5000-series - Updates

[Busjack]

...as well as wishful thinking lol.

While the ribbed stainless steel bodies are pretty standard, I point out again that, at least in January, 2008, the 5000s were supposed to have updated aesthetics (permission requested in the President's Report, starting on page 28).

Page 29 is the interior you got, while pages 31 to 33 looked a little more modern. Similarly, page 34 is what you got for the end cap, while pages 35 and 36 looked a bit more modern. Similar to them retrofitting the color destination signs, it is hard to conceive how any of those changes could have cost much, in that, in any event, the cars had to have seats and end caps, but they got scuttled.

Hence, if I were betting on anything with regard to the budget mentioning further cars after these 706, I would bet that there wouldn't be any forward thinking with regard to design. Maybe the headlights would be more efficient, but they would look the same.

On the other hand, as demonstrated with the LFRs, CTA has to take the design that bus manufacturers offer, not that it cares about aesthetics in that regard, either.

[SE CTA Fan]

Woo hoo ... I finally saw some 5000's being delivered this morning!

Coming in on 55 and saw two parked at the weigh station between Romeoville and Bolingbrook, just resting for the night (it was 6 AM).

Made my day.

SE CTA Fan

[Amtrak41]

Page 29 is the interior you got, while pages 31 to 33 looked a little more modern. Similarly, page 34 is what you got for the end cap, while pages 35 and 36 looked a bit more modern. Similar to them retrofitting the color destination signs, it is hard to conceive how any of those changes could have cost much, in that, in any event, the cars had to have seats and end caps, but they got scuttled.

Looks like they went with page 34 design.

Page 35 looks like an R142.

Page 36 looks like a Optima bus.

[jajuan]

For at least the past two Sundays, I've noticed an inbound Pink Line train consisting of six cars (I actually counted six Pink LEDs as each train whizzed by from Roosevelt Road) shortly after midnight, but the weekday trains even during rush hour have been the usual four-car consists.

[eyetube21]

Does anyone know where the 5000s prototypes #5003-5012 cars assigned to which line?

[RJL6000]

Does anyone know where the 5000s prototypes #5003-5012 cars assigned to which line?

The roster has not been updated since the 12th, but according to that roster only cars 5011-12 (of the original 10 prototypes) have returned to service. That pair is assigned to the Red Line.

[eyetube21]

The roster has not been updated since the 12th, but according to that roster only cars 5011-12 (of the original 10 prototypes) have returned to service. That pair is assigned to the Red Line.

Thanks, RJL6000. I wonder what the CTA is planning to do with the other prototype cars #5003-10 assigned to? :unsure:

[geneking7320]

Yesterday I had a personal first:

I boarded a Red Line train of 5Ks at Jackson and rode to 95th roughly around 4:50pm.

I was going south to get a haircut. Around 6:20pm I boarded a train of 5Ks northbound at 95th on my way to 35th street. More 5000s apparently are on the Red.

Gene King

[i still don't like those aisle facing seats ]

[artthouwill]

Yesterday I had a personal first:

I boarded a Red Line train of 5Ks at Jackson and rode to 95th roughly around 4:50pm.

I was going south to get a haircut. Around 6:20pm I boarded a train of 5Ks northbound at 95th on my way to 35th street. More 5000s apparently are on the Red.

Gene King

[i still don't like those aisle facing seats ]

Me either. I was just discussing that with a guy on the Green Line today. We were the first to get on at Harlem and we both took the forward facing seats. Now its a privilege to ride a 2400.

For the most part, the 5000s are in great shape on the Pink and Green Lines, but I think they will take a beating on the Red.

[Busjack]

...

For the most part, the 5000s are in great shape on the Pink and Green Lines, but I think they will take a beating on the Red.

I guess by then they can put the 5000s on the Blue Line and give the 7000s to the Red.:lol:

[4CottageGrove95th]

Greetings from the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix Arizona!

I just had a small question about the present status on the assignment of the 5000s. I was looking at a Youtube Video posted by "eyetube21" of his trip that he took on the Pink Line from Polk Street to 54th/Cermak Terminal yesterday (01/25/2013). Now, I will admit that I'm not a young man anymore, and my eyesight ain't as good as it used to be. But, the train that he was on looked like a 2600 series, not a 5000. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RgMZxSTRGfY

I was under the impression that the Pink and Green Lines would be equipped exclusively with the 5000s. Orrrrr, maybe CTA made a change in their assignment plans? Or, maybe I misunderstood what the original assignment plan was.

