CTA Tattler

Why is the CTA still running the Purple Line Express if it's now going the same direction around the Loop as the Brown Line? Couldn't they have just cut it at Howard?

Am I the only person asking this? Seems like the easiest way to reduce capacity would be to take the express train out of the mix.

Mike, the Purple Line Express serves a key role in reducing overcrowding on the Red and Brown Lines both.

Yes, it does mean more trains have to run through the area, but it also means more passengers can get on a train.

At the Friday board meeting, the CTA brass made it clear that keeping the Purple Line running was crucial in serving the needs of commuters during three-track hell.

The Purple Line can't be cut at Howard because all those people will then have to get on what will be already massively overcrowded Brown and Red Line trains. That would also increase transfer traffic at Fullerton and Belmont dramatically (the last thing they need now). I also think Purple line riders will be rather unhappy about having to crawl all the way up to Howard (ending 50 years of downtown express service) on the Red packed in like sardines to transfer to Purple.

I suppose the CTA is trying to serve several very vocal masters by allowing the purple to continue its route to the loop.

You would have quite a crush of people transferring from purple to red and those trains would likely fill up before Sheridan during the morning rush.

Also, you ever watch that purple shuttle turn around after going out of service at Howard? It slows everything down as it does the backing procedure to switch tracks. That would cause a mess, too.

I wondered allowed about what would happen if purples only went express to say Sheridan, then turned back around. But that would be messy to because the exiting passengers would try to board crowded red trains and that could be just as messy.

So maybe the CTA thought about that and said it would be less messy and more capacity allowed to permit purples through to the Loop.

Even with the Purple running I can tell you I had not a single problem getting downtown this morning...but part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Hold the presses. Since when will southbound red line service stay the same during the mornings, with only five fewer trains during the northbound evening commute? My understanding was that there would be 9 fewer SB trains during the morning and that trains running during the evening would be reduced almost in half. Did I misunderstand the original announcements or did the CTA scale back service reductions?

Had a wonderful commute from Bryn Mawr to Grand today -- got to my desk early. No problem getting a seat when I got on; there were a number of full benches empty and waiting. The crowd seemed pretty normal all the way down.

But northbound commuters were backed up pretty badly already, and I can't imagine the rush hour situation's going to be pleasant. I might give it a try (even now I often have to go southbound from Grand at rush hour to be able to get on a train anyway, so if I end up doing that, situation normal). I have doubts that these alleged extra 147s will a) exist b) show up or c) alleviate crowding conditions. (When I'm taking the 147 I always walk south from the Tribune tower to Randolph to improve my odds of getting on.)

It was a breeze coming in on the Brown line this a.m.just after 8 a.m. Seemed like everyone "got the memo". Even Sedgwick, which is usually jammed, was deserted. At Chicago and Franklin a gray haired CTA employee was directing bus traffic with one hand and operating his blakcberry with the other. His wingtip shoes were highly polished and under his green CTA vest he was wearing a nicely tailored pinstripe suit. Looks like CTA has everyone out in the street today.

However, these next two weeks are likely to be light as many commuters take off for "spring break", school vacations and religous holidays. Expect things to be really hellish by April 16,just when Mr. Pinstripes is back at his desk.

There's another transportation option that I don't see mentioned here (or in John Hilkevitch's Trib article): Ride yer bike! I can get downtown faster on my bike than I can on the El, even before 3-track. With the proper gear, you can do it year-round, and people do. Start now so you're in shape and savvy by the time January rolls around.

'Enhanced 148 service' seems to mean several more 148s on the route--buses that don't stop and pick people up. At least on Wilson or Clarendon down to Irving. They didn't look like they were full, either.

Seconding Bob. There were several news reports (CBS2Chicago.Com, for example) that nine southbound trains -- or capacity for about 7,000 passengers -- would be removed from the morning commute.

That having been said, my morning commute almost took precisely the same amount of time -- I left 19 minutes early and got there about 15 minutes earlier than I usually do.

I don't take the L anymore (sing hallelujah!) but I do take the #11 bus. They had at least 5 or 6 of them parked near Addison (& why? that stop's closed) and I saw 2 more active buses ahead of mine. Lots more people than usual on it too. We'll see what it's like at the end of the week before I pass judgement on how well it's working...

Everyone,

Remember that previously published reports for "___ fewer trains" counted ALL trains through the corridor, not just Red Line. So it looks like (for the SB rush anyway) all the reductions came from Brown and Purple.

I sometimes take the 22 at clark & fullerton or sometimes the brown line into the loop from fullerton. This morning I practically had a 22 bus to myself. Clark St. was simply a parade of buses though. I got into the loop pretty quickly with no complaints here. There were a ton of blue line shuttles roaming the streets too.

Amen, Ben! Everyone...start your bicycles! I started bike commuting about 2 years ago, and I really don't want to go back. I'd just recommend people research their routes and clothing options carefully.

I took the 147 into work this morning. Got on at Catalpa/Sheridan about 7:30. The bus was crowded but LSD traffic wasn't nearly as bad as usual so got to work in no time. I have a feeling it's due to spring break vacation so beware next week when the vacationers return!!!!!

I dont know if this was just a freak occurance... but I was taking an 8am train Southbound from Loyola to Fullerton and there was no more of a delay than there normally is, the operator was going faster than usual, and there was like NO ONE on the train (the last one was about 10 or more minutes ago)... so thank you media for scaring everyone on buses, metra, or in cars!

They need to increase service going East on Belmont!! At 7am I waited 15 minutes only to then have a bus show up that was too packed to get on! I cannot use the LSD buses as an alternate route if I can't get to them. None of the other southbound buses put me within walking distance of work. I'm basically screwed.

I hate to jinx it, but...even for me, on the SB Blue Line this am...I still had to stand, but it wasn't very crowded at all. And, it took about the same amount of time for me to get to work. I am also waiting for the other shoe to drop...

Count me in as one of the relieved morning commuters today. I got on the SB Red Line at Loyola at about 7:25 (10 minutes earlier than usual) and got off at Grand at almost exactly 8:00. The train was less crowded than usual and the train operator was actually very pleasant.

Knock on wood for the evening rush though. It's not fun going NB from Grand on the Red Line even on a good day during the evening rush.

I agree with the folks who pointed out this is peak Spring Break season. Normally southbound a.m. traffic on LSD is lighter than normal during these few weeks, so the same might be true for the train lines. It might be a few weeks before the full population of regular train riders is back on the platforms. That's when all 3-track-hell will really break loose!

Just noticed that along with the updates it's been posting to cta_alerts, the CTA has a more detailed updates page at

http://www.yourcta.com/news/whatsnewA.wu?action=displaynewspostingdetail&articleid=114909

(If you have a problem following that URL, use

http://www.yourcta.com/news/whatsnewA.wu

and click on the "Three-Track Service Alerts" link.)

I unsubscribed from UPOC last night anticipating a deluge of posts the first time there is a problem (and bookmarked the UPOC cta_alerts page on my phone so I can check it before I leave), but the extra level of detail on this CTA page is useful. But unlike UPOC, you see only the most recent update on the CTA page, so they're both useful.

Thanks for reporting on the Brown/Purple merge in the Loop. As a Loop resident, it's much better that I can take either train from the same platform and not have to watch and try to run over to the other side!

This blog is a tremendous resource for what the CTA is not reporting!

mp/m