108-730: The Yellow Line , also known as the Skokie Swift , is a branch of the Chicago "L" train system in Chicago , Illinois . The 4.7-mile (7.6 km) route runs from the Howard Terminal on the north side of Chicago, through the southern part of Evanston and to the Dempster Terminal in Skokie, Illinois , making one intermediate stop at Oakton Street in downtown Skokie. At Howard, Yellow Line passengers can transfer to
216-586: A 54% increase in weekday riders since 1992. On the other hand, weekday ridership on the South Side portion of the Green Line, which closed for two years for reconstruction from January 1994 to May 1996, was 50,400 in 1978 but only 13,000 in 2006. Boardings at the 95th/Dan Ryan stop on the Red Line, though still among the system's busiest at 11,100 riders per weekday as of February 2015, are less than half
324-517: A Ventra disposable ticket, contactless credit or debit card, and certain smartphones. Unlimited ride Ventra cards/tickets are only valid for one passenger. CTA buses also accept cash. Up to three children under 7 can ride free with a fare-paying rider. The CTA has many free and discounted fare options, for elementary, middle, and high school students, college and university students, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and military service members. Only buses allow riders to pay directly with cash at
432-515: A budget saving move by the CTA. The 1972-76 fleet of GM "New Look" buses , 1870 total, which were originally air-conditioned (although there were problems with the air-conditioning systems, eventually being disabled and sliding windows installed in the buses), composed the majority of vehicles in service into the early 1990s. In 1995, the CTA placed an experimental order of their first 65 low floor transit buses from New Flyer Industries D40LF . In 1998,
540-782: A couple of dozen people, departed the 39th Street station and arrived at the Congress Street Terminal 14 minutes later, over tracks that are still in use by the Green Line. Over the next year, service was extended to 63rd Street and Stony Island Avenue , then the Transportation Building of the World's Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park . In 1893, trains began running on the Lake Street Elevated Railroad and in 1895 on
648-574: A farebox. Exact fare is required, since no change is given. Since January 7, 2018, the bus full fare is $ 2.50, the senior/disabled fare is $ 1.25, and the student fare is $ .75. No cash transfers are available. Previously, some rail station turnstiles accepted cash, but this feature has been removed in an effort to speed up boarding. Cash at rail stations is only accepted at Ventra Vending Machines to purchase Ventra cards and tickets. The CTA no longer sells Transit Cards. All remaining Transit Cards must have been used by July 1, 2014. In its place CTA has adopted
756-630: A flat fare of $ 2.50 for almost the entire system, the only exception being O'Hare International Airport on the Blue Line, at which passengers entering the station are charged a higher fare of $ 5.00 (passengers leaving the system at this station are not charged this higher fare). The higher fare is being charged for what the CTA considers "premium-level" service to O'Hare. Use of the Midway International Airport Station does not require this higher fare; it only requires
864-659: A new station at Oakton, which opened on April 30, 2012. Trains operate using the Bombardier -built 5000-series railcars; each train consists of two cars. Average weekday boardings of 1,239 were reported in 2023, making it by far the least-used route in the CTA rail system. Until late 2009, the Yellow Line was operated with the 3200-series cars that were specially equipped with roof boards that, until late 2004, held pantographs (the roof boards remain on cars 3441-3456 to this day even after they were officially reassigned to
972-639: A publisher's editor in New York or some other east coast city; in Chicago the same expression is routinely rendered 'L'." As used by CTA, the name is rendered as the capital letter 'L', in single quotation marks. "L" (with double quotation marks) was often used by CTA predecessors such as the Chicago Rapid Transit Company; however, the CTA uses single quotation marks (') on some printed materials and signs rather than double. In Chicago,
1080-796: A quarter-mile apart. The CTA introduced fare cards for the first time in 1997. Rail service to the O'Hare International Airport first opened in 1984 and to the Midway International Airport in 1993. That same year, the CTA renamed all of its rail lines; they are now identified by color. Later, after assuming control of the "L", the CTA introduced A/B skip-stop service. Under this service, trains were designated as either "A" or "B" trains, and stations were alternately designated as "A" stations or "B" stations, with heavily used stations designated as both – "AB". "A" trains would stop only at "A" and "AB" stations, and "B" trains would stop only at "B" and "AB" stations. Station signage carried
1188-483: A ramp to bridge the 3-4in height gap. Notes: In 1953, the CTA placed an order for Flxible buses after the latter's absorption of the Fageol Twin Coach Company. Until 1973, CTA's fleet included a large number of electric trolley buses – or "trolley coaches", as they were commonly known at the time. In the 1950s, the fleet of around 700 trolley coaches was the largest such fleet in
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#17327721851091296-525: A station reconstruction project to accommodate longer trains. Annual traffic on the Howard branch of the Red Line, which reached 38.7 million in 2010 and 40.9 million in 2011, has exceeded the 1927 prewar peak of 38.5 million. The section of the Blue Line between the Loop and Logan Square , which serves once-neglected but now bustling neighborhoods such as Wicker Park , Bucktown , and Palmer Square , has seen
1404-406: A successful public display of professional works of art designed with input from nearby communities. This program provided high-profile locations for public art and server as a gateway to communities served by the CTA stations. Media under consideration included, but were not limited to, mosaics, art glass, ornamental fencing, mixed-media artwork, and freestanding sculpture and furniture. The CTA and
