5000-series - Updates

[jajuan]

Indication that Purple Line may be next to receive the cars?

Or it's just maybe that somebody at Howard Yard put in a wrong sign when prepping that set of cars for service.

[BusHunter]

Well don't they share other cars back and forth between those lines anyway since as I pointed out, those lines along with the Yellow Line are based out of Howard Yard in terms of management and supervisory personnel? So in that sense its not really strange at all.

Yeah, but they wouldn't share #5000's with the purple line without some training first for the purple line. And no I'm not referring to the LED maps in the cars I'm referring to the signs over the doors. Maybe it's just a sign left over from when they were being tested. Those prototype cars have been out of service for over a year and a half, since July 2011.

[jajuan]

Yeah, but they wouldn't share #5000's with the purple line without some training first for the purple line. And no I'm not referring to the LED maps in the cars I'm referring to the signs over the doors. Maybe it's just a sign left over from when they were being tested. Those prototype cars have been out of service for over a year and a half, since July 2011.

I know what signs you were talking about. And I did make the other point that there was the possibility placed the wrong map card above the doors when prepping the cars for service. But as more cars come in and they replace older cars on most of the lines in the system, this is going to be a moot and trivial point anyway.

[Busjack]

.... Maybe it's just a sign left over from when they were being tested. Those prototype cars have been out of service for over a year and a half, since July 2011.

Most likely explanation.

[geneking7320]

I was on the Red tonight having boarded at Cermak heading to Howard.

I thought the car was rather cool (as in lack of heat ) and also, further north we stopped and got the 'operator is off the train message'. This delay was about 6 minutes. As the car I was riding was #51xx I wondered, isn't this odd for a relatively new train?

[Sam92]

I was on the Red tonight having boarded at Cermak heading to Howard.

I thought the car was rather cool (as in lack of heat ) and also, further north we stopped and got the 'operator is off the train message'. This delay was about 6 minutes. As the car I was riding was #51xx I wondered, isn't this odd for a relatively new train?

Yes but there are things to consider such as the fact that these cars are now operating on the system's busiet line that operates 24/7. I've seen 5000's pull into 95th at 3am so they are definately starting to put them through the wire. in fact this reminds me of posts in another thread in which some members feared that newly arrived 4000's were lemons because of rear door issues on the #156 (another example of new equipment failing on a busy route). Not to mention the days leading to the NABI's being pulled of the street, a 4000 broke down on the #147 which ironically, was backed up by an NABI. So it's no reason for an real concern unless this problem persists.

[sw4400]

CTA needs to work on a better maintenance system for the Blue and Red Lines, the 24/7 lines, so that the railcars that need immediate repairs, like geneking's 5000's, get them. They may run 24/7, but I don't think it's that busy after 10 or 11p. They might even be able to go to six car trains until 3a-4a, then switch over to eight car trains. During that time, CTA could have rail mechanics perform easy fixes on railcars that need it(e.g: heating/air conditioning on the cars, door issues, etc...).

[MetroShadow]

CTA needs to work on a better maintenance system for the Blue and Red Lines, the 24/7 lines, so that the railcars that need immediate repairs, like geneking's 5000's, get them. They may run 24/7, but I don't think it's that busy after 10 or 11p. They might even be able to go to six car trains until 3a-4a, then switch over to eight car trains. During that time, CTA could have rail mechanics perform easy fixes on railcars that need it(e.g: heating/air conditioning on the cars, door issues, etc...).

Aren't they already four car sets with the legacy equipment?

[BUSANGEL#1]

CTA needs to work on a better maintenance system for the Blue and Red Lines, the 24/7 lines, so that the railcars that need immediate repairs, like geneking's 5000's, get them. They may run 24/7, but I don't think it's that busy after 10 or 11p. They might even be able to go to six car trains until 3a-4a, then switch over to eight car trains. During that time, CTA could have rail mechanics perform easy fixes on railcars that need it(e.g: heating/a

ir conditioning on the cars, door issues, etc...).

