5000-series - Updates

[briman94]

I just saw a 5000-series purple line pull into Adams/Wabash a few minutes ago and the sign said Howard, not Linden...did the driver enter in the wrong run number? I didn't think it'd let them log in with the wrong number or prefix.

[verive.m]

Just saw 5651-52 and 5659-60 going towards Howard, not in service.

 

EDIT: Just saw 5661-62 as part of a Red Line consist to 95th too.

Edited April 25, 2015 by verive.m

[garmon757]

Shots of #5659-60 @ Lawrence. A bonus shot of #5557's interior wrapped on the inside courtesy of DSW.

Edited April 29, 2015 by garmon757

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Shots of #5659-60 @ Lawrence. A bonus shot of #5557's interior wrapped on the inside courtesy of DSW.

​Nice shots, but I don't like how dark the inside of #5557 is. All of the light is just absorbed into the graphics. Reminds me of the 2400s when they had dark ads over the lights. I did buy some nice winter boots from DSW, so I'll give them that though.

[chgofan78]

Spotted 5665-5666 on the Red Line last night.

[garmon757]

​Nice shots, but I don't like how dark the inside of #5557 is. All of the light is just absorbed into the graphics. Reminds me of the 2400s when they had dark ads over the lights. I did buy some nice winter boots from DSW, so I'll give them that though.

Thanks! Hell, I felt like I was in some executive office when it comes to fashion designing!!!  

[garmon757]

Shots of #5661-62 @ Fullerton.

[BusHunter]

#5665-66 is working run #927 if you are looking for it.

[BusHunter]

Did you guys read that in the comments over on Chicago L facebook, someone in the know says that the "Orange line will receive #5000's at some point, but they will not displace all #3200's". That would seem to make sense because the Orange line can't be ran with just #3200's once the #2600's are gone. The timeframe in which this is going to happen is unclear. Orange line might be getting lightly used #5000's from the Red line or get the tail end of the #5000 order new. Or they could just wait until the #2600's disappear, due to the scrap contract and work in some #5000's to replace them. Probably more likely.

[briman94]

Did you guys read that in the comments over on Chicago L facebook, someone in the know says that the "Orange line will receive #5000's at some point, but they will not displace all #3200's". That would seem to make sense because the Orange line can't be ran with just #3200's once the #2600's are gone. The timeframe in which this is going to happen is unclear. Orange line might be getting lightly used #5000's from the Red line or get the tail end of the #5000 order new. Or they could just wait until the #2600's disappear, due to the scrap contract and work in some #5000's to replace them. Probably more likely.

I think once they get rid of a lot of the 2600s from the Midway Yard, they'll start bringing 5000s down. That's the only explanation for holding such a massive quantity of extras at Howard, while still running 2600s on Red. They literally have more 2600s than they know what to do with, and they're running out of yard space. I think we'll see some massive shuffling of cars once some of the 2600s get scrapped.

[briman94]

I just saw 5659-5650 on the Purple line a little while ago. It was with two sets of 5300s. The rear car (low 5300) sounded like it had bearing problems already.

[4CottageGrove95th]

I just saw 5659-5650 on the Purple line a little while ago. It was with two sets of 5300s. The rear car (low 5300) sounded like it had bearing problems already.

​Bearing problems?  I sure hope not; the low 5300s haven't been in rev service all that long. But I do know that CTA trains seem to be very susceptible to wheel flats, usually due to hard braking. Could that possibly have been the noise you were hearing?  

Edited May 1, 2015 by 4CottageGrove95th

[briman94]

​Bearing problems?  I sure hope not; the low 5300s haven't been in rev service all that long. But I do know that CTA trains seem to be very susceptible to wheel flats, usually due to hard braking. Could that possibly have been the noise you were hearing?  

​It's hard to describe...it sounded like a rubbing sound coming from the rear axle. If you listen to the 2600/3200s, you can hear a soft rubbing sound because of the DC motors, and 530-something (I think it was 5305 but I can't remember) made the same sound but louder.

[4CottageGrove95th]

​It's hard to describe...it sounded like a rubbing sound coming from the rear axle. If you listen to the 2600/3200s, you can hear a soft rubbing sound because of the DC motors, and 530-something (I think it was 5305 but I can't remember) made the same sound but louder.

​Now I'm starting to wonder if what you heard is a "resurgence" of that defective axle-journal bearing issue that came up in late 2011 - early 2012. I mean seriously, these things haven't been in service long enough to start sounding worse than the oldest cars on the system.

[Busjack]

It won't let me quote, but

​Now I'm starting to wonder if what you heard is a "resurgence" of that defective axle-journal bearing issue that came up in late 2011 - early 2012. I mean seriously, these things haven't been in service long enough to start sounding worse than the oldest cars on the system.

The issue there was the structural integrity of the journal itself, since it was cast with air pockets. I'm not sure at what Briman is getting, but it sounds like bad bearings themselves.