1512-539: A third. By the 1950s, the service was used throughout the system. All lines used the A/B skip-stop service between the 1950s and the 1990s with the exception of the Evanston and Skokie lines, which were suburban-only lines and did not justify skip-stop service. On the lines with branches, skip-stop service sent all "A" trains to one branch and "B" trains to another branch. On what became the Blue Line, "A" trains were routed on
1620-684: A total of 532 million rides in 2011, a 3 percent increase over 2010 with ridership rising to levels not seen for 20 years. The CTA operates 24 hours each day and on an average weekday provides 1.7 million rides on buses and trains. It has approximately 1,800 buses that operate over 140 routes traveling along 2,230 miles (3,590 km). Buses provide about one million passenger trips a day and serve more than 12,000 posted bus stops. The Chicago Transit Authority's 1,450 train cars operate over eight routes and 222 miles (357 km) of track. Its trains provide about 750,000 customer trips each weekday and serve 146 stations in Chicago and seven suburbs. Currently,
1728-548: Is currently focused on eliminating slow zones, modernizing the Red, Blue, and Purple lines, and improving "L" stations. In addition, CTA has studied numerous other proposals for expanded rail service and renovations, some of which may be implemented in the future. During the 2000s and 2010s, the CTA has completed several renovation and new construction projects. Pink Line service began on June 25, 2006, though it did not include any new tracks or stations. The Pink Line travels over what
1836-413: Is home to a collection of art – including mosaics, sculptures and paintings. More than 50 pieces of art are exhibited at over 40 CTA stations. According to the CTA's website , the original pieces of artwork contribute to each station's identity and enhance travel for customers. Art promotes a friendly, inviting atmosphere for these stations, which serve as gateways to the communities they serve. Many of
1944-467: Is mostly dominated by New Flyer's D40LF , numbered 1000–2029, which replaced buses that were built in 1991 and 1995. In 2014, CTA ordered 400 new buses from Nova . The number increased to 425 after it exercised an option. The buses are numbered 7900–8324. The CTA exercised another option for an additional twenty-five buses, numbered 8325–8349, from Nova Bus. Currently, CTA is delivering additional 600 new buses (numbered 8350-8949) from Nova Bus which replaced
2052-719: Is now known as the Pink Line. The CTA has since created an ongoing program to showcase permanent works of art in conjunction with the City of Chicago Public Art Program. The Arts in Transit Program is funded by the Federal Transit Administration, and created opportunities to develop original artwork for station reconstruction projects along the CTA Red and Brown Lines. Artists were selected for each of
2160-442: Is operated by Cubic Transportation Systems . Riders using Ventra pay $ 2.25 for bus, $ 2.50 for rail (except Blue Line O'Hare station, $ 5). Disabled & seniors who are 65 or older pay $ 1.10 for bus, $ 1.25 for rail. Elementary and high school students 7–20 years old: Valid 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on school days pay $ .75 during school hours and pay $ 1.10 during weekends and holidays. The two transfers, within two hours, from
2268-470: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 for all transit operators in the U.S., all CTA buses are accessible , with a ramp on every bus available for use upon request by anyone who has trouble with steps, even temporarily. The majority of train stations CTA operates have elevators or ramps to provide access for customers with disabilities. All trains are accessible, either through fully level boarding or
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#17327721851092376-568: The Brown Line ). Occasionally, the Yellow Line borrows cars from the Red Line when short on cars. The Yellow Line begins at the Dempster-Skokie terminal located at 5005 Dempster Street in Skokie . A stub track extends north of the station to allow trains to reverse. The line runs south from Dempster-Skokie at street level. After crossing Oakton Street, the Yellow Line turns east and crosses over Skokie Boulevard ( U.S. Route 41 ). After
2484-590: The Chicago "L" and CTA bus service . In 2023, the system had a ridership of 279,146,200, or about 993,700 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The CTA is an Illinois independent governmental agency that started operations on October 1, 1947, upon the purchase and combination of the transportation assets of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines streetcar system. In 1952, CTA purchased
2592-531: The Chicago Rapid Transit Company until 1924. He also bought three other Chicago electrified railroads, the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad , Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad , and South Shore interurban lines, and ran the trains of the first two into downtown Chicago via the "L" tracks. This period of relative prosperity ended when Insull's empire collapsed in 1932, but later in
2700-803: The Green Line , the Purple Line and the Douglas branch of the Blue Line (the modern-day Pink Line ) also had 24 hour service. In the years of private ownership, the South Side Elevated Railroad (now the South Side Elevated portion of the Green Line) provided 24 hour service, a major advantage when compared to Chicago's cable railroads which required daily overnight shutdown for cable maintenance. In 2015,
2808-641: The Metropolitan West Side Elevated , which had lines to Douglas Park, Garfield Park (since replaced), Humboldt Park (since demolished), and Logan Square. The Metropolitan was the United States' first non-exhibition rapid transit system powered by electric traction motors , a technology whose practicality had been demonstrated in 1890 on the "intramural railway" at the World Fair that had been held in Chicago. Two years later
