CTA Tattler

Was it a smooth, easy stop or an abrupt, knock-everyone-against-each-other stop?

Good question, Margaret. This stop was kinda in-between. It didn't knock people around, but it was anything but easy.

I have not been at top speed on the CTA for months. My 9 mile commute takes 42 minutes because the train never tops 25 mph anywhere along the line, and often it pokes along at jogging speed-- about 12-15 mph. There are slow zones due to defered maintenance and conga-line delays (when the trains stop and go maintaining the same close distance) because of an outright REFUSAL to run a moderately delayed train express during rush hour. I know the trains CAN go close to 60 mph, because that's how fast the Purple Line trains pass the Red Line trains w-h-e-n t-h-e-y a-r-e p-u-l-l-i-n-g i-n-t-o t-h-e A-r-g-y-l-e S-t-a-t-i-o-n a-t w-a-l-k-i-n-g s-p-e-e-d.

Has anyone ever experienced the 'double-stop'? In this scenario, the train does a slow and deliberate brake upon entering a station. The twist occurs when the slow brake is released and passengers (mistakenly) think that the train is coming to a halt. However, at this moment, the brakes are re-applied with much more force. By the end of the first slow release, I have released my grip on any of the poles on the train and are now free-standing. The 'hard' second stop, completely catches me (and others, thinking holiday sease with handfuls of bags) off-guard and helplessly moving into other passengers. I find this mildly amusing, if I can see it coming.

What is it with the way some of these trains just creep along ever so slowly? Great example was Thanksgiving morning after the parade. Caught the red line north at Harrison (waited 10 minutes) heading for Bryn Mawr. I was in the front car in the front seat with a great view ahead. Went thru the tunnel at a decent speed, but them came up onto the elevated portion and you might have thought we were on the expressway to O'Hare at rush hour. There was not a train in sight, and the fastest the driver went was 20 (I also had a clear view of the controls). I was so tempted to tap on the glass and ask what the delay was. No trains, no construction, no nothing, including no speed.
And one more--the train creeps up to the station, then just before arrival, SPEEDS UP for the last 200 yards!
The drivers must work at thinking of ways to irritate the riders.

sometimes as i'm running for a train as it's pulling away toward me [i'm running toward it as it's moving in the opposite direction to leave], the driver will stop again for me. it's so nice. but i bet it's really annoying for the other people who managed to get to the platform on time.

As for the red and brown lines crawling along at < 6 mph, it is usually because of the dreaded north-of-Belmont crossover (I think the CTA calls it the Clark Street crossing). That thing is essentially a stop light for the "rapid" transit system and often gets backed up at rush hour. Just found a link about it: http://www.chicago-l.org/articles/ClarkJunction.html . What drives me nuts is the way the train will crawl along and then stop dead IN BETWEEN stations. What's the reason for that. Wait at a station and then when it's clear all the way to the next, go. That way you're only waiting at stations, and can go quickly in between. Is that so complicated?

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the "Wilson yank" yet.

It can't be that hard to notice since the redline goes about 2mph between Loyola and say uhhh *35th*, but you ever feel that yank the southbound redline train does after leaving Wilson?

It occurs at about Montrose (where the old CTA train barn was before it burned down). The southbound train ususally pulls out of the station at .5 mph and revs up to about 2mph before it hits the yank. Just a few feet before the yank, the train manages to climb to 60mph, tosses everyone around, then drops back down to 2mph.

I wish there was a way to see the look on the motorman's face. I bet it's one of the few smiles they get to enjoy all day.