7000-series - Delivery & Updates

[Sam92]

20 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Given current climes, I don't know if that would have the impact that it would otherwise. Service on the Lake Branch is concentrated to the 4 Oak Park stations & Ashland on eastward. California, Laramie, Central Park, etc are some of the least busiest stations in the system (esp cause their other competition is Purple Line Shuttle, Pink Line and Green Line South). The busy areas are filled with riders who are probably still at WFH status, elective or not, so there's probably space for more offset Blue line riders than there would be otherwise. 

That said, I agree with what you in said later on in terms of what's likely to happen. I don't think shuttles will be needed, and I don't think the Pink Line will hurt that much. If it does, CTA should have the capacity to boost service on routes like the 60 & 157.

Hell, even the X21 could make a comeback lmao. _{(this is a joke)}

If you used pink you would need shuttles to get to Harlem. I never said pink would be hurt but would have to eliminate some trains to avoid over serving the branch since there’d already be 8 car trains returning and is the more likely candidate because it would beat telling everyone to use the green line wouldn’t keep the UIC connection and is probably a bit more annoying with 3 floors of transferring vs staying on a rerouted blue. Heck with only 100 cars of capacity pink might fully be eliminated just to make room for the cars that can’t be stored at Desplains lol

[BusHunter]

On 10/14/2021 at 10:23 PM, Sam92 said:

Oh yeah no doubt that but green is already pretty packed on the lake branch and unlike the red line you wouldn’t be having those trains substitute for one branch and I think using the green solely would cause an imbalance vs using pink. Plus pink offers the benefit of not having to transfer and walk up 3 floors which is probably why they did UIC to IMD first and separately. I think what’s gonna happen service-wise is trains are gonna temporarily revert to pre-pink line service pattern. Blues will alternate between 54th trains and IMD trains. Pink is probably gonna survive on a reduced degree but not completely because the reverse rush is pretty heavy and pink gives easier access to more lines for UIC/ rush university students. 

If forest park has a line cut, theres the issue of where does that yards car capacity go. Rosemont is only so big and 54th might have 40 or 50 car spaces to spare, so in running a service out to 54th the blue line may run out of equipment. They might have to run an ike bus shuttle. 

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

For anyone riding the brown line starting monday 10/18/21 the 7000’s will be testing on that line for a few weeks they got transferred tonight from orange line 

[NewFlyerMCI]

59 minutes ago, Mr.NewFlyer1051 said:

For anyone riding the brown line starting monday 10/18/21 the 7000’s will be testing on that line for a few weeks they got transferred tonight from orange line 

Perfect, I return to Chicago on the 19th. It's only 1 consist right? CTA could really use a train tracker right about now

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, Sam92 said:

If you used pink you would need shuttles to get to Harlem. I never said pink would be hurt but would have to eliminate some trains to avoid over serving the branch since there’d already be 8 car trains returning and is the more likely candidate because it would beat telling everyone to use the green line wouldn’t keep the UIC connection and is probably a bit more annoying with 3 floors of transferring vs staying on a rerouted blue. Heck with only 100 cars of capacity pink might fully be eliminated just to make room for the cars that can’t be stored at Desplains lol

That last part was going to be my next question lol, would it just be best to suspend the Pink all together. Run a little shuttle from Polk to Ashland/Lake. The doubled capacity wouldn't hurt either.

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

If forest park has a line cut, theres the issue of where does that yards car capacity go. Rosemont is only so big and 54th might have 40 or 50 car spaces to spare, so in running a service out to 54th the blue line may run out of equipment. They might have to run an ike bus shuttle. 