2916-462: The Purple or Red Lines of the "L". The Yellow Line is the only "L" line that does not go to The Loop and is the only "L" train route that is fully ADA accessible . It is also unique in that it runs in a below-grade trench for part of its length, even though it has no underground portions and does not run in an expressway median. It also includes grade segments and crossings at the western portion of
3024-615: The "L", and of Chicago mass transit in general, had become too precarious to permit continued operation without subsidies, and the necessary steps were taken to enable a public takeover. In 1947, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) acquired the assets of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company and the Chicago Surface Lines , operator of the city's streetcars. Over the next few years CTA modernized the "L", replacing wooden cars with new steel ones and closing lightly used branch lines and stations , many of which had been spaced only
3132-632: The "seven wonders of Chicago", behind the lakefront and Wrigley Field , and ahead of Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), the Water Tower , the University of Chicago , and the Museum of Science and Industry . The first "L", the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad , began revenue service on June 6, 1892, when a steam locomotive pulling four wooden coaches, carrying more than
3240-611: The $ 2.50 regular fare. The higher charge at O'Hare has been the source of some controversy in recent years, because of the CTA's plan to eliminate the exemption from the premium fare for airport workers, Transportation Security Administration workers, and airline workers. After protests from those groups, the CTA extended the exemptions for six months. Since 1993, "L" lines have been officially identified by color, although older route names survive to some extent in CTA publications and popular usage to distinguish branches of longer lines. Stations are found throughout Chicago, as well as in
3348-480: The 1920s. After 1911, the "L" lines came under the control of Samuel Insull , president of the Chicago Edison electric utility (now Commonwealth Edison ), whose interest stemmed initially from the fact that the trains were the city's largest consumer of electricity. Insull instituted many improvements, including free transfers and through routing, although he did not formally combine the original firms into
Yellow Line (CTA) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-489: The 1990s, use of the A/B skip-stop system was only used during rush hour service. Another problem was that trains skipping stations to save time still could not pass the train that was directly ahead, so skipping stations was not advantageous in all regards. In 1993, the CTA began to eliminate skip-stop service when it switched the southern branches of the West-South and North-South Lines to improve rider efficiency, creating
3564-402: The 20 (Madison St) bus in 2006, before expanding it to other routes in 2008. The original claim justifying the addition of this technology was that it would reduce the issue of bunching buses . The system also allows riders to be able to determine the location of buses online. A report prepared by the CTA claims that there was a decrease in bus bunching from 3.9% to 2.3% from 2007 to 2009, but
3672-452: The 3200-series and 5000-series. The design and arrangement of seats were modified to improve ergonomics and increase leg room. Enhanced air conditioning will circulate air more efficiently during hot summer days. Laser sensors above the doors will count the number of passengers, allowing the CTA to track passenger volumes and change its schedules accordingly. State-owned manufacturer CRRC Sifang America (China Rail Rolling Stock Corporation) won
3780-452: The 5000-series were received in 2009, and entered passenger testing in April 2010, with 396 more ordered once the tests were completed. On July 20, 2011, CTA announced the order of 300 more railcars, bringing the total ordered to 706 at a cost of about US$ 1 billion. In 2014, the CTA received their first electric buses from New Flyer, making the CTA the first major U.S. transit agency to use
3888-458: The 7000-series cars commenced in June 2019. This is the first time in more than 50 years CTA rail cars are manufactured in Chicago. Ten cars in the 7000-series began testing revenue service on April 21, 2021. The base order is for 400 cars and will be used to replace the 2600-series cars. If the CTA ordered the additional 446 cars, they would also replace the 3200-series cars. In May 2023,
3996-525: The Brown Line in April 2008. The project was completed in December 2009, on time and on budget, with only minor punch list work remaining. The project's total cost was expected to be around $ 530 million. Chicago Transit Authority The Chicago Transit Authority ( CTA ) is the operator of mass transit in Chicago , Illinois , United States, and some of its suburbs , including the trains of
4104-490: The CTA announced it has received $ 200 million funding from the Federal Transit Authority; this money will go towards the development of the 9000-series rail cars. The plan is to acquire up to 300 new train sets. Chicago's rapid-transit system is officially nicknamed the "L". This name for the CTA rail system applies to the whole system: its elevated, subway, at-grade, and open-cut segments. The use of
4212-464: The CTA introduced a new fare payment system called Ventra . Ventra enables passengers to purchase individual tickets, passes, or transit value online, by smart phone, or at participating retail locations. Ventra also works with CTA buses, Pace (suburban buses), and Metra (commuter rail). Payment by a smartphone app, the Ventra app, or by a contactless bankcard is possible. As of 2018 , the "L" uses
4320-558: The CTA is no longer studying the extension. Download coordinates as: Chicago %22L%22 The Chicago " L " (short for " elevated ") is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois . Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), it is the fourth-largest rapid transit system in the United States in terms of total route length, at 102.8 miles (165.4 km) long as of 2014, and
