5000-series - Updates

[BusHunter]

BusHunter has the last units 5245-5246 as being delivered 4/13 and being placed in service 5/5/13 on the Red Line. 5247-5248 and beyond have yet to be seen. My guess is some are here, but might be on long-term hold due to the Red Line South Reconstruction.

Like I said before, the new cars (#5247 and beyond) probably are being delivered with 95th signs programmed in and not Red Ashland/63rd so they are useless until reprogrammed. We also don't know who is doing the reprogramming CTA or a Bombardier representative? (most likely Bombardier) If there's no Bombardier programmer in town that is familiar with there equipment, then you have no new signs. My guess is when we do see more cars it will be group of cars versus a few. Probably the bigger question is "Are #5000's stacking up at Skokie Shops?"

[chicagopcclcar]

So is there anyone riding by Skokie who can give us a report. Skokie's 30 miles from mi hacienda. "Rollsigns" are not in my rumors.

[Mr.cta85]

So is there anyone riding by Skokie who can give us a report. Skokie's 30 miles from mi hacienda. "Rollsigns" are not in my rumors.

So what's the rumor now I'm curious too. Lol

[chgofan78]

So is there anyone riding by Skokie who can give us a report. Skokie's 30 miles from mi hacienda. "Rollsigns" are not in my rumors.

I go past Skokie Shops at least twice a week and I haven't seen anything new there. I saw a pair of 5000s yesterday, but they were not new.

[BusHunter]

I saw two pairs tonight, so I guess they are holding those at Bombardier.

[chicagopcclcar]

So the last documented delivery of 5000 series railcars from Bombardier was April 14. That's seven weeks ago!! Today is June!!

[busfan2847]

So the last documented delivery of 5000 series railcars from Bombardier was April 14. That's seven weeks ago!! Today is June!!

cta needs less cars at present with Red going to Ashland/63rd and only half of Green Line trains going south of the loop. Latest rosters show more Red 2600s going to Blue and fewer 2200s in service.

With 98th yard inaccessible cta probably has a shortage of storage for cars. It makes sense to have a temporary pause in deliveries of new cars.

[sw4400]

So the last documented delivery of 5000 series railcars from Bombardier was April 14. That's seven weeks ago!! Today is June!!

Unless you want CTA to train Operators at another yard how to operate the 5000's, we probably won't see any more until completion of the Dan Ryan Project. Howard Yard is overstacked with Red Line equipment from 98th Yard most likely, 63rd is probably up to capacity too with Red Line equipment terminating and perhaps doing layovers there. The only yards that might be able to utilize some 5000's would be Forest Park and Kimball. I thought Kimball had a limit of 142 or so, but they had it in the 160's at one point before returning and transferring some 3200's to Midway.

[See Tea Eh]

Unless you want CTA to train Operators at another yard how to operate the 5000's, we probably won't see any more until completion of the Dan Ryan Project.

??? This is going to have to happen anyway, regardless of the status of the Dan Ryan project. It's not like there aren't going to be any more lines getting 5000s after the Red Line.

Howard Yard is overstacked with Red Line equipment from 98th Yard most likely, 63rd is probably up to capacity too with Red Line equipment terminating and perhaps doing layovers there.

But you do have the added capacity of 61st yard.

Regardless, as long as there are still 2200s and 2400s in service, you won't run out of room by taking new 5000s. You simply retire the 2200s and 2400s, move them off property, and you wind up with the same size fleet.

If Red is still running 2600s, they could take delivery of 5000s and move the 2600s elsewhere (such as Blue to replace the last few 2200s).

The only yards that might be able to utilize some 5000's would be Forest Park and Kimball. I thought Kimball had a limit of 142 or so, but they had it in the 160's at one point before returning and transferring some 3200's to Midway.

Or Midway. Wasn't Orange supposed to be next in line for 5000s after Red was fully equipped?

[Busjack]

...

Regardless, as long as there are still 2200s and 2400s in service, you won't run out of room by taking new 5000s. You simply retire the 2200s and 2400s, move them off property, and you wind up with the same size fleet.

If Red is still running 2600s, they could take delivery of 5000s and move the 2600s elsewhere (such as Blue to replace the last few 2200s).Or Midway. Wasn't Orange supposed to be next in line for 5000s after Red was fully equipped?

That's what I figured.

In any event, if delivery is FOB Skokie Shops (which is when payment is to be made), Bomabardier is eventually going to want its money, so it isn't going to be stocking inventory on its own property or laying off its staff for the next 4.5 months.