The Red and Blue Lines already go down to 4 cars between 10 and 11p.m. They dont run any train cars literally 24/7, but with a fleet of that size it is hard to constantly maintain them. They can barely keep them clean because of the frequency and lack of layover time at terminals (specifically with 95th only having 2 tracks) to allow cleaning. However, I do agree that they need to step up their efforts in taking care of those trains on the Red and Blue. There is such a big difference in how a train car on a Brown, Green, Orange, or Pink Line looks versus a Red or Blue.

[eyetube21]

After the Red Line, does the Orange Line will be getting the 5000s next or is it the Purple Line?

[New Flyer]

5201-5202 on the Red Line

[artthouwill]

I was on the Red tonight having boarded at Cermak heading to Howard.

I thought the car was rather cool (as in lack of heat ) and also, further north we stopped and got the 'operator is off the train message'. This delay was about 6 minutes. As the car I was riding was #51xx I wondered, isn't this odd for a relatively new train?

This is not just on the Red Line. I don't know how many people are complaining, but the 5000s on the Green Line have been cold lately, especially during the early morning runs, but even through the a.m rush runs. The 2400s are toasty warm and the 3200s on the Orange are pretty good. Its a crap shoot for the 2600s, some are warm and some are not. As for the 5000s, this seems to be a recent phenomena as I remember cars being tiasty as recent as the beginning of the New Year. It now doesn't seem to matter which car I ride, its the same problem.

[chgofan78]

5201-5202 on the Red Line

5203-5204 and 5205-5206 are in service today on the Red Line. That brings the Red Line up to 80 5000-series cars. BTW, has anyone seen 5009-5010? I'm just curious if that large cta logo is on them.

[chgofan78]

Just spotted 5013-5014, 5043-5044, 5147-5148, and 5167-5168 from the Green and Pink Lines operating on the Red Line.

[Lots of love for the L]

Hey Guys just wanted to let you know that I saw upper numbered 5100's on the brown line this morning. Around 8:30 AM, at Fullerton Station. Looks like the 5000's will be on the brown line next.

[chicagopcclcar]

Hey Guys just wanted to let you know that I saw upper numbered 5100's on the brown line this morning. Around 8:30 AM, at Fullerton Station. Looks like the 5000's will be on the brown line next.

Sorry to disapoint....what you saw was an extra train from Howard St. It's what railroaders call a "gap" train. It went to Merchandise Mart. It ran from Belmont to Howard non stop and Belmont to the Mart in service. It carried Brown line signs I understand.

DH

[RJL6000]

Just spotted 5013-5014, 5043-5044, 5147-5148, and 5167-5168 from the Green and Pink Lines operating on the Red Line.

This is likely due to the rather slow pace of deliveries of the new cars. As of now, the Green Line has more 2400s than it had in the last two months (although they still account for only a small portion of the line's fleet). It's also the primary reason why the CTA decided to assign a sizable number of 5000s to the Red Line before it could remove the last of the 2400s from the Green Line fleet.

[chgofan78]

This is likely due to the rather slow pace of deliveries of the new cars. As of now, the Green Line has more 2400s than it had in the last two months (although they still account for only a small portion of the line's fleet). It's also the primary reason why the CTA decided to assign a sizable number of 5000s to the Red Line before it could remove the last of the 2400s from the Green Line fleet.

What's funny is there was two service delays yesterday on the Red and Green Lines because of equipment shortages. That really seems impossible on the Red Line considering how this week many extra cars the route has unless there is a substantial number of inoperable cars because of the snow or switching problems in the yards. I was at Midway yesterday and saw approx. 32 2600-series cars from the Red Line in their yard. Those were limited to rush hour only service it seemed. Last week, I was at Ashland/63 and found it strange that all that was in Racine yard during the midday was 2 cars which meant if there was a delay in service, they couldn't put out any cars from the yard because everything was being stored at Harlem.