4428-646: The CTA placed an order for 484 new low floor transit buses from Canadian bus-building firm Nova Bus . This executed move billed the CTA as Nova's American launch customer for the latter's signature product, the LFS series. This was also done to meet the "Buy American" requirements for buses in the United States transit bus market, since General Motors ceased bus production and Flxible went out of business. Lastly, these buses replaced buses that were built in 1983 and 1985 as these buses both lack air conditioning, aging, and not ADA compliant. Today CTA's current fleet of buses
Yellow Line (CTA) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-496: The CTA provides regular service within Chicago and the neighboring suburbs of Forest Park , Evanston , Skokie , Oak Park , Summit , Cicero , Berwyn , North Riverside , Rosemont , Evergreen Park , Oak Lawn , Park Ridge , Harwood Heights , Norridge , Lincolnwood , and Wilmette . The CTA accepts payment with a Ventra Card which can be purchased with a single-ride, 24-hour unlimited ride ($ 5), 3 day unlimited ride ($ 15), 7 day unlimited ride ($ 20), 30 day unlimited ride ($ 75),
4644-468: The CTA website does not indicate that the Asbury project is being considered. In 2006, the Chicago Transit Authority was reviewing plans to extend the Yellow Line north from the current end-of-line terminal at Dempster–Skokie to a new end-of-line terminal at Old Orchard Mall , a distance of about 1.5 miles (2.4 km). After August 2008, two corridors remained for further study, the alignment along
4752-588: The Chicago Transit Authority (who had just bought out the Chicago Rapid Transit Company in 1947) discontinued service over the Niles Center Branch and replaced it with the 97 Skokie bus route. The stations were closed and remained abandoned for the next 15 years. On January 21, 1963, the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad ceased all of its operations and later that year, 5 miles (8.0 km) of trackage between Howard and Dempster
4860-527: The City of Chicago Public Art Program, administered by the Office of Tourism and Culture, encouraged and facilitated collaborations between artists, government agencies, the community and other partners. The City of Chicago Public Art Program accepted qualifications from local and national professional artists or artist teams capable of creating permanent public works of art for the CTA Arts in Transit Program for
4968-705: The Congress branch while "B" trains were sent to the Douglas branch. On the North-South Line, "A" trains went to the Englewood branch and "B" trains went to the Jackson Park branch. In both cases, individual stops were not skipped beyond the points where those branches diverged. As time went by, the time periods which employed skip-stop service gradually decreased, as the waits at "A" and "B" stations became increasingly longer during non-peak service. By
5076-757: The East Prairie Road grade crossing, the tracks rise to become an elevated route. At this point, the route passes the Skokie Shops CTA maintenance facility and crosses over the North Shore Channel . After passing over Dodge Avenue, the tracks descend into a trench. The line remains in the trench for about 1 mile (1.6 km), then passes under the Metra Union Pacific/North Line and Purple Line tracks to enter Howard Yard . The line then rises to serve
5184-607: The Milwaukee elevated into the Kennedy Expressway in 1970. As of 2014, Chicago "L" trains run over a total of 224.1 miles (360.7 km) of track. Ridership has been growing steadily after the CTA takeover despite declining mass transit usage nationwide, with an average of 594,000 riders boarding each weekday in 1960 and 759,866 in 2016 (or 47% of all CTA rides). Due to the Loop Flood in April 1992, ridership
5292-546: The Niles Center Branch of the old Chicago Rapid Transit Company (CRT). The rapid transit service began as part of the Chicago, North Shore, and Milwaukee Railroad 's high-speed Skokie Valley interurban line on a five-mile (8 km) section between Howard Terminal and Dempster Street, Niles Center. It was placed in operation on March 28, 1925. The route included several intermediate stops through Evanston and Skokie (then called Niles Center) at Ridge, Asbury, Dodge, Crawford/East Prairie, Kostner, Oakton and Main. On March 27, 1948,
5400-541: The North Shore Line from the Dempster Terminal in a 12-hour period before the railroad terminated. Ridership continued to increase and by the end of the first year, nearly 6,000 passengers were riding the new line each weekday. Because of the weekday success, Saturday service was inaugurated, with more than 2,000 riders. At the end of the two-year experimental period, 3.5 million people had used
5508-505: The Red Line Dan Ryan branch reconstruction. The Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project enabled CTA to run eight-car trains on the Brown Line, and rebuilt stations to modern standards, including accessibility. Before the project, Brown Line platforms could only accommodate six-car trains, and increasing ridership led to uncomfortably crowded trains. After several years of construction, eight-car trains began to run at rush hour on
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#17327721851095616-490: The Red and Blue Lines, making Chicago, New York City, and Copenhagen the only three cities in the world to offer 24-hour train service on some of their lines throughout their respective city limits. The oldest sections of the Chicago "L" started operations in 1892, making it the second-oldest rapid transit system in the Americas, after New York City's elevated lines . The "L" gained its name from "el" because large parts of
5724-405: The South Side "L" introduced multiple-unit control , in which the operator can control all the motorized cars in a train, not just the lead unit. Electrification and MU control remain standard features of most of the world's rapid transit systems. A drawback of early "L" service was that none of the lines entered the central business district. Instead trains dropped passengers at stub terminals on
5832-446: The U.S., and represented about one-quarter of CTA's total number of surface-transit vehicles (motor bus, trolley bus and, until 1958, streetcar ). Possibly influenced by the 1967 Chicago blizzard , during which CTA trolley buses were unable to maneuver around abandoned automobiles without dewiring, CTA decided to discontinue trolley bus service. Trolley bus service was phased out in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and trolley buses ran for
