CTA Ride the Rails: Blue Line to Forest Park in Real Time (2015)

[@TheRealLaughingGravy]

These "Ride the Rails" videos are valuable historical records that preserve not just the state of the rail lines at this time but also the neighborhoods they pass through. Think of what this will look like to people 100 years from now - the automobile traffic, the architecture, the glimpses of street life. Imagine how cool it would be if we had terminal to terminal films of every elevated line from 100 years ago.

[@VeloxStang]

This made me tear up for some reason. I agree though, man.

[@nickweiserfolz]

Oh yes, a very nice idea of Yours. I try to imagine how it would look like, if we could see the same places 100 yers ago. It cannot happen, You know. But let´s dream on...Life is not life without dreams.

[@HHopebringer]

In a very beautiful way, they're time capsules. Even the abandoned stations have stories to them. I used to ride the CTA to Oak Park to visit family, but they've since moved to be closer to the Metra line in another neighborhood, and the memories I have are good ones.

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

It's already changed a lot in only 5 years. I can't imagine 100. Also google maps streetview will be insane to look at in 50-100 years

[@AlonsoRules]

This particular ride is on my travel schedule when I arrive at the airport next year on the next leg of my US trip. Coming from Oz, see you there!!

[@leonardevansjr.2111]

NEWARK ROOSEVELT

[@leonardevansjr.2111]

Newark Roosevelt

[@marcmoore7724]

Wow, at least coming from the airport, it seems Chicago has one of the few American systems that in some places actually is "rapid transit". It's going faster than the cars on the road for that first stretch!

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

and still it could be faster

[@Neville60001]

@@carstarsarstenstesenn, please tell all of us how it can be 'faster' than the cars it occasionally rides next to?🙄

[@carstarsarstenstesenn]

@@Neville60001 repairing and upgrading rail, rail ties and electrical power in multiple locations throughout the system. the blue line is part of the "FastTracks" program that the CTA is currently doing to improve and modernize the blue, red and green lines

[@ir10031981]

from the Kennedy (I-90 since 1978) to the Eisenhower (I-90 until 1978) which has been I-290 for 40 years now.

[@marsrover1313]

SUPER Videos und vielen Dank dafür. Ich finde es total genial wie das ganze Schienennetz gebaut wurde. Und Ich bin wirklich super beeindruckt wie die Bahn zwischen den Hochhäusern hindurchfährt. Das sieht für Mich persönlich super GEIL aus. Ich würde wirklich liebend gern mal mit so einer Bahn mitfahren und neben dem Lokführer sitzen...SUPER..!!!!

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

31:54 That's Evergreen Junction, where until 1964, the former Paulina Connector fed into these tracks. If still around, they would have turned due south at about 32:18.

[@jimcolleran1804]

Hey CTA, how about a purple line outbound/inbound all the way

[@skhan72_yt94]

planning to move to chicago after college (I live in the suburbs rn)

[@uwekunze8748]

Klasse Aufnahmen, schöne Streckenführung, macht Spaß mit zu fahren, Interessant.

[@railsam]

The west of the blue line [Halsted to Forest Park] seems to be the lowest priority of the CTA, little of nothing has been done to the stations since they were built in the 1950"s and it is rough and loaded with slow zones. Just a humble opinion of a rider

[@michaelbrinkers3765]

In Chicago, the "traditional" view of the transit planners is that most workers live in the outlying neighborhoods, and work/commute to the central business area known as Downtown, or the "Loop", and thus the 8 CTA train lines "radiate" from the downtown area, outward. But studies show that more people are finding employment in the outer areas, and that central Downtown businesses are declining (in occupancy and employment opportunities). Thus, the sparse passenger usage you see in these CTA videos reflect this trend, that the CTA (and politicians) are ignoring.

