5000-series - Updates

[artthouwill]

Currently I'm on 5126, a car.so new it has no maps and no advertising catds. It also has the.new LED drstination signs on the outside, yet the interior destination signs are still amber. Unless its a burdensome expense, and seeing that we can see the roller curtain of the older cars from inside, could they not have the LED destination signs with the colored routes in the interior also?

[Busjack]

Currently I'm on 5126, a car.so new it has no maps and no advertising catds. It also has the.new LED drstination signs on the outside, yet the interior destination signs are still amber. Unless its a burdensome expense, and seeing that we can see the roller curtain of the older cars from inside, could they not have the LED destination signs with the colored routes in the interior also?

I don't think that's as urgent a need. Once you are on the train, a passenger can read the sign close up, and Mr. CTA says that you are on a Green Line train to Nowhere. On the outside, one can't read the sign at a distance but may be able to see the pink, green, or white color, and besides, there might be in 2017 the issue of both Brown and Purple line trains that both say Loop.

In fact, how did passengers survive for about 67 years having to read the signs from the inside backwards?

[artthouwill]

I don't think that's as urgent a need. Once you are on the train, a passenger can read the sign close up, and Mr. CTA says that you are on a Green Line train to Nowhere. On the outside, one can't read the sign at a distance but may be able to see the pink, green, or white color, and besides, there might be in 2017 the issue of both Brown and Purple line trains that both say Loop.

In fact, how did passengers survive for about 67 years having to read the signs from the inside backwards?

They survived in part because they could see the color of the sign from the inside. Hence if you somehow barely made the train,you could still tell if you were on an A or B train . Those ADA announcements aren't foolproof as some operators are quick on pushing "Doors closing" announcements before the station announcements, which in the Loop include the train and destination, are finished playing. I'm not saying it's an urgent matter, but it wouldn't have hurt to consider.

[CURRENTZ_09]

I also saw the same cars of 5000s while I catch the Green Line at 47th Street station. I made videos of them arrive and departing as well. It's great to see them arrive on the Green Line.

Where are the videos

[BusHunter]

Actually, 5001-5086, 5089-5092 and 5105-5114 still have the amber signs. Some of the 5090s, such as 5097-5098 and (presumably) 5095-5096, were originally planned to be delivered with the amber signs but were retrofit with the colored signs at the factory before they were delivered to the CTA.

It looks to me like #5097-98 was retrofit at Skokie. They had six cars up there for over a week and didn't deliver them. This would explain the delay. If you look at the delivery picture of #5103, it has wider signs. (the old way) If this car comes out with the new signs, I'll be convinced this is the case. They may be getting ready to change all the older signs on the #5000's. So BTW, for those keeping track of cars, Green line got #5095-98,#5123-26 and has received #5023-24, #5029-33, #5073-74 from the Pink line. The cars they were borrowing before went back to the Pink line. (#5015-18, #5035-36, #5043-44, #5047-48, #5053-54) #5085-86, I believe stayed on the Green line. #2473-78 have been sent to the Red line.

[eyetube21]

Where are the videos

My mistaken, CURRENTZ. I made a video of them. Here's a video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDSsZOJE6Wc.

[Busjack]

My mistaken, CURRENTZ. I made a video of them. Here's a video. http://www.youtube.c...?v=gDSsZOJE6Wc.

Are your and the signs' scan rates that incompatible, or are the signs "rolling" like that?

[eyetube21]

Are your and the signs' scan rates that incompatible, or are the signs "rolling" like that?

The signs are rolling like that. It can read.

[RJL6000]

Are your and the signs' scan rates that incompatible, or are the signs "rolling" like that?

The scan rates between the camera and the signs are incompatible with one another.

[chgofan78]

Looks like there finally starting to assign cars to the Green line. (versus borrowing them) All the #5100's should now be on the Green line. (spotted #5109-10, #5115-18 in a Green line consist yesterday) Spotted only 58 cars yesterday on the pink line and at 54th yard. Looks like there trying to get more #5000 trains available for the Green line even though there not delivering too quickly. Couldn't spot a #2400 higher than #2495-96 either on the Green.

Just spotted 2473-2478 all together on a Red Line train about an hour ago. Green Line 2400-series cars are really making their way over to the Red Line fast. By now, the Green Line should be half 2400-series cars and half 5000-series cars.

[RJL6000]

Just spotted 2473-2478 all together on a Red Line train about an hour ago. Green Line 2400-series cars are really making their way over to the Red Line fast. By now, the Green Line should be half 2400-series cars and half 5000-series cars.

Those ex-Green Line 2400s, in turn, are displacing some of the Red Line's lower-numbered 2600s, which should be heading over to the Blue Line to replace the worst of the remaining 2200s.

[eyetube21]

I just ride the 5000s car #5073-74 on the Green Line. These cars came from the Pink Line. Looks like the Green Line will get some of the Pink Line 5000s, plus the new deliveries. I don't know how many?

[artthouwill]

Today I counted 5 sete of 5000s with 4 in succession. Today was unusual in that the Green Line ran 6 car conists all day, even the 2400s.

[BusHunter]

Those ex-Green Line 2400s, in turn, are displacing some of the Red Line's lower-numbered 2600s, which should be heading over to the Blue Line to replace the worst of the remaining 2200s.

In the last week the blue line has received #2621-24, #2635-36, #2643-44 from the Red line. The Pink line has received from the Green line #5015-18, #5035-36, #5043-44, #5047-48, #5053-54. I believe #5085-86 stayed on the Green line. Also I spotted #5023-24 on the Green line.

[qwantae]

Those ex-Green Line 2400s, in turn, are displacing some of the Red Line's lower-numbered 2600s, which should be heading over to the Blue Line to replace the worst of the remaining 2200s.

