Rail Pick Fall 2025

[renardo870]

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

Edited October 31 by renardo870

[Sam92]

5 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

If they're enforcing this like pre COVID then I guess we'll be seeing 8 car owls on the red 🥴🤭

[RJL6000]

The CTA has been running the maximum car lengths on all trips on all of the aforementioned lines (8 cars on the Blue, Brown, Orange and Red Lines and 6 cars on the Green and Purple Lines) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The change will mark a return to normalcy.

The Pink and Yellow lines will remain unchanged since they already run with fewer than 6 cars in a consist (4 cars on the Pink and 2 cars on the Yellow) even during rush periods.

[Busjack]

30 minutes ago, RJL6000 said:

The CTA has been running the maximum car lengths on all trips on all of the aforementioned lines (8 cars on the Blue, Brown, Orange and Red Lines and 6 cars on the Green and Purple Lines) since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The change will mark a return to normalcy.

The Pink and Yellow lines will remain unchanged since they already run with fewer than 6 cars in a consist (4 cars on the Pink and 2 cars on the Yellow) even during rush periods.

 

Maybe I'm going too far back (but not as far as the single units), but in the time of the 2600s, werem't the Evanston Shuttles 2 cars?

[Transit Introvert]

7 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

I kinda knew something like this was gonna happen eventually.

[Sam92]

47 minutes ago, Busjack said:

 

Maybe I'm going too far back (but not as far as the single units), but in the time of the 2600s, werem't the Evanston Shuttles 2 cars?

You're right. Here's something from '99. I'm guessing maybe they went to off peak 4's at the same time green did, which I remember was also running 2's(2001-2002?). Speaking of... If purple was mainly 2600s in that period when did the switch to mainly 2400s? When I was riding with my dad up north (early 2000s) I seemed to see a lot of them, then around 3 track I would see mainly 2400s but 2600s and 3200s (after the cameras were installed) would also make frequent appearances

[artthouwill]

41 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

You're right. Here's something from '99. I'm guessing maybe they went to off peak 4's at the same time green did, which I remember was also running 2's(2001-2002?). Speaking of... If purple was mainly 2600s in that period when did the switch to mainly 2400s? When I was riding with my dad up north (early 2000s) I seemed to see a lot of them, then around 3 track I would see mainly 2400s but 2600s and 3200s (after the cameras were installed) would also make frequent appearances

While Purple ran primarily 2400s,  they only had about 40 to 50 max, which meant they needed about 20 2600s to supplement the Express service.   I guess they also used them on the shuttle service also.  The Yellow Line used the 2600s when they went to third rail and their 3200s went to the Brown Line. 

[ajm522]

Prepare for some packed trains if 4 cars across many lines are also on the weekend. 

[artthouwill]

10 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

If my memory serves me correctly,  this would mean the Blue Line and the Red Line will remain with 8 car consists all day and go to 4 car consists overnight. 

The  Green Line, Orange Line, the Purple Line Shuttle and the Brown Line will get 4 car consists during off peak hours.  Thee Pink Line and the Yellow Line will remain unchanged. 

This should save some railcars from racking up unnecessary mileage.  It should also add a little more safety as the railcars will have more passengers in  them.  

[Jackson232]

10 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

Wow. It’s been so long since we seen 4 cars. Besides the pink line.

[Busjack]

46 minutes ago, ajm522 said:

Prepare for some packed trains if 4 cars across many lines are also on the weekend. 

I don't think this precludes adding cars if, for example. there's a big game at new Ryan Field.

[Bus1883]

11 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

about time 

[wayfaringrob]

Any word on actual schedule adjustments?

[EasyMoney]

11 hours ago, renardo870 said:

Good evening or morning. Just sharing some information on train consists during early AM, middays, evenings, overnights and weekends. Looks like CTA is returning to the pre-Covid 4 cars consists again on the Blue 🔵, Brown 🟤, Green 🟢, Orange 🟠, Purple 🟣 and Red 🔴 lines. 

is this a good thing?

 

[Sam92]

29 minutes ago, wayfaringrob said:

Any word on actual schedule adjustments?

Nothing on the site which should have at least an upcoming alert with it being the Friday before. Is it possible that outside of letting operators pick new shifts this pick focused mainly on the added time involved with coupling/de-coupling and didn't bother shifting the departures?

[Bus1883]

Can’t wait to see red line trains in 4 cars at late night 

[Busjack]

5 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Nothing on the site which should have at least an upcoming alert with it being the Friday before. Is it possible that outside of letting operators pick new shifts this pick focused mainly on the added time involved with coupling/de-coupling and didn't bother shifting the departures?

Since the coupling is in cab, shouldn't take much time.

[Busjack]

5 hours ago, EasyMoney said:

is this a good thing?

 

Why shouldn't be (on average)? At least it cuts down mileage on cars; miht even provide time to clean some more.

[jtrussel]

On 10/31/2025 at 1:09 PM, Jackson232 said:

Wow. It’s been so long since we seen 4 cars. Besides the pink line.

I remember back in the late 90s seeing red line running a mix of 4 car consists and 2 car consists on its owl service

[Bus1883]

6 hours ago, jtrussel said:

I remember back in the late 90s seeing red line running a mix of 4 car consists and 2 car consists on its owl service

This gives more time for the cars to get cleaned and maintenance 

[Jackson232]

Haven’t seen any 4 car trains on the brown today. I saw one not in service.

[Elkmn]

15 minutes ago, Jackson232 said:

Haven’t seen any 4 car trains on the brown today. I saw one not in service.

I also haven't seen any on the blue. Maybe next weekend? 

[Bus1883]

21 minutes ago, Jackson232 said:

Haven’t seen any 4 car trains on the brown today. I saw one not in service.

Also not green or purple

[nflyer22]

Not on Orange either. We'll see if the changes apply for the workweek beginning tomorrow.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

4 car trains aren’t happening anymore, they cut back on that for the foreseeable future. All lines remain the same.