5940-550: The Union Pacific Railroad (bus and heavy rail) as well as a combined track along Gross Point Road and Skokie Blvd (bus only). As of 30 April 2009, the two corridors have been narrowed down to one option – an elevated single track rail corridor that will follow the Union Pacific Railroad right of way. Under the most recent version of the plan, the Old Orchard terminal would be elevated. As of 2010,
6048-605: The Ventra Card system. The Ventra Card can be purchased online, Ventra Vending Machines at CTA rail stations, and at authorized retailers like Walgreens, CVS Pharmacies and check cashing locations. Ventra is an electronic fare payment system for the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace that replaced the Chicago Card and the Transit Card automated fare collection system. Ventra (purportedly Latin for "windy," though
6156-525: The Yellow Line was called. Yellow Line service returned on October 30, 2015, with the CTA offering free rides for one week and free parking at the Dempster-Skokie Terminal through the end of 2015. On November 16, 2023, a southbound Yellow Line train collided with a CTA snowplow, resulting in 38 injuries. The Yellow Line was promptly suspended and replaced with bus shuttles . Train service was eventually restored on January 5, 2024; however,
6264-507: The actual Latin word is ventosa ) launched in August 2013, with a full system transition slated for July 1, 2014. The Ventra payment system includes several options of payment, including a contactless smart card powered by RFID , a single day or use ticket powered by RFID , any personal bank-issued credit card or debit card that has an RFID chip, and a compatible mobile phone . This includes Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay. Ventra
6372-668: The assets of the Chicago Motor Coach Company , which was under the control of Yellow Cab Company founder John D. Hertz , resulting in a fully unified system. Today, the CTA is one of the three service boards financially supported by the Regional Transportation Authority and CTA service connects with the commuter rail Metra , and suburban bus and regional paratransit service, Pace . The Chicago Transit Authority provides service in Chicago and 10 surrounding suburbs. The CTA provided
6480-454: The city's streetcar system, obtained the necessary signatures through cash and guile—at one point he secured a franchise to build a mile-long "L" over Van Buren Street from Wabash Avenue to Halsted Street, extracting the requisite majority from the pliable owners on the western half of the route, then building tracks chiefly over the eastern half, where property owners had opposed him. Designed by noted bridge builder John Alexander Low Waddell ,
6588-420: The close spacing of the support columns (a more extensive plan proposed replacing the entire elevated system with subways). The subways bypassed a number of tight curves and circuitous routings on the original elevated lines (Milwaukee trains, for example, originated on Chicago's northwest side but entered the Loop at the southwest corner), speeding service for many riders. By the 1940s, the financial condition of
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#17327721851096696-466: The completion of the order of the 2600-series cars, Budd changed its name to Transit America and ceased production of railcars. With 509 cars in operation, the 2600-series is the largest of the three series of "L" cars in operation. The cars were rebuilt by Alstom of Hornell, New York , from 1999 until 2002. The 3200-series , was built from 1992 until 1994 by Morrison-Knudsen of Hornell, New York. These cars have fluted, stainless steel sides similar to
6804-543: The contract, besting the other major competitor, Bombardier from Canada by $ 226 million. Concerns have been raised over possible malware, cyber attacks, and mass surveillance by the Chinese government. The computer and software components and the automatic train control system will be made by U.S. and Canadian firms. The cars are being built at a new CRRC Sifang America rail car manufacturing plant at 13535 South Torrence Avenue in Chicago's Hegewisch neighborhood. Production of
6912-413: The conversion of the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line and the Howard branch of the Red Line to all-stop service. The removal of skip-stop service resulted in some increases in travel times, and greatly increased ridership at former "A" and "B" stations due to increased train frequencies. Station signage highlighting the former skip-stop patterns would remain into the 2000s, when it was gradually replaced across
7020-402: The current Red and Green Lines. From this point, Green Line trains made all stops along the entire route, while Red Line trains stopped at all stations south of Harrison . The elimination of A/B skip-stop service continued with the opening of the all-stop Orange Line and the conversion of the Brown Line to all-stop service. In April 1995, the last of the A/B skip-stop system was eliminated with
7128-432: The decade the city with the help of the federal government accumulated sufficient funds to begin construction of two subway lines to supplement and, some hoped, permit eventual replacement of the Loop elevated; as early as the 1920s some city leaders wanted to replace the "ugly" elevated tracks and these plans advanced in the 1970s under mayors Richard J. Daley and Michael Bilandic until a public outcry against tearing down
7236-499: The elevated Howard station. A small segment extends south of the station to allow Yellow and Purple Line trains to reverse. The Yellow Line operates between Dempster-Skokie and Howard daily between 4:45 a.m. and 11:15 p.m. on weekdays, and between 6:15 a.m. and 11:15 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Service frequencies range from six trains per hour during rush hour to four trains per hour during other times. Howard [REDACTED] The Yellow Line originally began as
