There Should Be Shorter Trains On The Weekends!

[thectaexpert]

On certain weekends, especially during a city event, I have seen four-car long Pink line trains. THIS SHOULD NOT BE! Leave the four-car trains to the weekdays and the two-car trains on the weekends. Also, there should be four-car trains on the Red line during non-rush periods, from 4 a.m. to midnight, and two-car trains after midnight and before 4 a.m. (including Saturdays and Sundays), and bring back the two-car trains on the Green Line on the weekends, and at least expand service on the Green Line (4 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Monday-Sunday).

[CircleSeven]

I hope there's a reason why you posted that because I don't really get it. Yes there's should be two-car trains on the weekend on the Pink Line because of inadequate ridership but if there's a special event and more people from the Cermak Corridor would fit a two car train. That's why during later in the days on the weekend four-car train are accompanied with the loaded passengers. If I have this right. Four Car Trains are accompanied for the Pink Line throughout the day and two car trains during late-evening and parts of weekend when ridership is inadequate. The Red Line only run four car trains during its nightcar. Brown line runs 6 Cars during rush, four car trains during midday, late-evening and weekend service and two car trains only for Belmont Shuttles. Green Line trains only run 6 car trains during rush and sometimes a few 8 car trains. They run 4 car trains on other times during Midday and early to mid evening and late in day on weekends, and two cars late evening and early & late evenings on Weekends. The Orange Line Run Eight Cars on rush and four cars at other times. The Blue Line runs 8 Cars on rush and four cars at other times. The Purple Line only runs 6 Cars during Rush, 4 Car trains in some points of the midday and two cars at other times. Yellow Line runs two cars at all times. I don't think they should really change to reduce the rail cars based on ridership wise because they are enough cars to accomodate the ridership on all rail lines. I hope in the future when the Brown Line gets done by hopefully 2010, they can run the Brown Line Shuttle running 24 Hours from Belmont to Kimball.

[amartin1982]

Let's add numbers of train cars, shall we when one of the trains running in lines.

1.) 4 cars + 4 cars = 8 cars

2.) 3 cars + 3 cars = 6 cars

3.) 1 car + 1 car = 2 cars

4.) 4 cars + 0 car (a.k.a No cars) = 4 cars

Is how every trains runs during day and evening hours or 24 hours daily. I was on a platform at Pulaski/Congress Blue Line waiting for the O'Hare train to come when the eight cars go pass over the demolished Kostner station. Count how many cars. They were one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight cars on tracks at Eisenhower Expressway.

Thanks,

Alfie B)

[MetroShadow]

I have not seen 2-car operation run on any other line besides pink since the beginning of the decade. I think 4 is the standard, regardless, unless it's pink when its 2, or maybe purple which had seen 2 during the midday, but again that was the beginning of the decade.

[geneking7320]

When the Purple Express circled the Loop clockwise I was frustrated with the number of Pink trains on the inner Loop. My suggestion would have been to run two 6 car trains for every three 4 car trains running at that time. That would have reduced the number of Pink trains by a third while retaining the same number of cars.

Gene King

[RIPTA42]

I have not seen 2-car operation run on any other line besides pink since the beginning of the decade. I think 4 is the standard, regardless, unless it's pink when its 2, or maybe purple which had seen 2 during the midday, but again that was the beginning of the decade.

Maybe it isn't the case any more, but I've certainly seen two-car Purple and Green Line trains within the past two years. Of course, the Yellow Line is also two cars all the time.

[Danielsmusic]

Maybe it isn't the case any more, but I've certainly seen two-car Purple and Green Line trains within the past two years. Of course, the Yellow Line is also two cars all the time.

The Ravenswood did 2-car Belmont shuttles in the evening and on Sundays until the mid/late 90's.

[RJL6000]

Maybe it isn't the case any more, but I've certainly seen two-car Purple and Green Line trains within the past two years. Of course, the Yellow Line is also two cars all the time.

The Yellow Line is, of course, two cars all the time. The Skokie (Dempster) platforms cannot accomodate trains any longer in length than that.

As for the two-car train runs on the Purple and Green Lines, those are most likely run on early Sunday mornings (before 10 a.m.), when ridership on those two lines is at its lowest. Even late-night trains on both lines are typically four cars long. Neither line currently operates during overnight (owl) hours.

[Guest ctafan630]

Since there is no longer a conductor collecting fares on the train (for late night and weekends) does it really matter how long the trains are?

It costs more money for the CTA to employ crews that need to break up trains than run a longer train.

[Busjack]

It costs more money for the CTA to employ crews that need to break up trains than run a longer train.

There is a switch in the cab that does that.

On the other hand, it costs electricity and unnecessary wear on the cars to run them empty.

BTW, right before the rush hour, the Purple Line runs a 2 car train northbound from Howard, which couples to 4 cars sitting at Linden for the return express trip. This is needed to provide northbound service until the first express train returns from the Loop. The coupling doesn't seem to be a problem.

[Danielsmusic]

As for the two-car train runs on the Purple and Green Lines, those are most likely run on early Sunday mornings (before 10 a.m.), when ridership on those two lines is at its lowest. Even late-night trains on both lines are typically four cars long. Neither line currently operates during overnight (owl) hours.

Sometimes the Purple will run midday and late-night shuttles with two cars. When some of the expresses get to Linden and there aren't many cars in the yard, a train will be broken up into one 4-car train and one 2-car train.