Should replace #2263 ASAP, was on that car Sunday, that car been had broken A/C over a month now since I been on it to get to the Taste Of Chicago Fest.

[qwantae]

In the last week the blue line has received #2621-24, #2635-36, #2643-44 from the Red line. The Pink line has received from the Green line #5015-18, #5035-36, #5043-44, #5047-48, #5053-54. I believe #5085-86 stayed on the Green line. Also I spotted #5023-24 on the Green line.

I spotted the Oldest 2600 ever (#2601-02) on Blue Line this past sunday at LaSalle Station. I see Blue Line also received some couple sets of higher numbered 2800s.

[BusHunter]

It looks like the 4 car trains they were running on the Pink line was a success. Yesterday they were running five 4 car trains and three 6 car ones in the evening rush. Looks like they'll be transferring more #5000's to Green line soon. (they may go back to 44 cars total on the Pink Line) BTW, I read in the Tribune yesterday, (for some reason part of that article is edited online) that they want to increase the fleet by 76 cars. This way they can add 2 to 3 trains per line barring the Pink and Yellow line. I haven't yet done the math, but if so it may be difficult to get the #5000's to all the lines they originally proposed. In saying that the chance of the Blue line getting #3200's may have just flew out the window. Those cars could end up on the Purple line. I was thinking by increasing the fleet by 76 cars, CTA would protect themselves from another car purchase if/when the 130th Red line extension opens. That extension calls for 84 cars. That's only an 8 car difference.

[Busjack]

...BTW, I read in the Tribune yesterday, (for some reason part of that article is edited online) that they want to increase the fleet by 76 cars. This way they can add 2 to 3 trains per line barring the Pink and Yellow line. I haven't yet done the math, but if so it may be difficult to get the #5000's to all the lines they originally proposed. In saying that the chance of the Blue line getting #3200's may have just flew out the window. Those cars could end up on the Purple line. I was thinking by increasing the fleet by 76 cars, CTA would protect themselves from another car purchase if/when the 130th Red line extension opens. That extension calls for 84 cars. That's only an 8 car difference.

My impression was that the only thing with hard allocations (the NBC5 story) was based on how many lines it would take to use up the allocation (including the 84 cars for the Red Line extension), but without any other thought. However, based on what CTA has done and said so far, Pink, Green, and Red seem set in stone (or at least as much as the Steak and Shake commercial).

I said before that new cars on Purple would be a waste, because most of them sit in the yard, except 6 hours a weekday. That view might change if, as a result of the Wilson station reconstruction, with transfer platforms, there is a midday Purple express alternative to the Red local.

The other thing that seems set in talc is that they sure don't want to assign 5000s to the Blue Line, and I don't see them wanting to run a mixed fleet there.

But to throw three more ideas out there:

• I don't know how permanent the 76 car increase is, in that they were able to run 10% more service in 2009 with the current fleet. That many bad order (or "not so good order") cars now? But there was the statement in the paper a year ago that they were going to increase the fleet by 300.
• The prior indication was that the Orange Line would get 5000s, but if the 3200s are converted to be compatible, does it need them?
• I had counted the 84 cars in the Red Line extension, but between "we're hiring Goldman Sachs to find private money" and redoing the 95th bus terminal (and going into debt to do it, even if it needs it now), indicate to me that they don't think they will start construction on that in time to have any relevance to this car order.

[Amtrak41]

How do you add rush hour Browns when the Ravenswood yard is over-subscribed as it is ?

More Howard Purples ? More Brown-Age ?

[Busjack]

How do you add rush hour Browns when the Ravenswood yard is over-subscribed as it is ?

More Howard Purples ? More Brown-Age ?

Probably Brinks, too. But maybe that name is still trademarked. So, Prowns. Plenty of room in 54 yard.

[BusHunter]

After doing the math on this, the Purple line would still be OK to get #5000's. I figure they would be about 6 short not counting the Yellow line. Who they might have to scratch is Yellow because the total shortage then would be 16. That's adding 2 trains per line with 3 on the Red and Blue line. What you would end up with for #3200's would be something like 70-80 cars, still a little bit for the blue line. They still may get more because you would have to figure in some DC powered cars at the yards if they wanted to move around any work equipment. The one wildcard in this how many extra cars are needed right now to run the Dan Ryan slow zones, that may no longer be required once it's fixed. (but I did figure my Red line total based on a previous total not the current one which seems to be around 30 more.)

[Busjack]

... The one wildcard in this how many extra cars are needed right now to run the Dan Ryan slow zones, that may no longer be required once it's fixed. (but I did figure my Red line total based on a previous total not the current one which seems to be around 30 more.)

That's a new imponderable. I guess if the run time is longer, they would need more cars to maintain the intervals, but I question whether they ever thought of that.

chicago-l.org's car assignment sheet is over a year old.

[eyetube21]

Yesterday, the Green Line received 5000s car#5027-28 from the Pink Line. I was on car #5027 from Cottage Grove terminal. So the Green Line has borrow some more 5000s from the Pink Line. I wonder they gonna have some more 5000s this weekend?

[Busjack]

Yesterday, the Green Line received 5000s car#5027-28 from the Pink Line. I was on car #5027 from Cottage Grove terminal. So the Green Line has borrow some more 5000s from the Pink Line. I wonder they gonna have some more 5000s this weekend?

Not sure if this is a "borrow." The question might be how compulsive CTA is going to be in maintaining fleet number order, eventually. Especially since the cars eventually have to go in to replace outside signs, and probably for other adjustments.

[eyetube21]

Not sure if this is a "borrow." The question might be how compulsive CTA is going to be in maintaining fleet number order, eventually. Especially since the cars eventually have to go in to replace outside signs, and probably for other adjustments.

Good point, Busjack. I wonder too.