CTA Tattler

Yesterday, I just missed my 7:36am 63W bus as it came two minutes early, even though I was waving my arms at him to stop. So I wait for the next bus, and wait until almost 8am where two come bunched together. So I get to Midway Orange Line at 8:15 only to see one train in station and its pulling out. So I wait for the next train. I get to the Loop a little after 9. The always-cheery guy handing out Red Eye's at State/Lake hands me my daily copy. And there's Ron Huberman on the cover. Ok, so how is he gonna fix what happened to me and probably countless others everyday. So I see the section about pokey service and buses grouping up. What is he doing about it? Well, he spent some tax dollars or the rest of the CTA funding to make some charts for his office. An GPS systems that don't seem to matter anyway.

Really, DO something about it. Don't make charts and reports to tell us what we already know.

Actually, while my Red Line train was crawling north along that stretch last night, I noticed a couple of workers along the ledge on what the Voice calls the right side of the train. Might have been a coincidence -- I can't imagine they have time to do track work during rush hour headways; maybe they're inspecting things? But they have been there.

Oh, forgot to mention in this haze between the first cuppa joe and its welcome effects... on my train the operator actually came on the PA to announce that track work was being done so speed would be greatly reduced. He didn't mention the 6 mph specifically.

The 147 buses seem to like to ride right behind each other. It isn't even that complex of a route! (Michigan Avenue Traffic is annoying, of course, but that is no excuse for 2-3 busses in a line.)

Was anyone else on the south-bound Red Line that started to smell like electrical smoke at the Chicago stop at about 9:50 this morning? I looked out the open doors and decided to walk the rest of the way to work when I saw a light haze filling the station. People started to leave the train, and I didn't want to stick around to see what happened next.

The Red Line was running on the elevated tracks before 9:50 this morning. They made that announcement on the Brown Line as we were pulling into Belmont around 9 AM.

I'm glad they are repairing the tracks in the redline subway but how long will this last? It's been several weeks and they are still repairing that same area (between clark/division and chicago)! It would be nice if the CTA would provide progress updates.

This week the Red Line has been even slower than the usual slowness. I have been leaving the house 10-15 minutes earlier than before, and still arriving at work 10 minutes late. I would like some assurance that this is not to be permanent. Some train operators have been announcing the slowdown for one specific curve, but that can't account for all the increase in travel time. Oh, and Mr. Huberman, if you haven't already, please put on someone's to-do list to fix the PA systems so they can be heard properly in all cars. Often we hear "Attention all passengers...[faintly] mfwglbmfgkwlbxjmb."

Cheryl- I'm not sure if you are saying that I couldn't have been in the Red Line Chicago stop at 9:50 or not. At any rate, lots can happen between 9:00 and 9:50, so the trains could have been routed back underground after your train.

Of course, as the smoke smell spread through the train there were no announcements reassuring the crowd.

"But I was amused at 5:30 pm yesterday when the canned announcement told us we were experiencing a delay because workers were on the track. I don't think so."

Wouldn't surprise me. As I posted in another thread, seemingly starting with the NTSB report, the CTA has been doing what appear to be track inspections during the shoulder rush hours (8:30ish-10:00, 4:00-5:00ish). Frankly, it's annoying, and I'm not sure what they can really be inspecting when talking about 3-5 minute headways, even at 6mph.

Not at all Ravenswoodite. I'm just surprised they had the Red Line back in the tunnel by 9:50. The motorman on our train sounded like they had just started running above ground as we were sitting there waiting for a Red Line to go into the station.

This has been said before and will be said again, but this is the first time I'm saying it: CHICAGO WANTS THE OLYMPICS BUT CAN'T GET ITS SHIT TOGETHER FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM?! SERIOUSLY?!

I don't have any other choice than to take the CTA. There's no one I can afford to buy a car. I don't even have a license. I moved to Chicago because it had a public transit system. What am I and other people like me supposed to do? I can't even properly express my frustration. I want to know what else could be so important to this city than public transportation. It's an essential part of the every day workforce as well as to tourism. What is more important than this? Where is the fucking money, Springfield?

actually, Kevin, Bob--I was on the Blue Line early this year I think it was, & they made an announcement about the speed between Damen & Clark/Lake (when the Blue Line got stuck with 75% slow zones; I hadn't known that was going on). I believe they did say 6mph, but definitely under 15. I think it depends on the driver.
I don't think I care about how fast/slow, just so long as I am told about it--that they're not just being a PITA.

