The first half of our fantrip, with 2200s, begins at Rosemont.

People take pictures of each other…

Subway stop… I think this was Logan Square.

Photo stop at Ashland on the Green Line.

We got off at 35th for a run-by.

35th-Sox Park.

Our train has returned.

We are let off at Madison and Wabash.

Our train of 2200s departs while we take a lunch break.

Here come the 5000s.

We get off at Oakton for a run-by.

Northbound at Oakton.

5000s southbound approaching Oakton.

5000s southbound approaching Oakton.

5000s at Wilson, where North Shore trains once stopped.

5000s interior.

A Pink Line train passes us at Morgan.

Our trip ends in twilight at Morgan on the Green Line.

CERA sponsored a fantrip on the CTA rapid transit system on November 18, 2012, highlighting both the “old” and the “new.” The old was represented by a train made up entirely of 2200-series cars from 1970. These are the last cars on the system that use “blinker” doors and are thus not handicapped accessible. For many years, the 2200s have only been used in conjunction with other series cars that have sliding doors, so this charter was a rare and perhaps final opportunity to experience them as they once were used in service.

Tony Coppoletta, who organized this trip for CERA, told me it was his intention to showcase the 2200s on the Kennedy and Dan Ryan expressway lines, where they ran for so many years. After 43 years of faithful service, they are gradually being retired.

I boarded the train at Rosemont on the Blue Line. We stopped in the Kimball subway to pick up more people, then through the Dearborn subway. Next, we went up the ramp to the Douglas/Pink Line and changed ends. Then, it was back to the Loop over the Lake St./Green Line trackage, then out over to the Dan Ryan line via the “old” connection that was used before completion of the short subway connecting the Howard and Dan Ryan.

We stopped at 35th for a run-by, and then it was back downtown for a lunch break. The 2200s went back around the Loop for one more photo opportunity, but we headed off to McDonald’s.

After lunch, around came our “new” train, the 5000s. The transverse seating has been very controversial, and much commented on in the local press, but the new cars have very smooth acceleration, since they do not use points or “chopper” controls, converting DC to AC instead. This change means they cannot be trained with the older series of “L” cars.

Despite it being the middle of November, the weather was very reasonable and we even had some sun that day. We did go out to around 35th on the Orange Line before changing ends and going back up north via the Loop “L”, the Brown Line, and on the Howard/Red Line. Our train then turned onto the Yellow Line, the former “Skokie Swift,” a remnant of the North Shore Line’s “Skokie Valley Route” for a run-by at the newish station at Oakton.

Then we proceeded south with a final photo stop at Wilson Avenue, before going back downtown and ending our sojourn at the other new CTA station, Morgan on the Green Line. A fine time was had by all. If you were there that day, we are glad to have seen you and thank you for your support.

If you couldn’t make it, you can get a pretty good idea of our trip through these pictures, mostly taken by yours truly (except as noted).

-David Sadowski

FYI, the Illinois Railway Museum will hold its annual “Snowflake Special charter on the CTA on March 24th, using an 8-car train made up of four different series of railcars. More info here.

CTA 2318 leads the way at Lake and Ashland on November 18, 2012. (Photo by Jeff Wien, courtesy of the Wien-Criss Archive)