[BusHunter]

What's funny is there was two service delays yesterday on the Red and Green Lines because of equipment shortages. That really seems impossible on the Red Line considering how this week many extra cars the route has unless there is a substantial number of inoperable cars because of the snow or switching problems in the yards. I was at Midway yesterday and saw approx. 32 2600-series cars from the Red Line in their yard. Those were limited to rush hour only service it seemed.

That's most likely because there is no room to store those at Kimball. They have all the usual #3200's stored there, the ones that have working Roosevelt signs and ones that don't. Obviously Midway has the extra space, which was stated before as the destination yard of the transfer. All those cars should go back after this week, it's just a question of will they be back in April? As far as equipment shortages, now the Red line is more heavily dependent on older equipment (#2400's) which is more likely to fail. That may explain why there's service delays.

[chicagopcclcar]

What's funny is there was two service delays yesterday on the Red and Green Lines because of equipment shortages. That really seems impossible on the Red Line considering how this week many extra cars the route has unless there is a substantial number of inoperable cars because of the snow or switching problems in the yards. I was at Midway yesterday and saw approx. 32 2600-series cars from the Red Line in their yard. Those were limited to rush hour only service it seemed. Last week, I was at Ashland/63 and found it strange that all that was in Racine yard during the midday was 2 cars which meant if there was a delay in service, they couldn't put out any cars from the yard because everything was being stored at Harlem.

RE: Ashland/63 Yard, that's par for the course. That yard has few cars in the daytime as a normal occurance. Perhaps they're getting ready for the May-Oct relocation of Red line trains to the south side 'L'. Ashland/63 will become a Red line yard with servicing during that time. 61st St. yard, presently storing work equipment for Skokie Shops, might do some storage without servicing for the Green line. Linden on the Purple will need to do some more servicing, causing some concern about 4271-4272 stored inside.

DH

[BusHunter]

RE: Ashland/63 Yard, that's par for the course. That yard has few cars in the daytime as a normal occurance. Perhaps they're getting ready for the May-Oct relocation of Red line trains to the south side 'L'. Ashland/63 will become a Red line yard with servicing during that time. 61st St. yard, presently storing work equipment for Skokie Shops, might do some storage without servicing for the Green line. Linden on the Purple will need to do some more servicing, causing some concern about 4272-4273 stored inside.

DH

You mean #4271-72.

[chicagopcclcar]

You mean #4271-72.

That's my second "senior moment" today.

DH

[renardo870]

Hey Guys just wanted to let you know that I saw upper numbered 5100's on the brown line this morning. Around 8:30 AM, at Fullerton Station. Looks like the 5000's will be on the brown line next.

Brown Line will not get the 5000's. After Red, it will be Orange, Purple and Yellow. Brown and Blue will be the two lines without 5000's. The 5000's on the Brown this week is due to Wells St Bridge Construction and the Red Line is using all its extra equipment ...including the 5000's to help the Brown Line out.

[Busjack]

Brown Line will not get the 5000's. After Red, it will be Orange, Purple and Yellow. Brown and Blue will be the two lines without 5000's. The 5000's on the Brown this week is due to Wells St Bridge Construction and the Red Line is using all its extra equipment ...including the 5000's to help the Brown Line out.

The Brown will get 7000s on Oct. 15, 2020. Heck, we can all have a contest on the date.

[RJL6000]

Brown Line will not get the 5000's. After Red, it will be Orange, Purple and Yellow. Brown and Blue will be the two lines without 5000's. The 5000's on the Brown this week is due to Wells St Bridge Construction and the Red Line is using all its extra equipment ...including the 5000's to help the Brown Line out.

The plan has changed somewhat for the 5000s: Compared to the original plan (which called for six of the eight lines to be completely equipped with 5000s once the deliveries of all 714 cars is completed), it seems as though even 714 cars would not be quite enough to accommodate such a planned fleet expansion. In fact, completely equipping those six lines with 5000s would barely maintain the fleet amount at the pre-5000-series-delivery levels. Thus, the current plan is to have only the Pink and Yellow lines entirely equipped with 5000s, while the Green, Orange, Purple and Red Lines will retain a small amount of DC-propulsion equipment in addition to the 5000s.