5000-series - Updates

[jajuan]

I suppose it's theoretically possible that the track workers were doing something that had to do with the Pink Line running four-car trains, but track inspectors/track workers are on the system at some location or another pretty much every day, for various reasons. So, odds are more likely that they were just doing the same thing they do every other day.

No this was a little more than the normal inspection type work seen on any given day where the workers are walking along the tracks to be sure everything with the rails and such is in decent condition. One of those workers was actually using what appeared to be some form of cutting tool to cut around the edges of the rail structures inside the junction point near the tower. It looked as though he was making some form of adjustments or alignments to the rails on junction between the intervals of the trains passing through there.

[See Tea Eh]

No this was a little more than the normal inspection type work seen on any given day where the workers are walking along the tracks to be sure everything with the rails and such is in decent condition. One of those workers was actually using what appeared to be some form of cutting tool to cut around the edges of the rail structures inside the junction point near the tower. It looked as though he was making some form of adjustments or alignments to the rails on junction between the intervals of the trains passing through there.

That sounds even less like it would have anything to do with running four-car 5000-series trains.

Making minor adjustments to the alignment of the rails is something that would have an impact on every train going through, regardless of equipment type or consist length.

Still, it sounds fairly routine. Stuff like that happens, in some form or another, pretty much every day.

[artthouwill]

That sounds even less like it would have anything to do with running four-car 5000-series trains.

Making minor adjustments to the alignment of the rails is something that would have an impact on every train going through, regardless of equipment type or consist length.

Still, it sounds fairly routine. Stuff like that happens, in some form or another, pretty much every day.

Don't forget they are doing work along the Wells and Van Buren structure this weekend. There were workers located around Towers 12 ,& 18, so I'm sure the work is related to that.

[jajuan]

That sounds even less like it would have anything to do with running four-car 5000-series trains.

Making minor adjustments to the alignment of the rails is something that would have an impact on every train going through, regardless of equipment type or consist length.

Still, it sounds fairly routine. Stuff like that happens, in some form or another, pretty much every day.

Works for me. As I said it seemed possible that's what my initial thinking was about since we've all discussed the unanswered question in the past of if there were some issue that CTA discovered that they haven't worked out yet with 4-car 5000 consists making it across that junction without stalling and mucking up train traffic on the entire Loop elevated and surrounding areas approaching and therefore making an educated guess given those discussions.

[BusHunter]

Thanks a lot, RJ6000. I really like these 5000s on the Green Line. Oh, by the way, there are some changes made of the 5000s roster. I spotted the 5000s car numbers #5019-#5020, #5081-#5082 on the Pink Line today. I don't know the first two lead cars. But, car number #5019-#5020, #5081-#5082 are the last four cars of the six-car set on the Pink Line. They used them on the Green Line for the past few weeks ago.

#5021-22 is also on the Pink line. Looks like some of the first Green line cars went back to the Pink line. I don't know if #5071-72, #5077-78, #5049-50 went back or not. I believe those cars still had the Pink line car cards, if that's any indication.

[flossman]

That sounds even less like it would have anything to do with running four-car 5000-series trains.

Making minor adjustments to the alignment of the rails is something that would have an impact on every train going through, regardless of equipment type or consist length.

Still, it sounds fairly routine. Stuff like that happens, in some form or another, pretty much every day.

I know they're also performing a lot more track maintenance because of the heat, to stave off track warping/expanding and the like. The Tribune had an article about it a couple days ago. I can't even imagine the stresses the system is going through with this constant heat.

[RJL6000]

#5021-22 is also on the Pink line. Looks like some of the first Green line cars went back to the Pink line. I don't know if #5071-72, #5077-78, #5049-50 went back or not. I believe those cars still had the Pink line car cards, if that's any indication.

Thanks, BusHunter. My hunch is not entirely correct. Until the Green Line becomes majority-equipped with the new 5000s (as in equipped with enough of the new cars to cover base, or off-peak, service on the line) there will continue to be equipment swapping between the Pink and Green Lines.

[eyetube21]

Speaking the 5000s. Last weekend I was riding the 2400s on the Green Line, I haven't seen the 5000s in service. They were all 2400s in service. I'm wondering are they put them in service during rush-hour trips or they use them during weekday service?

[T8H5307A]

Speaking the 5000s. Last weekend I was riding the 2400s on the Green Line, I haven't seen the 5000s in service. They were all 2400s in service. I'm wondering are they put them in service during rush-hour trips or they use them during weekday service?

The 5000's were not used over the weekend due to work at Conservatory-Central Park Drive (station’s main entrance, station house, and elevator to the 63rd-bound platform was temporarily closed). This work allowed only berthing of 4 car trains. The set of 5000's was laid up prior to 19:00 hours on Friday.

[BusHunter]

#5017-18 is also on the Green line now. BTW, if you didn't notice, Chicago-l.org updated there #5000 page with some new information. They say the existing #5000's will be retrofit with the color LED's in the fall. As far as when the #5000's run, they still just run 1 train at a time, usually one goes to the yard and another comes back out shortly. There's one that was coming through Clark/Lake WB around 6PM getting to Harlem about 6:30, (didn't see it yesterday) and then a different train pops out of the yard for a 6:40 departure.