7344-636: The elevated tracks used a multiple close-rivet system to withstand the forces of the passing trains' kinetic energy. The Union Loop opened in 1897 and greatly increased the rapid transit system's convenience. Operation on the Yerkes-owned Northwestern Elevated , which built the North Side "L" lines, began three years later, essentially completing the elevated infrastructure in the urban core although extensions and branches continued to be constructed in outlying areas through
7452-628: The highest level since the station opened in 1969. The 2003 Chicago Central Area Plan proposed construction of a Green Line station at Cermak , between Chinatown and the McCormick Place convention center, in expectation of continued density growth in the vicinity. This station opened in 2015. Currently, the Red Line and the Blue Line provide 24-hour service, while all other lines operate from early morning to late night. Prior to 1998,
7560-405: The information in several businesses in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Using the developer API published by CTA, some augmented CTA bus tracking applications have been developed for mobile phones, and CTA has its own Transit App, CTA also has a bus tracker (Beta starting January 2011), and it can also be accessed through a computer, smart phone, text messaging, or any smart device. The CTA
7668-459: The last time on March 25, 1973. CTA buses were known as the "green limousine" or the "big green" — buses were one or more shades of green from the CTA's establishment until the end of the 1980s. With the delivery of the TMC RTS buses in 1991, a more patriotic color scheme was adopted, and the green scheme was fully phased out by 1996. A notable color scheme was the " Bicentennial " of about 1974 to 1976. CTA bought very few buses between
7776-624: The line opened. In discussing various stylings of "Loop" and "L" in Destination Loop: The Story of Rapid Transit Railroading in and around Chicago (1982), author Brian J. Cudahy quotes a passage from The Neon Wilderness (1947) by Chicago author Nelson Algren : "beneath the curved steel of the El, beneath the endless ties." Cudahy then comments, "Note that in the quotation above ... it says 'El' to mean 'elevated rapid transit railroad.' We trust that this usage can be ascribed to
7884-474: The line. It was built using the tracks of the former Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad 's high-speed Skokie Valley Route. Extending the line to Old Orchard Mall in Skokie has been discussed. From its original opening in 1925 until 1948, the line had several intermediate stops in Evanston and Skokie, but these stations have long been out of use and dismantled. In June 2010, however, construction began on
7992-401: The mid-1970s and the end of the 1980s. During this time, purchases were only made in 1979 (20 MAN / AM General SG 220 articulated buses ), 1982-83 (200 Flyer D901 buses and 125 additional MAN articulateds), and 1985 (362 MAN Americana standard-length buses). Another aspect of this period was that with the exception of the 1979 and 1983 MAN orders, none of those buses had air-conditioning,
8100-480: The new service and CTA authorized operation of the Skokie Swift as a permanent part of its rapid transit system. The success of the Skokie Swift route demonstrated that many motorists will forsake their cars when high-speed mass transit is provided and to a minor extent, gave birth to the first use of light rail before the term was ever coined. One of the distinctive features of the five-mile (8 km) line
8208-612: The new wave of electric buses as part of a regular service. After the September 11 attacks , CTA announced its "If you See Something, Say Something" campaign. CTA has also installed a security camera network, and a system to send real time images from cameras in buses directly to emergency responders. CTA has also been actively prosecuting vandals, announcing on several occasions that felony convictions were obtained against persons who spray painted authority vehicles. The CTA installed GPS Bus Tracker systems on all buses starting with
8316-404: The nickname dates from the earliest days of the elevated railroads. Newspapers of the late 1880s referred to proposed elevated railroads in Chicago as " 'L' roads." The first route to be constructed, the Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad gained the nickname "Alley Elevated", or "Alley L" during its planning and construction, a term that was widely used by 1893, less than a year after
8424-551: The now-retired 2200-series . The 5000-series train cars are equipped with AC propulsion; interior security cameras; aisle-facing seating, which allow for greater passenger capacity; LED destination signs, interior readouts, and interior maps; GPS; glow-in-the-dark evacuation signs; operator-controlled ventilation systems; among other features. AC propulsion allows for smoother acceleration, lower operational costs, less wear and tear, and greater energy efficiency. The AC propulsion can take advantage of regenerative braking , meaning
8532-484: The old brick station building (designed by architect Arthur U. Gerber ) was moved 150 feet (46 m) to the east, then was restored and converted into commercial property. The Skokie Swift was the only CTA rapid transit line to use overhead catenary for electrification. It was also the last CTA rapid transit line to use overhead, as portions of the Evanston and Lake Street lines used conventional trolley overhead until 1973 and 1962, respectively. Third-rail electrification
8640-505: The peak volume in the 1980s. In 1976, three North Side "L" branches – what were then known as the Howard, Milwaukee, and Ravenswood lines − accounted for 42% of non-downtown boardings. Today (with the help of the Blue Line extension to O'Hare), they account for 58%. The North Side, which has historically been the highest density area of the city, reflects the Chicago building boom between 2000 and 2010, which has focused primarily on North Side neighborhoods and downtown. It may ease somewhat in