I agree, Dee. It's so frustrating to be sitting for 15 minutes on a train (which has had multiple times to me) and have absolutely NO COMMUNICATION from the operator. There's one really great conductor out there right now who always lets us know what's going on. I need to find out who he is so I can actually compliment the CTA on something for once.

Ironically, my SB Red Line train this morning sat for 15 minutes above Lincoln, just north of Fullerton, because the train ahead of us that was at the station couldn't close its doors. So after that, even 6 mph felt like we were zooming along.

But honestly, put me down on the side of the folks who'd rather get to work on time even if it means waiting another week or two for the slow zones to be fixed. But yes, the communication is good.

Kimberli: Grab the run number off the front of the train or from Canned Announcer Guy who announces it at varying intervals and send it to the CTA along with the date and time. Failing that, at least get one of the train car numbers and the date/time, which I did once last winter when a very kind motorman at 35-Bronzeville-IIT actually stopped his just-departing train for me when I ran at it waving my arms.

Of course, the best policy is to get his badge number, but that's not always possible as you pretty much have to be by his window and staring at his sleeve before the train takes off.

Bruce and CCwriter:

Have you not seen the 800 signs which state that the track work will continue until December? It also is mentioned on the CTA's website (which you would think someone would check before posting here) and several times in the media. I don't have a clue why CCwriter would think there have not already been "assurances that this is not permanant" such as all these signs that say that they are REMOVING slow zones in that area. Should they put signs on every seat instead of just every car and station? How hard is it to pay attention to what is around you? If you don't want to do that, that's fine. But then don't complain on a blog that you don't know anything when it is your fault.

MK, please don't accuse me of ignorance or laziness just because you don't get my point. In the context of several months of general slowdown, of which all Red Line riders posting on this blog are well aware, things appear to have gotten much, much slower than before within just the past few days. I'm wondering whether this is a phenomenon of a few days' duration or whether the slowing trend will now worsen until by the end of the month my morning commute takes 2 hours. I don't see anything on the CTA's web site about this phenomenon. I don't think I'm out of line to wonder about it. I don't think any of my statements about more (and more intelligible) announcements are unjustified. If you are one of those people who thinks customers should just shut up instead of contributing to the solution with their constructive criticism, and dismisses it as "complaining", then I wonder why you are participating in this blog.

"I'm wondering whether this is a phenomenon of a few days' duration or whether the slowing trend will now worsen until by the end of the month my morning commute takes 2 hours"

That's not what you said. What you said was that you were worried that it was permanent(I assume you are talking about the area between Grand and Clark/Division since that was what the person you responded to was referring to). And it has gotten worse over the last week or so BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING IN IT. I personally would try to spend my time complaining about slow zones they are not working on rather than about slowness that actually results from the fact that they are removing slow zones. I don't know if it will improve significantelly by the end of the month. I assume it probably will. Until then, I would suggest allowing for a few extra minutes in your commute.

MK, I don't like to get off topic and into personalities, but come on. The grammar school I went to taught us to read the material carefully and then draw our conclusions. In my original post I plainly stated that I had allowed even more extra time than usual but it *still* wasn't enough. And the increased delay I am talking about takes place over the entire distance from the far north side to the loop, I know because I check my watch and we are much later getting to Fullerton than a few weeks ago. It should not be difficult to figure out what I mean by "permanent"--within the remainder of the period of construction delays. You are very facile in your dismissal of people's experiences and statements--I wonder what your hidden agenda might be? I intend to ignore your condescending rebukes from now on. This thread may now return to discussing real issues.

Who's responsible for the CTA's budget mess ?
True, it is those bozos in Springield who
don't give a rat's behind about the voters, but here's what I want you to do, go to the
nearest mirror, look at the image that stares
back at you, and think back to March of 2007.