Rosemont is only so big, but at the same time, I'm pretty sure only Howard and maybe Midway have bigger yards. Are we sure Rosemont doesn't have the capacity? Forest Park's yard isn't that big. Could some 2600s be sent to the Orange Line to free up space? (Assuming the Blue Line can do that and maintain service + spares)

[BusHunter]

6 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Rosemont is only so big, but at the same time, I'm pretty sure only Howard and maybe Midway have bigger yards. Are we sure Rosemont doesn't have the capacity? Forest Park's yard isn't that big. Could some 2600s be sent to the Orange Line to free up space? (Assuming the Blue Line can do that and maintain service + spares)

Rosemonts yard is bigger than midway. Rosemont has a capacity 260 versus midways 192 car capacity. With 400 cars plus on the blue line forest park can hold around 150. So its a matter how how many cars you would need for service. If you eliminated west of IMD or UIC if a turnaround never got built, you would eliminate a 1/3 of the line. So you could eliminate 130 cars. If you made the pink line help out the blue line it does in the rush you could eliminate a few more cars and run just at rosemont yard. I would fill 54th with blue line spares and if pink ran short they could use them. Its possible you could run on the pink with blue line cars, but you would basically be running with the blue line spares at 54th. Maybe it could be done if you made it every 3rd train in the rush that goes through to 54th 2nd in the non rush. But they need a quick turnaround at imd. The location of the turnaround is good because no public use of the tracks would be past loomis junction for forest pk so made a few stub tracks and a giant crossover could work. If they had 4 tracks they could store 4 trains down there as well. 

[Sam92]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Rosemonts yard is bigger than midway. Rosemont has a capacity 260 versus midways 192 car capacity. With 400 cars plus on the blue line forest park can hold around 150. So its a matter how how many cars you would need for service. If you eliminated west of IMD or UIC if a turnaround never got built, you would eliminate a 1/3 of the line. So you could eliminate 130 cars. If you made the pink line help out the blue line it does in the rush you could eliminate a few more cars and run just at rosemont yard. I would fill 54th with blue line spares and if pink ran short they could use them. Its possible you could run on the pink with blue line cars, but you would basically be running with the blue line spares at 54th. Maybe it could be done if you made it every 3rd train in the rush that goes through to 54th 2nd in the non rush. But they need a quick turnaround at imd. The location of the turnaround is good because no public use of the tracks would be past loomis junction for forest pk so made a few stub tracks and a giant crossover could work. If they had 4 tracks they could store 4 trains down there as well. 

You wouldn’t really eliminate a 1/3 of the line as far as car needs if you’re rerouting to 54th cause it’s still just as long.  Hell if you where to take the job going to Cermak and straighten it the branch is 72 blocks long basically the same length as FP. So with 54th only anle to hold 54 cars the Pink would either have to be serverely reduced to allow what rosemont can’t fit plus not over service the line bacusse even alternating blues can get pretty frequent compared to pinks

[BusHunter]

12 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

You wouldn’t really eliminate a 1/3 of the line as far as car needs if you’re rerouting to 54th cause it’s still just as long.  Hell if you where to take the job going to Cermak and straighten it the branch is 72 blocks long basically the same length as FP. So with 54th only anle to hold 54 cars the Pink would either have to be serverely reduced to allow what rosemont can’t fit plus not over service the line bacusse even alternating blues can get pretty frequent compared to pinks

If you did every third train though your headways would be farther apart. It wouldnt hurt the pink cause it would run its own service. Maybe 4 or 5 trains per the 54th branch at one given rush period. I think pink runs about 8 sets in the rush. You couldnt run too many because of the limits of 54 cars at 54th. You know the blue could actually eliminate its 2600s and just run 3200s if the pink line 5000 set still ran it could help in that regatd. If not they may have to go with a few sets of 2600s. But blue could transfer the rest and maybe they could start a retirement process going. The 7000s should be coming in next year so probably they would already have at least 100 delivered to someone by then. So you could be talking close to 2 lines losing 2600s by then. 

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

17 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

If you did every third train though your headways would be farther apart. It wouldnt hurt the pink cause it would run its own service. Maybe 4 or 5 trains per the 54th branch at one given rush period. I think pink runs about 8 sets in the rush. You couldnt run too many because of the limits of 54 cars at 54th. You know the blue could actually eliminate its 2600s and just run 3200s if the pink line 5000 set still ran it could help in that regatd. If not they may have to go with a few sets of 2600s. But blue could transfer the rest and maybe they could start a retirement process going. The 7000s should be coming in next year so probably they would already have at least 100 delivered to someone by then. So you could be talking close to 2 lines losing 2600s by then. 

pink doesn’t run 8 cars no more it’s only 4 especially during rush hour

[BusHunter]

39 minutes ago, Mr.NewFlyer1051 said:

pink doesn’t run 8 cars no more it’s only 4 especially during rush hour

I know. I meant 8 train sets of 4 cars or 32 cars. 