8748-627: The periphery due to a state law at the time requiring approval by neighboring property owners for tracks built over public streets, something not easily obtained downtown. This obstacle was overcome by the legendary traction magnate Charles Tyson Yerkes , who went on to play a pivotal role in the development of the London Underground , and who was immortalized by Theodore Dreiser as the ruthless schemer Frank Cowperwood in The Titan (1914) and other novels. Yerkes, who controlled much of
8856-628: The pieces are a result of the Arts in Transit Program , which is funded by the Federal Transit Administration and coordinated locally through the City of Chicago's Office of Tourism and Culture. A number of other pieces were created through the CTA's Adopt-A-Station program and through partnerships with organizations such as the Chicago Public Art Group . In 2004, the CTA and the City of Chicago Public Art Program installed nine permanent works of art at eight renovated rail stations on what
8964-463: The popular "L" began, led by Chicago Tribune columnist Paul Gapp , and architect Harry Weese . Instead, then new Mayor Jane Byrne protected the elevated lines and directed their rehabilitation. The State Street subway opened on October 17, 1943. The Dearborn Subway, on which work had been suspended during World War II , opened on February 25, 1951. The subways were constructed with a secondary purpose of serving as bomb shelters, as evidenced by
9072-464: The post-World-War era growth of the expressway ; its general use of alleyways instead of streets throughout its history, and expressway mediums after the war, better knit the system into the city, and in pioneering ways. It consists of eight rapid transit lines laid out in a spoke–hub distribution paradigm focusing transit towards the Loop . In a 2005 poll, Chicago Tribune readers voted it one of
9180-498: The remainder of the older Nova buses that were delivered between 2000-2002, in addition to starting the retirement of New Flyer D40LF buses delivered between 2006-2009. The rail orders of the CTA include the last railcar stock built by the Budd Company and rail cars built by Boeing-Vertol and Morrison-Knudsen . The most recent order was from Bombardier who built the 5000-series from 2009 to 2015. Ten (10) prototypes of
9288-504: The renovated stations. CTA promotes its Public Art with a video and online gallery . The Chicago Transit Authority produced a monthly television show, Connections , from May 2003 until March 2011. The show, hosted by Braydens Connections, was broadcast on City of Chicago Public-access television cable TV channels 23 & 49, as well as on Comcast 's CN100 in the Chicago metropolitan area , including areas of Michigan and Indiana . Connections featured news and information about
9396-516: The report neither demonstrated a direct connection between Bus Tracker and this reduction in bunching, nor did it show whether this was a temporary or permanent phenomenon. CTA has also made its Bus Tracker and other developer tools available, and is making Bus Tracker arrival data available through text messaging . One of the first applications of the Bus Tracker Developer Tools involved the installation of monitors showing
9504-412: The start of a trip is free. After that, it is considered a new trip and the user is charged another fare. Ventra readers on buses and rail station turnstiles can accept contactless payments directly from mobile devices. Riders can pay a PAYG fare ($ 2.50) by touching mobile phones with Apple Pay , Google Pay and Samsung Pay —or any contactless bankcard with the contactless wave symbol. As mandated by
9612-524: The station's skip-stop letter and was also color-coded by skip-stop type; "A" stations had red signage, "B" stations had green signage, and "AB" stations had blue signage. The system was designed to speed up lines by having trains skip stations while still allowing for frequent service at the heavily used "AB" stations. A/B skip-stop service debuted on the Lake Street Elevated in 1948, and the service proved effective as travel times were cut by
9720-535: The stations included in the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project and select renovated Red Line stations. With the completion of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project in December 2009, original artwork was installed in each of the 18 renovated stations along the CTA's Brown Line. By combining the visibility and accessibility of the city's mass transit system with the creativity of Chicago's art resources, this program resulted in
9828-442: The suburbs of Forest Park , Oak Park , Evanston , Wilmette , Cicero , Rosemont , and Skokie . The CTA operates over 1,350 "L" cars, divided among four series, all of which are semi-permanently coupled into married pairs. All cars on the system utilize 600- volt direct current power delivered through a third rail . The 2600-series was built from 1981 until 1987 by the Budd Company of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. After
9936-560: The system due to deteriorated track, structure, and other problems. By October 2008, system-wide slow zones had been reduced to 9.1% and by January 2010, total slow zones were reduced to 6.3%. CTA's Slow Zone Elimination Project is an ongoing effort to restore track work to conditions where trains no longer have to reduce speeds through deteriorating areas. The Loop received track work in 2012–2013. The Purple Line in Evanston received track work and viaduct replacement in 2011–2013. The Green Line Ashland branch received track work in 2013, prior to
10044-399: The system run on elevated track. Portions of the network are in subway tunnels, at grade level, or in open cuts. The "L" has been credited for fostering the growth of Chicago's dense city core that is one of the city's distinguishing features. And according to urban engineer Christof Speiler, the system stands out in the United States because it continued to invest in services even through
10152-688: The system. The first air-conditioned cars were introduced in 1964. The last pre–World War II cars were retired in 1973. New lines were built in expressway medians, a technique implemented in Chicago and followed by other cities worldwide. The Congress branch, built in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway, replaced the Garfield Park "L" in 1958. The Dan Ryan branch, built in the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway, opened on September 28, 1969, followed by an extension of
