series cars going to the Loop while I was on the WB #20 Madison bus.

Yes, it appears that they are. Yesterday all #5000 series trains that ran in the evening rush had 6 car consists. But whenever a #2600 runs, it's still running with 4 cars only. I guess we won't be having any more dead spots at tower 18.

[busfan2847]

Yes, it appears that they are. Yesterday all #5000 series trains that ran in the evening rush had 6 car consists. But whenever a #2600 runs, it's still running with 4 cars only. I guess we won't be having any more dead spots at tower 18.

Yes I also noticed that all 5000 series Pink Line trains I saw yesterday both Midday and in the evening peak and this morning were 6 cars with only the few remaining 2600 series trains 4 cars.

[BusHunter]

Typical Tribune Report Here: Looks like the 5000's will get the color LED signs after all.

Also in that report they talk of a better seat insert that's more resistant to stains. That's something they need. Alot of the seat inserts out there nowadays are nasty. I wonder why they got rid of fiberglass seat inserts. While less luxurious, they clean up easier and are easier to maintain on a wide scale. The seats they have now can hold hidden bacteria like body odor or food bacteria from food spoiling on the fabric. Sometimes I wonder if the bad smells inside these cars are not only coming from the floor but these seats as well. The whole situation is just unsanitary.

[sw4400]

I wonder if they're going to get the same style seats used in New Flyer #1303-2029.

[Busjack]

Also in that report they talk of a better seat insert that's more resistant to stains. That's something they need. Alot of the seat inserts out there nowadays are nasty. I wonder why they got rid of fiberglass seat inserts. While less luxurious, they clean up easier and are easier to maintain on a wide scale. ...

The rationale was that this type of close woven fabric was harder to slash. If you are referring to the type of inserts in the pine and lime New Looks of the 1970s, those were slashed pretty quickly, and replaced with black ones that seemed like pressed board. However, the CTA Tattler recently had a picture of one of the current ones that was slashed.

I wonder if they're going to get the same style seats used in New Flyer #1303-2029.

Based on the statement that "New seat cloth with anti-stain and anti-microbial fiber protector incorporated into the fabric was not yet developed when the original specification was prepared," it doesn't look like they are changing the seats, just the protector, whatever that is.

Somewhere it was also noted that the old style seats in the L cars are 17-1/2" while the newer seats in the buses are 18-1/2", so changing them would affect how many (or in this case few) seats are provided.

_________________

If you want to get into ambiguities and strange stuff:

• I'm sure they are getting "Full-color LEDs," not as implied in the next paragraph, a color for each line.
• The Tattler reported that half of the PR staff was laid off, but apparently two of the 4 who remain had to comment on this story.
• Unlike Pace not saying the substance of what's in the board packet, at least CTA did tell the press here, so, as RJL indicates, I have to retract that comment.

[sw4400]

What does this pertain to??? CTA? Metra? PACE? or a combo or all three of them? Story

Nevermind... it is to eliminate slow zones on the Blue Line. Story

[railfan4072]

I understand there will be a very interesting announcement about the 5000s on Friday morning. In the meantime, don't expect to see any 6-car consists of 5000s on the Pink Line (or 4-car trains either).

[Sam92]

I understand there will be a very interesting announcement about the 5000s on Friday morning. In the meantime, don't expect to see any 6-car consists of 5000s on the Pink Line (or 4-car trains either).

why wouldn't we? It's been happening for the past few weeks with more trains phased into service.

[Busjack]

why wouldn't we? It's been happening for the past few weeks with more trains phased into service.

Because they are going to 12 cars every 4 minutes. :lol:

[RJL6000]

I understand there will be a very interesting announcement about the 5000s on Friday morning. In the meantime, don't expect to see any 6-car consists of 5000s on the Pink Line (or 4-car trains either).

The 5000s have already been in service on the Pink Line for a little over a month now. And as of now, the majority of weekday Pink Line runs are consists of 5000s.

And the "very interesting announcement" about the 5000s that is scheduled for this morning is basically a rehash of what was reported to the Tribune this past Wednesday (and was posted on the paper's Web site). Basically, in addition to the new upholstery, it will confirm exactly what I was trying to state: In a few months, we will see newly delivered 5000s equipped with the multi-color LED signs, and the 5000s that are either in transport from Plattsburgh or already on CTA property will be retrofit with the multi-color LED signs some time in 2012. The retrofits will be done in-house.

[Busjack]

CTA Tattler had a link to a News Radio 780 story about a breakdown of 5000s at Tower 18. BusHunter, is this the same as you described, or are they continuing?

There is also some stuff in the article about what Claypool said (probably through a spokesperson) about the retirement schedule. While what I said above was facetious, I believe Claypool about as much.

Probably another BusHunter topic is the statement there that there are still 130 cars, which basically means that only 10 cars have been retired this year, and maybe as a result of being replaced.

[greenstreet]

The 5000s have already been in service on the Pink Line for a little over a month now. And as of now, the majority of weekday Pink Line runs are consists of 5000s.

And the "very interesting announcement" about the 5000s that is scheduled for this morning is basically a rehash of what was reported to the Tribune this past Wednesday (and was posted on the paper's Web site). Basically, in addition to the new upholstery, it will confirm exactly what I was trying to state: In a few months, we will see newly delivered 5000s equipped with the multi-color LED signs, and the 5000s that are either in transport from Plattsburgh or already on CTA property will be retrofit with the multi-color LED signs some time in 2012. The retrofits will be done in-house.

I don't think the "interesting announcement" railfan referred to was the old-news-to-Chicagobusforum CBS story about the about the 5000s stalling at gaps at Tower 18 or the old news (Dec. 8) about the CTA requesting design of full-color LED destination signs.

If I read it right, I think he is referring to an impending CTA announcement, regarding a completely different situation that will make the CTA glad they still have 22 2600s assigned to 54th.

[RJL6000]

I don't think the "interesting announcement" railfan referred to was the old-news-to-Chicagobusforum CBS story about the about the 5000s stalling at gaps at Tower 18 or the old news (Dec. 8) about the CTA requesting design of full-color LED destination signs.

If I read it right, I think he is referring to an impending CTA announcement, regarding a completely different situation that will make the CTA glad they still have 22 2600s assigned to 54th.

I think you could be on the right track. It means that the 5000s could be temporarily removed from service for adjustments and tweaks, and that the specific numbered 2600s that were transferred to the Blue Line in recent weeks could be transferred back to the Pink Line for the short term. Or the 5000s could be temporarily restricted to rush-hour-only service while the tweaks/upgrades are being done, with base service reverting to all 2600s.