[4CottageGrove95th]

It won't let me quote, but

​Now I'm starting to wonder if what you heard is a "resurgence" of that defective axle-journal bearing issue that came up in late 2011 - early 2012. I mean seriously, these things haven't been in service long enough to start sounding worse than the oldest cars on the system.

The issue there was the structural integrity of the journal itself, since it was cast with air pockets. I'm not sure at what Briman is getting, but it sounds like bad bearings themselves.

​Well that ain't good news either. And you're right...the issue before was with potential defects in the journal bearing housings. But, here again bearings generally don't wear that quickly.  Maybe it's just an isolated occurrence and not another emerging issue like those that happened early on with these cars. 

[Juniorz]

Question: How do i capture the 5000-series color-LED destination signage without the screen color looking static 

[briman94]

Question: How do i capture the 5000-series color-LED destination signage without the screen color looking static 

The key is to make sure the sign and your camera stay still, and that the shutter speed is slow enough that it captures a whole refresh cycle of the LEDs. Most smartphones have too fast a shutter speed and they end up capturing the sign mid-refresh, so part of it looks black or blurred. You can also adjust the f-stop on some cameras but I don't remember which setting is better for LEDs.

[BusHunter]

Run #924 is coming south on the red line around Loyola with #5667-68 as the head car.

[juelzkellz]

Is it just me or does it seem like the #5000's break down more than normal? This evening, the southbound Red Line train I was on stopped in the subway at the interlocking between North/Clybourn and Clark/Division. We we standing there for 10-20 minutes. I counted three northbound Red Line trains that passed us while we were waiting. There was some sort of mechanical problem. Before this, a few months ago, again I was on a southbound Red Line train and from the time I got on at Loyola and Wilson where we were forced to get off at Wilson, the train smelled like it was on fire. As far as the older series, I had never been caught on a train with serious mechanical issues. What's with these new cars? They shouldn't be breaking down, we just got them! I hope CTA has a good warranty and kept the receipts! lol

[briman94]

Is it just me or does it seem like the #5000's break down more than normal? This evening, the southbound Red Line train I was on stopped in the subway at the interlocking between North/Clybourn and Clark/Division. We we standing there for 10-20 minutes. I counted three northbound Red Line trains that passed us while we were waiting. There was some sort of mechanical problem. Before this, a few months ago, again I was on a southbound Red Line train and from the time I got on at Loyola and Wilson where we were forced to get off at Wilson, the train smelled like it was on fire. As far as the older series, I had never been caught on a train with serious mechanical issues. What's with these new cars? They shouldn't be breaking down, we just got them! I hope CTA has a good warranty and kept the receipts! lol

​The blue line's 2600s have broken down way more for me than 5000s. I don't think I've experienced any major 5000 problems other than stuck doors, but the 2600s seem to break down all the time (like, daily).

[juelzkellz]

​The blue line's 2600s have broken down way more for me than 5000s. I don't think I've experienced any major 5000 problems other than stuck doors, but the 2600s seem to break down all the time (like, daily).

​I guess things have changed but when I worked at O'hare from 2007-2014 I can't remember a time when a train broke down on me and the #2200's were running back then. 

[BusHunter]

​I guess things have changed but when I worked at O'hare from 2007-2014 I can't remember a time when a train broke down on me and the #2200's were running back then. 

​Last weekend they had a big problem with #2651-52 resulting in about a 50 minute delay. The train was told to run express from Jeff Pk to Belmont, but it never made it that far. I was really shocked when the express train stopped at Addison and ordered us all off and went back north. The train was so screwed up it couldn't even run express. As it pulled away back north, it stopped on the incline and I can only imagine it then started delaying the NB side.

Edited May 6, 2015 by BusHunter

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

​I guess things have changed but when I worked at O'hare from 2007-2014 I can't remember a time when a train broke down on me and the #2200's were running back then. 

​I know that "breaking down" and "breaking down on you" are different, and most people aren't as lucky as you. It's interesting how people think, "It will happen to someone else." You're really lucky that you weren't that "someone else.", considering how long you worked at O'Hare. Good thing you didn't miss work because of the Blue Line. 

Last year's polar vortex was pretty harsh on the 2600s, and there was an incident where people had to leave their train and wait on the highway shoulder between O'Hare and Rosemont because of an electrical problem (might not be related to the polar vortex, but still obviously a mechanical problem). In addition, that "ghost train" incident on the Blue Line in 2013 sounds like some sort of mechanical problem.

In addition, when the CTA tweets about mechanical problems causing delays, they usually are referring to the Blue Line.

In your defense though, before the 5000s arrived and the car shifting started, I didn't really hear about problems with the 2600s, and they were quite reliable up to when I stopped riding the Blue Line to attend UIC. They also had a better ride back then.

[briman94]

​Last weekend they had a big problem with #2651-52 resulting in about a 50 minute delay. The train was told to run express from Jeff Pk to Belmont, but it never made it that far. I was really shocked when the express train stopped at Addison and ordered us all off and went back north. The train was so screwed up it couldn't even run express. As it pulled away back north, it stopped on the incline and I can only imagine it then started delaying the NB side.

​What exactly was the issue with them that they couldn't even run express?