[artthouwill]

18 hours ago, NovaBusFan said:

The #7000s are now on the Brown Line, some have left midway this mid morning. Expect to seem them go in service Monday. The first 6 cars are here and the next 4 cars haven’t made their way there yet.

That would mean the Green Line would be the last Line to test the 7000s.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the Green Line testing will start after the Brown line is finished testing.   I think the Blue Line will get at least one more testing stint, whether that will be after the Brown or Green Line,  i don't know..  it's even possible for the Red Line to get another testing stint seeing that these cars have to test through the winter.  I'm very interested in seeing which Line actually gets the cars assigned to it first 

[NewFlyerMCI]

1 minute ago, artthouwill said:

That would mean the Green Line would be the last Line to test the 7000s.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the Green Line testing will start after the Brown line is finished testing.   I think the Blue Line will get at least one more testing stint, whether that will be after the Brown or Green Line,  i don't know..  it's even possible for the Red Line to get another testing stint seeing that these cars have to test through the winter.  I'm very interested in seeing which Line actually gets the cars assigned to it first 

I honestly think it'll be the Orange and/Brown Lines

[NovaBusFan]

28 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

That would mean the Green Line would be the last Line to test the 7000s.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the Green Line testing will start after the Brown line is finished testing.   I think the Blue Line will get at least one more testing stint, whether that will be after the Brown or Green Line,  i don't know..  it's even possible for the Red Line to get another testing stint seeing that these cars have to test through the winter.  I'm very interested in seeing which Line actually gets the cars assigned to it first 

I also have a feeling that they probably will end up going back to the lines they’ve already tested on before most likely. Winter is soon to be around the corner and they probably have to test them in service in the winter. So far they’ve been in service in the Spring, Summer now it is the fall, one more season and that’ll be winter starting December 21st. So we are at least 2 months away. I’m sure exactly sure if they have one more type of testing to do after In service testing or that is it?

[artthouwill]

58 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

I honestly think it'll be the Orange and/Brown Lines

Orange or Brown.   I've always said those two were the most likely to get them since the primary reason for this order was to replace the 2600s.   These rwo lines along with the Blue Line are the only lines with the 2600s so they are the most likely to get the 7000s.  Considering the  Blue Line Forest Park branch needs upgrading,  I don't think they would get any anytime soon.   

However,  after those two lines get them,  I think CTA will be forced to put some on the Blue Line.   Putting them elsewhere and moving 5000s to Blue seems unnecessary and really doesn't accomplish anything. 

[BusHunter]

7 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Orange or Brown.   I've always said those two were the most likely to get them since the primary reason for this order was to replace the 2600s.   These rwo lines along with the Blue Line are the only lines with the 2600s so they are the most likely to get the 7000s.  Considering the  Blue Line Forest Park branch needs upgrading,  I don't think they would get any anytime soon.   

However,  after those two lines get them,  I think CTA will be forced to put some on the Blue Line.   Putting them elsewhere and moving 5000s to Blue seems unnecessary and really doesn't accomplish anything. 

It does seem weird. Why keep testing on the blue if they are not going there. Maybe they are thinking if the 5000s have a hard time at forest park maybe the 7000s would be better. If forest park gets worked on though that issue is dead in the water. Its funny I have never seen a 5000 on the forest park or ohare branch past jeff. For as many as they have thats just weird. 

I think they need to put half 7000s and half 5000s on each line. The seating on the 5000s is really crappy. Whoever gets stuck with them will probably have the cars no one likes. I think its smart to mix them. Why drive your 5000s in the ground. Can you imagine the railways miles difference between a 5300 and a 5400? Some cars have lots of miles some dont. Run the 7000s and let your 5000s get a rest. 

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

It does seem weird. Why keep testing on the blue if they are not going there. Maybe they are thinking if the 5000s have a hard time at forest park maybe the 7000s would be better. If forest park gets worked on though that issue is dead in the water. Its funny I have never seen a 5000 on the forest park or ohare branch past jeff. For as many as they have thats just weird. 