[Mr.cta85]

#5017-18 is also on the Green line now. BTW, if you didn't notice, Chicago-l.org updated there #5000 page with some new information. They say the existing #5000's will be retrofit with the color LED's in the fall. As far as when the #5000's run, they still just run 1 train at a time, usually one goes to the yard and another comes back out shortly. There's one that was coming through Clark/Lake WB around 6PM getting to Harlem about 6:30, (didn't see it yesterday) and then a different train pops out of the yard for a 6:40 departure.

Ooo that's what it said about the 5000's on Chicago-l.org?? Lol once again thanks Bus Hunter I must've read that article like 3times and couldn't see what new information they had. So the Green Line still only have just 1 train running at a time? Oh that's kinda disappointing I figured about this time it should be at least 3 or 4 set of 5000's running now. I can understand not really using them on weekends or nights considering its not that many of them just yet but still it seems like the progress is slower on the Green Line where as the Pink they were filling out faster. Either way I'm still excited about the new cars and the progress they're making overall.

[Busjack]

BTW, if you didn't notice, Chicago-l.org updated there #5000 page with some new information. They say the existing #5000's will be retrofit with the color LED's in the fall.

Actually, that was derived from the rather garbled CTA Press Release, to which I earlier referred.

[eyetube21]

The 5000's were not used over the weekend due to work at Conservatory-Central Park Drive (station's main entrance, station house, and elevator to the 63rd-bound platform was temporarily closed). This work allowed only berthing of 4 car trains. The set of 5000's was laid up prior to 19:00 hours on Friday.

Thanks T8H5307A. Now I understand why they didn't put them in service. I can't wait to see them all equipped during the fall.

[jajuan]

#5017-18 is also on the Green line now. BTW, if you didn't notice, Chicago-l.org updated there #5000 page with some new information. They say the existing #5000's will be retrofit with the color LED's in the fall. As far as when the #5000's run, they still just run 1 train at a time, usually one goes to the yard and another comes back out shortly. There's one that was coming through Clark/Lake WB around 6PM getting to Harlem about 6:30, (didn't see it yesterday) and then a different train pops out of the yard for a 6:40 departure.

I didn't know they were only doing one 5000 consist train at a time now on the Green Line. I thought they may have been doing two or three at least because I physically saw at least two during a morning rush maybe two or three weeks ago while getting a Pink line to work and passing through downtown. The train before my train was a SB Green Line, and my train passed another SB 5000 consist on the Green Line when it stopped at Morgan. Both trains in question were signed as Ashland/63rd runs.

[BusHunter]

I didn't know they were only doing one 5000 consist train at a time now on the Green Line. I thought they may have been doing two or three at least because I physically saw at least two during a morning rush maybe two or three weeks ago while getting a Pink line to work and passing through downtown. The train before my train was a SB Green Line, and my train passed another SB 5000 consist on the Green Line when it stopped at Morgan. Both trains in question were signed as Ashland/63rd runs.

I've never seen more than one train at a time so far. Maybe that morning they were short and needed it. With it being 2 or 3 weeks ago sounds like they were using everything they had for #5000's at that time. (12 cars) I think the reason right now we don't see too many is because they still have the 94 #2400 cars and these cars are surplus cars. When they start transferring #2400's (should be soon) we'll see them being used more frequently.

[jajuan]

I've never seen more than one train at a time so far. Maybe that morning they were short and needed it. With it being 2 or 3 weeks ago sounds like they were using everything they had for #5000's at that time. (12 cars) I think the reason right now we don't see too many is because they still have the 94 #2400 cars and these cars are surplus cars. When they start transferring #2400's (should be soon) we'll see them being used more frequently.

Well it only makes sense. So I take it then that the 2400 series cars seen increasingly on the Red Line are cars that were serving the Purple. I can tell you that from taking occasional rides on the Purple Line Express as part of getting acclimated with shopping/entertainment hot spots in Evanston now that I live a couple miles south of that community, that the 2600s that make up part or entire consists on the line are a split between former Pink Line cars and cars seen on the Red in the past. Plus some of those former Pink 2600s have sometimes been used in service as part of Red Line trains.

[pudgym29]

Usually the programmers can adjust the intensity of any hue; look at any modern paint or word processing program under the color picker, eg. Windows Paint has "Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity" as well as RGB values.

Hey CTA programmers, reading this?

Also interesting that the side signs are shorter than before, and the inside ones weren't changed. It is going to be hard to get COTTAGE GROVE or FOREST PARK on them (based on the number of characters). Certainly not like LOOP.

I would think the Authority would adopt the horizontal stack [i.e.: Cottage/Grove], which is how Blue Line assigned cars' roller curtains (including the #2200s) display Jefferson/Park.

[Busjack]

I would think the Authority would adopt the horizontal stack [i.e.: Cottage/Grove], which is how Blue Line assigned cars' roller curtains (including the #2200s) display Jefferson/Park.