Anybody got any explanations?????

[sw4400]

Greetings from the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix Arizona!

I just had a small question about the present status on the assignment of the 5000s. I was looking at a Youtube Video posted by "eyetube21" of his trip that he took on the Pink Line from Polk Street to 54th/Cermak Terminal yesterday (01/25/2013). Now, I will admit that I'm not a young man anymore, and my eyesight ain't as good as it used to be. But, the train that he was on looked like a 2600 series, not a 5000. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RgMZxSTRGfY

I was under the impression that the Pink and Green Lines would be equipped exclusively with the 5000s. Orrrrr, maybe CTA made a change in their assignment plans? Or, maybe I misunderstood what the original assignment plan was.

Anybody got any explanations?????

Greetings and salutations!!! Any chance you could send your warmth our way???

Looking into the video, you are correct in that it isn't a 5000-Series railcar as the seats are transverse, not bowling alley-style and the faux wood paneling tells me it is either a 2600 or some wayward 3200 being used on the Pink Line in this video.

Last CTA Pink Line roster I have shows all 5000's on there.

[4CottageGrove95th]

Greetings and salutations!!! Any chance you could send your warmth our way???

Looking into the video, you are correct in that it isn't a 5000-Series railcar as the seats are transverse, not bowling alley-style and the faux wood paneling tells me it is either a 2600 or some wayward 3200 being used on the Pink Line in this video.

Well, with respect to the "warmth" you were asking about, at present we don't have much; today it rained ALL DAY!! And the temperature only got to 60 degrees, although AOL Weather originally claimed that we would reach 71 degrees. A few nights back, the overnight low was in the upper 20s-lower 30s!

Anyways, I'm wondering if this video, although posted yesterday, was actually taken a number of months ago before the 5000s were re-introduced to the Pink Line??

[sw4400]

Well, with respect to the "warmth" you were asking about, at present we don't have much; today it rained ALL DAY!! And the temperature only got to 60 degrees, although AOL Weather originally claimed that we would reach 71 degrees. A few nights back, the overnight low was in the upper 20s-lower 30s!

Anyways, I'm wondering if this video, although posted yesterday, was actually taken a number of months ago before the 5000s were re-introduced to the Pink Line??

Only one who could answer that would be the poster, eyetube21. But viewing the video and lack of LED displays, ding tone for door closure and the faux wood paneling, it isn't a 5000-Series railcar.

[See Tea Eh]

There's snow on the ground in that video, which would be consistent with it being taken either in the last couple of days, or at least a year ago.

[eyetube21]

Greetings from the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix Arizona!

I just had a small question about the present status on the assignment of the 5000s. I was looking at a Youtube Video posted by "eyetube21" of his trip that he took on the Pink Line from Polk Street to 54th/Cermak Terminal yesterday (01/25/2013). Now, I will admit that I'm not a young man anymore, and my eyesight ain't as good as it used to be. But, the train that he was on looked like a 2600 series, not a 5000. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=RgMZxSTRGfY

I was under the impression that the Pink and Green Lines would be equipped exclusively with the 5000s. Orrrrr, maybe CTA made a change in their assignment plans? Or, maybe I misunderstood what the original assignment plan was.

Anybody got any explanations?????

I took this video during January 2012. This is right before the 5000s entering the Pink Line service.

[See Tea Eh]

I took this video during January 2012. This is right before the 5000s entering the Pink Line service.

Then you may want to change the title of the video to not include the "(1-25-13)" bit, as it has caused some confusion on when the video was actually taken.

[eyetube21]

Then you may want to change the title of the video to not include the "(1-25-13)" bit, as it has caused some confusion on when the video was actually taken.

I change the title "Riding the CTA Pink Line to 54th/Cermak terminal" of the video.

[qwantae]

Me either. I was just discussing that with a guy on the Green Line today. We were the first to get on at Harlem and we both took the forward facing seats. Now its a privilege to ride a 2400.

For the most part, the 5000s are in great shape on the Pink and Green Lines, but I think they will take a beating on the Red.