And there certainly isn't any incentive for CTA to be racking up operating costs by running obsolete equipment.

[New Flyer]

I saw a 4 car 2200 train going south in the state street subway about 4:30 not in service

[sw4400]

I saw a 4 car 2200 train going south in the state street subway about 4:30 not in service

Unless it was a chartered train, those four cars were probably being sent to a 61st Yard or Lower 63rd Yard for storage until scrapping, my guess. Only the Blue Line runs 2200's. I doubt they are sending some of them to run on another line.

[chicagopcclcar]

Unless it was a chartered train, those four cars were probably being sent to a 61st Yard or Lower 63rd Yard for storage until scrapping, my guess. Only the Blue Line runs 2200's. I doubt they are sending some of them to run on another line.

I'm amazed! How can anyone in the hobby of transit not know that Illinois Railway Museum ran a four-car charter of 2200 rail cars on Sunday, June 02 as a fund-raiser to aid the museum getting two cars of that type when they are finally, finally retired, whenever that is. Good grief, Charlie Brown. I thought they did a good job of publicizing their event. The website for the "Back to the 60's Charter" is still up. I spent most of the day chasing and got some good video. When the train passed me at the Red line Sheridan Road station, the supervisor in charge is heard over the train PA..."Smile at Dave...Smile at Dave...Hi Dave" and the four cars go by with passengers waving at my camera.

http://www.irm.org/events/ctacharter.html

[chicagopcclcar]

I saw a 4 car 2200 train going south in the state street subway about 4:30 not in service

"Not in service" but full of people....There's a big difference. It was a charter train.

But on second thought, maybe the car-body lights were off....ya getta pass on this one, LOL.

[Sam92]

I've did some serious thinking about the mention of over stocked 5000's at Howard... If they can't put any more on the Red Line till October then wouldn't it make sense to start training some yellow and purple line operators in the mean time instead of just putting deliveries on hold further delaying their implementation into service? They've already delayed the process twice with the issues on the green and pink lines with the wheel and braking issues.

[Sam92]

I've did some serious thinking about the mention of over stocked 5000's at Howard... If they can't put any more on the Red Line till October then wouldn't it make sense to start training some yellow and purple line operators in the mean time instead of just putting deliveries on hold further delaying their implementation into service? They've already delayed the process twice with the issues on the green and pink lines with the wheel and braking issues.

[4CottageGrove95th]

I've did some serious thinking about the mention of over stocked 5000's at Howard... If they can't put any more on the Red Line till October then wouldn't it make sense to start training some yellow and purple line operators in the mean time instead of just putting deliveries on hold further delaying their implementation into service? They've already delayed the process twice with the issues on the green and pink lines with the wheel and braking issues.

I'll admit that I ain't the brightest bulb in the circuit. But it does seem reasonable that from June to mid-October CTA could be equipping either the Purple and Yellow or Orange and Yellow lines with whatever cars are delivered from Bombardier in the meantime. Then, once the Red Line reconstruction project is finished in October, resume assigning 5000s to the Red Line until the complete assignment number for that line is fulfilled. If we're missing something, I'm sure it will be explained in the upcoming comments on this thread.

[jajuan]

I've did some serious thinking about the mention of over stocked 5000's at Howard... If they can't put any more on the Red Line till October then wouldn't it make sense to start training some yellow and purple line operators in the mean time instead of just putting deliveries on hold further delaying their implementation into service? They've already delayed the process twice with the issues on the green and pink lines with the wheel and braking issues.

I'll admit that I ain't the brightest bulb in the circuit. But it does seem reasonable that from June to mid-October CTA could be equipping either the Purple and Yellow or Orange and Yellow lines with whatever cars are delivered from Bombardier in the meantime. Then, once the Red Line reconstruction project is finished in October, resume assigning 5000s to the Red Line until the complete assignment number for that line is fulfilled. If we're missing something, I'm sure it will be explained in the upcoming comments on this thread.

At first my thought on this was going to be a delay in placement of cars would make sense with the Dan Ryan project now in progress. But after seeing both of your comments, I'm thinking wait a minute why put off deliveries for five months just because the Dan Ryan section is shut down for a total rebuild when the trains are in fact still running? Even if they don't need as many cars to operate the Red Line in its rerouted form, trains are in fact still running. As I saw mentioned over the weekend, some of what 2600s are being used can be assigned elsewhere like the Blue Line to retire more 2200s. Heck some can even be temporarily assigned to the Orange to eliminate what 2400s are on that line since we know 2600s and 3200s can be trained together. What also make these two comments make sense is the fact that the Green Line was completely covered by 5000s when the move was made to assign 5000s to the Red Line. There were still a good number of 2400s left on the Green when the Red Line started getting 5000s. So going to the next line(s) in progression for 5000s assignment now rather than later shouldn't be a big deal for the CTA.