Given my later observation that the signs look more like a hi-def monitor than LEDs, I think you're right. At the time I posted the message you quoted, I was thinking more of the LED ones, such as those displayed in the PowerPoints a couple of years ago.

The dark hairline border around the letters would also seem to address BusHunter's concern about a white background washing out the color letters.

[RJL6000]

I did not ride any 5000s on the Green Line today, but rode one on the Pink Line.

Just as I was riding in a 2400-series train eastbound on Lake Street I encountered 5119-5120-5121-5122-5092-5091 with "Not In Service" heading westbound towards the Harlem Yard. The "Not In Service" is white-on-black on 5119-5120-5121-5122 but still amber on 5091-5092.

Similarly, I rode the Pink Line in a westbound train that's all amber LED signs 5065-5066-5067-5068-5052-5051 (I was in 5068). But the next train that was behind the one I rode in was a train made up of cars 5117-5118-5116-5115-5019-5020, and I got to see the white-on-pink "54/Cermak" on 5117-5118 and 5116-5115 in person.

[Mr.cta85]

I did not ride any 5000s on the Green Line today, but rode one on the Pink Line.

Just as I was riding in a 2400-series train eastbound on Lake Street I encountered 5119-5120-5121-5122-5092-5091 with "Not In Service" heading westbound towards the Harlem Yard. The "Not In Service" is white-on-black on 5119-5120-5121-5122 but still amber on 5091-5092.

Similarly, I rode the Pink Line in a westbound train that's all amber LED signs 5065-5066-5067-5068-5052-5051 (I was in 5068). But the next train that was behind the one I rode in was a train made up of cars 5117-5118-5116-5115-5019-5020, and I got to see the white-on-pink "54/Cermak" on 5117-5118 and 5116-5115 in person.

Good stuff RJL6000 Looks like those new cars will be in service on the Green Line probably as soon as tomorrow and with 5119 through5122 those will be the 1st cars to show the color led signs for the Green Line I'm curious to see how they are going to look particularly with the Cottage Grove destination sign. 5091-5092 seem to be new deliveries as well I don't remember them being on the Pink Line before but if I'm wrong please correct me.

[eyetube21]

Good stuff RJL6000 Looks like those new cars will be in service on the Green Line probably as soon as tomorrow and with 5119 through5122 those will be the 1st cars to show the color led signs for the Green Line I'm curious to see how they are going to look particularly with the Cottage Grove destination sign. 5091-5092 seem to be new deliveries as well I don't remember them being on the Pink Line before but if I'm wrong please correct me.

Yes, I agreed with you Mr.cta85. Wow, the Green Line is getting the 5000s for good. I love to hear it. Hopefully, I'll see them in service as possible. Thanks for the report.

[artthouwill]

Yes, I agreed with you Mr.cta85. Wow, the Green Line is getting the 5000s for good. I love to hear it. Hopefully, I'll see them in service as possible. Thanks for the report.

Run 004, which lately has had the new cars, had the 2400s today. The assigned it to a different run today.

[qwantae]

I did not ride any 5000s on the Green Line today, but rode one on the Pink Line.

Just as I was riding in a 2400-series train eastbound on Lake Street I encountered 5119-5120-5121-5122-5092-5091 with "Not In Service" heading westbound towards the Harlem Yard. The "Not In Service" is white-on-black on 5119-5120-5121-5122 but still amber on 5091-5092.

Similarly, I rode the Pink Line in a westbound train that's all amber LED signs 5065-5066-5067-5068-5052-5051 (I was in 5068). But the next train that was behind the one I rode in was a train made up of cars 5117-5118-5116-5115-5019-5020, and I got to see the white-on-pink "54/Cermak" on 5117-5118 and 5116-5115 in person.

As I rode the oldest 5000s (#5001) on Pink Line last night, I did spotted 5116-5115 in person at Morgan Stop.

[eyetube21]

I rode the 2400s on the Green Line to Harlem, today. They have two six-car 5000s going to Ashland/63rd terminal and Cottage Grove/63rd today. I ride the 5000s car number #5054 on the way back from Harlem. It was heading to Cottage Grove. Meanwhile at the Harlem Yard, I did see the new six-car 5000s #5091-#5092, #5119-#5120, #5121-#5122 sitting there. I also seen the others #5039-#5040, #5079-#5080,#5047-#5048 there also sitting.

[Mr.cta85]

I rode the 2400s on the Green Line to Harlem, today. They have two six-car 5000s going to Ashland/63rd terminal and Cottage Grove/63rd today. I ride the 5000s car number #5054 on the way back from Harlem. It was heading to Cottage Grove. Meanwhile at the Harlem Yard, I did see the new six-car 5000s #5091-#5092, #5119-#5120, #5121-#5122 sitting there. I also seen the others #5039-#5040, #5079-#5080,#5047-#5048 there also sitting.

So that makes 4 set of 5000's which is cool I also believe Skokie have more new deliveries as well. So pretty much all the next cars coming in are going to the Green Line until of course that Line is fully equipped with 5000's.