I rode an couple unknown 5000 couple days ago on Pink Line and I already seeing Graffiti wrote white on couple of their seats. And I agree on Red usually takes a beating on anything, just like every time I get on an early 2600 (Ex-Red) on Blue Line, they always so dirty, worn out, bad smell, Blue's Higher 2600s/ 2200s seems are more clean than an Ex-Red 2600s. I really hope that Orange Line would be next for 5000s so they can put the 3200s on the Blue Line.

[eyetube21]

I rode an couple unknown 5000 couple days ago on Pink Line and I already seeing Graffiti wrote white on couple of their seats.

I also saw it too. Even the windows are written as well.

[chgofan78]

The roster has not been updated since the 12th, but according to that roster only cars 5011-12 (of the original 10 prototypes) have returned to service. That pair is assigned to the Red Line.

Saw 5007-5008 sitting in Howard Yard this morning. Since the Red Line now has 6 eight car sets of 5000-series cars in the yard now, I'm guessing all the prototype cars are back in service. The highest set of numbers I've seen recently are 5185-5186.

[ChicagoNova]

I was over at my parents' house looking out of the window when I saw the 5000 Series cars (supposedly going southbound to Ashland/63rd) stuck above Stewart Avenue for at least a half hour. Then another southbound train came and stopped behind it. When my dad gave me a ride, we passed 63rd and Stewart, and I saw the two 6-car trains joined together. It's probably because of the freezing rain on the 3rd rail that delayed the trains.

[Busjack]

It's probably because of the freezing rain on the 3rd rail that delayed the trains.

This link to the Sun-Times on the home page indicates such problems. Reading the full article indicates problems both at 63/Ashland and Garfield.

Of course, one wonders if this is another electrical pickup problem inherent to those trains or just bad weather. But I assume they are supposed to have sleet scrapers, which the article says they had.

The article also mentioned the artics being garaged today, which was reported by other members here.

[sw4400]

I was over at my parents' house looking out of the window when I saw the 5000 Series cars (supposedly going southbound to Ashland/63rd) stuck above Stewart Avenue for at least a half hour. Then another southbound train came and stopped behind it. When my dad gave me a ride, we passed 63rd and Stewart, and I saw the two 6-car trains joined together. It's probably because of the freezing rain on the 3rd rail that delayed the trains.

I wonder too. The article I was able to read from the Sun Times that Busjack linked made it sound like it was the trains themselves having problems

“We basically had two defective trains with electrical issues on the Cottage Grove branch and the Ashland branch,” CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis said.

I don't think it was a 3rd rail issue, rather another potentially serious issue with the Bombardier trains, as these were the faulty trains that caused the major delays on the Green Line. Suprisingly, the Pink Line had no problems, nor the Red Line 5000's, so it might've been isolated to just those two trains. We've had winter failures of "L" cars before(the massive 2600-Series issue of 1999), and being these are brand new cars running on A/C as opposed to D/C current, this might be an issue with future railcars during icy conditions, maybe even a major snow event like Feb 1-2, 2011.

[jajuan]

I wonder too. The article I was able to read from the Sun Times that Busjack linked made it sound like it was the trains themselves having problems

“We basically had two defective trains with electrical issues on the Cottage Grove branch and the Ashland branch,” CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis said.

I don't think it was a 3rd rail issue, rather another potentially serious issue with the Bombardier trains, as these were the faulty trains that caused the major delays on the Green Line. Suprisingly, the Pink Line had no problems, nor the Red Line 5000's, so it might've been isolated to just those two trains. We've had winter failures of "L" cars before(the massive 2600-Series issue of 1999), and being these are brand new cars running on A/C as opposed to D/C current, this might be an issue with future railcars during icy conditions, maybe even a major snow event like Feb 1-2, 2011.

I'm not knocking that it may have been electrical issue as the spokeswoman said, but how does a problem with only two cars so far as we know get blown being a potentially serious event? While we want to be cautious, we don't want to cross that thin line into going alarmist. The headline of the article after all points to weather being the crux of the problem, but somehow it sounds like you're taking one sentence spoken by a CTA official out of context and blowing it into something it's probably not. Remember even before that issue with the trucks was discovered over the summer, that they tested these cars over the entire system and in winter months and conditions with little event. The fact that they point to it being the extreme icy conditions suggests that one of the older car sets could have run into the same issue, ice scrapers being on the new cars or not. I had to travel down to my job last night in the aftermath of the storm and it was very treacherous just about everywhere, enough to bring to my mind that you can build a machine to better deal with inclement weather but you really can't eliminate weather from the equation totally.