Unusual Train Sightings

[nflyer22]

Hey, today (as in 10/20/07) when I was riding a northbound Red Line train to Roosevelt (on the elevated tracks due to construction), I saw another Red Line (I'm positive!) led by a 3200-series.

Here's how the cars were aligned:

( 32_ _ - 32_ _ ) ( 25_ _ - 25_ _ ) (2400s series couple, I think its in the 2500s range) (3205 - 3206)

The last 2, 3205 - 3206, I'm positive because I saw how unusual the cars were to be on the Red Line (knowing that the 3200s for 3205 - 3206 are currently on the Purple Line transferred from the Orange Line), and I just remembered the numbers since it was so unusual.

If anyone has seen any similarities or know any info about it, please let us all know! Thanks!

[sw4400]

Hey, today (as in 10/20/07) when I was riding a northbound Red Line train to Roosevelt (on the elevated tracks due to construction), I saw another Red Line (I'm positive!) led by a 3200-series.

Here's how the cars were aligned:

( 32_ _ - 32_ _ ) ( 25_ _ - 25_ _ ) (2400s series couple, I think its in the 2500s range) (3205 - 3206)

This may be possible, but they are not Red Line trains. What you probably saw was a Purple Line Train going to Howard(when those trains run fast, sometimes it's very hard to verify the roller curtain color). The Purple Line roster consists of 3200's and 2400's which can be mixed together.

[rmadisonwi]

But, "today (as in 10/20/07)" the Purple Line would not have been running downtown. Nevertheless, nflyer reported seeing an eight-car train, which the Purple Line never runs.

Purple Line cars have been known to find their way onto the Red Line at times. Also, two 3200-series cars are now "officially" on the Red Line roster.

[sw4400]

But, "today (as in 10/20/07)" the Purple Line would not have been running downtown. Nevertheless, nflyer reported seeing an eight-car train, which the Purple Line never runs.

Purple Line cars have been known to find their way onto the Red Line at times. Also, two 3200-series cars are now "officially" on the Red Line roster.

It's not on the Chicago-L.org roster, rmadisonwi. They only show 2600's for the line.

[Kevin]

It's not on the Chicago-L.org roster, rmadisonwi. They only show 2600's for the line.

That roster is dated August 30th.

[nflyer22]

Hey, today at State and 18th, where the Orange Line meets the Green Line elevated tracks, I saw a 6-car train composed of 3200s on the Green Line tracks heading northbound with the signs "Express". Does anyone know what's going on with that? Thanks for your help!

[rmadisonwi]

Hey, today at State and 18th, where the Orange Line meets the Green Line elevated tracks, I saw a 6-car train composed of 3200s on the Green Line tracks heading northbound with the signs "Express". Does anyone know what's going on with that? Thanks for your help!

http://forum.chicagobus.org/index.php?showtopic=613

It's a daily occurrence. After the morning rush, some Brown Line equipment (I don't know if it's one six-car set or two) heads to Harlem, runs the PM rush on the Green Line, then heads back to Kimball.

[Buslover88]

It's a daily occurrence. After the morning rush, some Brown Line equipment (I don't know if it's one six-car set or two) heads to Harlem, runs the PM rush on the Green Line, then heads back to Kimball.

I didn't know it was like that. I find that very odd because I would think a Green Line whould be on it's namesake line.

[BusExpert32]

It seems that the rail system is following in the foot steps of the bus system. Borrowing buses/trains for a few runs.

[sw4400]

This afternoon around 3p I took a Brown Line Train from Western to Addison. When I got off, a Kimball-bound train came and stopped at the station. The 3rd and 4th car of that train weren't 3200-Series cars, but car #'s 2407-2408. I was suprised to see these in the afternoon on the Brown Line because the 'Ravenston' trains usually end at early morning.

[RJL6000]

The 3rd and 4th car of that train weren't 3200-Series cars, but car #'s 2407-2408.

How ironic, because 2407-2408 were among the 34 2400-series cars which were originally assigned to the Ravenswood Line when they were first delivered in 1976-77. The remaining 166 cars in the series were originally divided between the North-South (Howard-Englewood/Jackson Park) and West-Northwest (Milwaukee-Congress/Douglas) Routes. Eventually, as the 2600-series cars were being delivered during the mid-1980s, all of the surviving cars of the 2400 series (except cars 2447-2448, 2481 and 2517-2518, which were destroyed in the 61st Street White House Shop fire in 1979, and car 2482, which was used alone in tests, and was eventually re-mated to car 2531 more than two decades later) were reassigned to the West-South (Lake-Dan Ryan) route. With the 1993 South Side through route switch, the 2400s were reassigned to the present-day Red Line. The reopening of the Green Line in 1996 saw half of the Red Line's 2400s assigned to the Green Line, with the remainder divided between the Green and Purple Lines as the 2600s were returning to the CTA from rehab.

[Busjack]

This afternoon around 3p I took a Brown Line Train from Western to Addison. When I got off, a Kimball-bound train came and stopped at the station. The 3rd and 4th car of that train weren't 3200-Series cars, but car #'s 2407-2408. I was suprised to see these in the afternoon on the Brown Line because the 'Ravenston' trains usually end at early morning.

In that the lower 2400s are the part time work cars may have something to do with this. Were they the ones with the red stripes?

[sw4400]

In that the lower 2400s are the part time work cars may have something to do with this. Were they the ones with the red stripes?

Yes, they did have red stripes. But why were they being used on the Brown Line in the afternoon? We have enough 3200's to cover the line at least until we go to 8-car trains.

[RJL6000]

We have enough 3200's to cover the line at least until we go to 8-car trains.

You have to know that a few of the Brown Line's 3200's are currently on the Green Line because that line does not currently have enough operable 2400's to cover base service.

In addition to that, I have seen 2200's and 2600's with numbers in the range normally assigned to the Blue Line run on the Pink Line this past Sunday -- and those cars did not have the proper roller curtain signs; instead, they had temporary Pink Line signs hung over the front by the chains.

[Zol87]

Yesterday around 2:30 PM, I was sitting on the 97 Skokie bus near Oakton/Skokie waiting for the RR crossing gate to go up. Then, I saw a 2400 on the Skokie Swift with an "Express" destination sign. The destination sign was perfect since the whole line is an express route. :)

[ArcherRider]

This morning I saw 2403-2404 and 2405-2406 on Loop L with a Orange Line sign"Loop" go to Ashland/63 on Green Line.

[Busjack]

This morning I saw 2403-2404 and 2405-2406 on Loop L with a Orange Line sign"Loop" go to Ashland/63 on Green Line.

The Orange and Green line signs were on different rolls. Perhaps a Howard yard work train diverted to Green Line service?

[Zol87]

On the way to to the Taste of Chicago on Saturday, I was on a southbound Red line around Jarvis around 2pm, I saw 2 sets of 2200's connected to some 2600's in the 30xx car number range on the Northbound Purple track. The only number I caught was 2256. Some of the destination signs were blank and some said 95th Dan Ryan. <_<