10260-613: The term "subway" only applies to the State Street and Milwaukee–Dearborn subways and is not applied to the entire system as a whole, as in New York City where both the elevated and underground portions make up the New York City Subway . Like other large and aging rapid transit systems, the Chicago "L" faces problems of delays, breakdowns, and a multi-billion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance. The CTA
10368-516: The third-busiest rapid transit system in the United States after the New York City Subway and the Washington Metro . As of January 2024, the "L" had 1,480 rail cars operating across eight different routes on 224.1 miles of track. CTA trains make about 1,888 trips each day servicing 146 train stations. In 2023, the system had 117,447,000 rides, or about 416,200 per weekday in the third quarter of 2024. The "L" provides 24-hour service on
10476-488: The top speed of the train is reduced from 55 mph (89 km/h) to 35 mph (56 km/h). Upon the successful reopening of the Oakton station, it was determined that stations at Dodge, Asbury or Ridge in southern Evanston could be built or rebuilt and added to the Yellow Line as well. In 2012, a local study found Asbury to be the most feasible of the three potential southern Evanston Yellow Line stations. As of 2019,
10584-450: The train returns excess energy to the third rail as it slows down. With the DC propulsion of the previous series, they utilize dynamic braking which converts the excess kinetic energy into heat within a resistor bank. Next-generation train cars, the 7000-series , have been ordered and are beginning to enter service. Each 7000-series rail car will feature LEDs, 37 to 38 seats, and is a hybrid of
10692-522: The wake of the current high level of residential construction along the south lakefront. For example, ridership at the linked Roosevelt stops on the Green, Orange, and Red Lines, which serve the burgeoning South Loop neighborhood, has tripled since 1992, with an average of 8,000 boardings per weekday. Patronage at the Cermak- Chinatown stop on the Red Line, with 4,000 weekday boardings, is at
10800-573: Was at 418,000 that year because CTA was forced to suspend operation for several weeks in both the State and Dearborn subways, used by the most heavily traveled lines. Growing ridership has not been uniformly distributed. Use of North Side lines is heavy and continues to grow, while that of West Side and South Side lines tend to remain stable. Ridership on the North Side Brown Line, for instance, has increased 83% since 1979, necessitating
10908-437: Was changed to the "Yellow Line" in 1993, when all Chicago 'L' lines were renamed for colors. The original name and logo of the Skokie Swift continues to be used today on station signage and route displays for Skokie-bound trains, making the Yellow Line the only "L" line to officially retain its original name. The Dempster Street Terminal was completely rebuilt from 1993 to 1994, with a new station house and train platforms. In 2003,
11016-410: Was demolished to make way for the Eisenhower Expressway. The new route, which serves 22 stations, offered more frequent service for riders on both the Congress and Douglas branches. Pink Line trains could be scheduled independently of Blue Line trains, and ran more frequently than the Douglas branch of the Blue Line did. In late 2007, trains were forced to operate at reduced speed over more than 22% of
11124-634: Was formerly a branch of the Blue Line from the 54th/Cermak terminal in Cicero to the Polk station in Chicago. Pink Line trains then proceed via the Paulina Connector to the Lake Street branch of the Green Line and then clockwise around the Loop elevated via Lake-Wabash-Van Buren-Wells. Douglas trains used the same route between April 4, 1954, and June 22, 1958, after the old Garfield Park "L" line
11232-598: Was inaugurated on April 20, 1964, as a federally-aided mass transportation demonstration project. Participation in the net project costs was divided between the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development , CTA and the Village of Skokie. The success of this project had attracted nationwide attention. On its first day of service, Skokie Swift carried nearly 4,000 passengers in a 16-hour period compared to approximately 1,600 passengers carried by
11340-415: Was installed in 2004 to increase reliability, allow compatibility with other rapid-transit lines and reduce maintenance costs. In 2008, Saturday service was restored and brand new Sunday service was added. A groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction of a new intermediate stop on the Yellow Line, Oakton–Skokie , took place on June 21, 2010. The station is located in downtown Skokie and
11448-437: Was purchased by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The intermediate stations were not reopened. Some of the vacant station houses were used by other businesses, including a convenience store and an electrical supplier, before finally being demolished in the 1980s. The Skokie Swift high-speed (5 miles [8.0 km] in 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 minutes) shuttle service, between Howard Street in Chicago and Dempster Street in Skokie,
11556-442: Was that approximately half was equipped with third rail while the other half was equipped with catenary left over from the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad. Trains switched non-stop from third rail to overhead and vice versa using distinctive pan trolleys designed by Skokie Swift Project Manager George Krambles. On February 9, 1992, Saturday service was discontinued during a service reduction by CTA. The "Skokie Swift" name
11664-433: Was the first new CTA station built since 2001. The new station opened on April 30, 2012. On May 17, 2015, a section of the embankment west of McCormick Boulevard collapsed, causing the entire track to be damaged. The collapse was due to a failure in construction at the adjacent O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant. No trains could operate either way due to the track condition. At 10:00 PM on that day, an emergency closure of
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