[BusHunter]

I'm still wondering what happened to the LED interior lights they were supposed to install on #5203 and higher, (retrofitted on the existing #5000 fleet later) unless this is the reason for the delay. http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/02/14/new-cta-train-cars-getting-brighter-lights/ But I doubt this would cause a delay of 6 months. They probably wouldn't want the #2200's running too deep into the summer if they can avoid it.

[chicagopcclcar]

Unless you want CTA to train Operators at another yard how to operate the 5000's, we probably won't see any more until completion of the Dan Ryan Project. Howard Yard is overstacked with Red Line equipment from 98th Yard most likely, 63rd is probably up to capacity too with Red Line equipment terminating and perhaps doing layovers there. The only yards that might be able to utilize some 5000's would be Forest Park and Kimball. I thought Kimball had a limit of 142 or so, but they had it in the 160's at one point before returning and transferring some 3200's to Midway.

At great jeopardy to life and limb I made a sojurn to inspect the two south side yards. I waited till about 2100 hours. There are approximately twenty eight-car Red line trains in service. I would estimate that Ashland yard was filled less than 1/3 and there was nothing stored on the tail tracks west of Ashland. At midnight levels with four-car trains, the yard probably might be up to 50 percent. The maintenance building is in use at the Racine end. 61st St. yard had about three sets of Green line trains. I would estimate at that time there are ten trains in service. So based on my observation, 61st St. yard is being used at about 10 percent of capacity. Lower 63rd St. yard is strictly for storage of materials with sidings to access the materials. It no longer could store any cars. So it looks like your predictions are in error. Sorry.

[BusHunter]

At great jeopardy to life and limb I made a sojurn to inspect the two south side yards. I waited till about 2100 hours. There are approximately twenty eight-car Red line trains in service. I would estimate that Ashland yard was filled less than 1/3 and there was nothing stored on the tail tracks west of Ashland. At midnight levels with four-car trains, the yard probably might be up to 50 percent. The maintenance building is in use at the Racine end. 61st St. yard had about three sets of Green line trains. I would estimate at that time there are ten trains in service. So based on my observation, 61st St. yard is being used at about 10 percent of capacity. Lower 63rd St. yard is strictly for storage of materials with sidings to access the materials. It no longer could store any cars. So it looks like your predictions are in error. Sorry.

That sounds pretty accurate for 61st street yard. If you figure half the green line trains are going south and half would be needed at each end that's about 25-28 cars max needed at 61st yard. Harlem yard should have 75 percent of the cars. As far as the Red line, they are basically using the same amount of cars they had before. One thing I have noticed since the Ryan shutdown is the Purple line doesn't seem to be borrowing off the Red line anymore. I guess all those ex- Green line #2400's got them enough cars so they wouldn't have to borrow anymore. (The Purple line fleet seems a little excessive at over 100 cars, but maybe they need that many because they are operating with an entire fleet of old #2400's cars) It's not good to put all the old cars in one spot.

[Mr.cta85]

That sounds pretty accurate for 61st street yard. If you figure half the green line trains are going south and half would be needed at each end that's about 25-28 cars max needed at 61st yard. Harlem yard should have 75 percent of the cars. As far as the Red line, they are basically using the same amount of cars they had before. One thing I have noticed since the Ryan shutdown is the Purple line doesn't seem to be borrowing off the Red line anymore. I guess all those ex- Green line #2400's got them enough cars so they wouldn't have to borrow anymore. (The Purple line fleet seems a little excessive at over 100 cars, but maybe they need that many because they are operating with an entire fleet of old #2400's cars) It's not good to put all the old cars in one spot.

The 2400's may be old but they still run pretty good unlike the aging 2200's.

[New Flyer]

saw a 2400 in service on the Orange Line yesterday.

[BusHunter]

The 2400's may be old but they still run pretty good unlike the aging 2200's.

They most likely be attacking that next. http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846522@N00/8206803186/in/photolist-dvd1EE-cCgJzs-cCgJcG-dzihET

[Busjack]

They most likely be attacking that next. http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846522@N00/8206803186/in/photolist-dvd1EE-cCgJzs-cCgJcG-dzihET

But does something like Purpange work? Or was it an Orple? Maybe it was Howard Morris?