I think they need to put half 7000s and half 5000s on each line. The seating on the 5000s is really crappy. Whoever gets stuck with them will probably have the cars no one likes. I think its smart to mix them. Why drive your 5000s in the ground. Can you imagine the railways miles difference between a 5300 and a 5400? Some cars have lots of miles some dont. Run the 7000s and let your 5000s get a rest. 

Well they only have 16 5000s that run from the pink so that’s why you don’t see 5000s on the full line. What it also boils down to is power. I heard the 7000s were incompatible 

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

It does seem weird. Why keep testing on the blue if they are not going there. Maybe they are thinking if the 5000s have a hard time at forest park maybe the 7000s would be better. If forest park gets worked on though that issue is dead in the water. Its funny I have never seen a 5000 on the forest park or ohare branch past jeff. For as many as they have thats just weird. 

I think they need to put half 7000s and half 5000s on each line. The seating on the 5000s is really crappy. Whoever gets stuck with them will probably have the cars no one likes. I think its smart to mix them. Why drive your 5000s in the ground. Can you imagine the railways miles difference between a 5300 and a 5400? Some cars have lots of miles some dont. Run the 7000s and let your 5000s get a rest. 

I saw a 4 car consist testing on the Forest Park branch a few years ago.  It was an out of service train.  I was told they were testing to see if they could run 5000s on that stretch of track.   Obviously that was a NO, due to the weight of the cars with respect to the track conditions.

[cta5658]

15 hours ago, BusHunter said:

I know. I meant 8 train sets of 4 cars or 32 cars. 

I remember when the Pink Line ran 6 car trains (all day for Green Line) for a few months when the 5000's first came into service in 2012

[BusHunter]

5 hours ago, cta5658 said:

I remember when the Pink Line ran 6 car trains (all day for Green Line) for a few months when the 5000's first came into service in 2012

I think that was around the time trains were losing power at tower 18 because they were short 4 car trains. I wonder why they lost power and the 2600s kept on going?

[Sam92]

17 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

I think that was around the time trains were losing power at tower 18 because they were short 4 car trains. I wonder why they lost power and the 2600s kept on going?

Maybe since operators were new to them they weren’t coasting then across the gap with enough momentum ??‍♀️ They’re heavier so I’d imagine a bit more stopping distance would make one nervous and they stop sooner

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

On 10/16/2021 at 12:58 AM, NewFlyerMCI said:

Perfect, I return to Chicago on the 19th. It's only 1 consist right? CTA could really use a train tracker right about now

Cta already has a train tracker, maybe you meant you wanted one that would track where the 7k series is? That'd be awesome since I'd love to track specific cars by car # so whenever I am going somewhere on the green line I will have to get the correct car.

[NewFlyerMCI]

53 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Cta already has a train tracker, maybe you meant you wanted one that would track where the 7k series is? That'd be awesome since I'd love to track specific cars by car # so whenever I am going somewhere on the green line I will have to get the correct car.

I guess I somehow missed that CTA had a web-specific train tracker. But yes, the latter is what I was talking about.

[BusHunter]

12 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Well they only have 16 5000s that run from the pink so that’s why you don’t see 5000s on the full line. What it also boils down to is power. I heard the 7000s were incompatible 

Was just thinking if the 5000s are heavy they are probably degrading the already weakened infrastructure on the forest park branch. I wonder are the 7000s lighter? If not what are they gonna do run 3200s until a rehab on that branch? Worst case scenario they could build intermodel stations do a line cut and only run the 3200 west of imd via a transfer at certain point. I think they almost have to rehab that branch. 

[BusHunter]

2 hours ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Cta already has a train tracker, maybe you meant you wanted one that would track where the 7k series is? That'd be awesome since I'd love to track specific cars by car # so whenever I am going somewhere on the green line I will have to get the correct car.

That would be a good suggestion to cta. They do that for the santa train why not. All I can tell you is to ask the people on chicago l facebook where they are. They are pretty good at knowing. They have a few supervisors that frequent that. I learned from one of them that they really dont like it when those trains are on their line. They tend to break down here and there. Part of the supervisors job is the flow of the trains. When something is blocking the flow its up to them to clear the blockage. One supervisor calls them the problem child lol!!