[@mic1240]

Michael Brinkers Chicago’s core is booming, it is many outlying areas in the far west and south sides where the city is hurting. Tens of thousands of people have moved to city center and many companies have moved their HQ to the city proper. Entire areas like the south loop and west Randolph were ghost towns 20 years ago. An entire area, the 78 (named for the 78th neighborhood) is being built for thousands more people, complete with new train stops to meet demand

[@pomerlain8924]

I think the lowest priority is probably the Green Line south of Garfield. Especially the Ashland branch. It only has two stations and there's a 2 mile gap from the last station, Halsted, until it finally rejoins the line and stops at Garfield.

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

40:41 That's the cutout for the never built Block 37 superstation.

[@austinslater530]

Karen Page What am I looking for here? Is it the curve in the platform to the left?

[@latinalover2715]

Now I can done ride the CTA Rail Lines without leaving my house, Love it !!!!!

[@stevenwelch6678]

When did tow trucks start having sirens? Also, in the tunnels, why is there a line of white lights and then a blue one? Is it just to break up the monotony? I do like your videos. I've been a rail fan all my life, but because of my disabilities, I don't get around that much any more, and these videos are the next best thing to being there.

[@CassetteFuture]

I believe the blue ones mark where emergency telephones are. Yellow ones mark exits or crossovers (only if the rest are white)

[@cat1554]

no. blue is emergency exit

[@MegaMoose1989]

blue is emergency exit, there also red, yellow and green lignts are for the operator to know what to do, red means stop, yellow means slow speed,, yellow blinking means extreme caution and green means full speed ahead

[@keysontrains538]

10:22 oof those workers

[@robfriedrich2822]

Is there a special reason, why the closed station is existing and they didn't remove the plattform? Is there any expansion planned?

[@drh.1142]

It costs money to pull out a platform.

[@litlgrey]

@@drh.1142 In nearly FIFTY years??

[@drh.1142]

@@litlgrey Still costs money to pull out a platform. Doesn't hurt anything to leave it in.

[@litlgrey]

That may be@@drh.1142 , but the optics of it alone are pathetic.

[@drh.1142]

@@litlgrey CTA runs on taxpayer money to makeup what fares can't. If it can't pass the cost benefit analysis stage and show to offer a greater benefit than the cost, it isn't done. I've ridden on CTA's system and for my use case, I'm glad that they spend the tax $$$ on fixing slow zones. A freeway median is an eyesore anyway so it's not like it's ruining the looks of a neighborhood.

[@J.J23]

Hi, even tho I'm not a CTA rider I'm a PATH Train rider in Jersey City, NJ but I just have one question, why do you guys have the same street (besides the loop part) but in different areas?

[@lindseysnyder7535]

Some north/south-bound streets have stops in more than one location. For example, there is more than one Western stop and more than one Harlem stop, because of the way the train route is laid out. This map should help make it clearer - www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/maps/ctatrainmap.png

[@J.J23]

+Lindsey Snyder thank you🤓

[@yaelgarcia459]

Slow question why is Western there twice? Also they should reopen the central stop. It would be so useful

[@largetman]

Basically, the Blue line intersects with Western Ave twice. One stop is the Western & Milwaukee stop on the O'hare branch, and the other Western stop in the median of the Eisenhower Expressway, Forest Park branch. Same situation with Harlem ave too.

[@JohnAckerman93]

I ride the CTA all the time I go downtown. I am originally from the city

[@BCentury200054]

Why are stations closed 50 years ago, still standing?😮

[@QuarioQuario54321]

What are the rails in the middle for?

[@ctatrains]

How do you select transfers?

[@parkman35]

CTA worker killed at Addison St station 6-11-16...flagging trains...tripped and fell on third rail...very tragic...a shame CTA had covered third rails like New York City lines

[@michaelbrinkers3765]

If a man urinates of the third rail, he will be electrocuted by the current traveling up the stream.

[@tech83studio38]

CTA uses the gravity pickup shoe vs the paddle pickup shoe it has been in use since 1892.

[@rgalesnyc]

Correct NYC's Elevated lines used the same style when in service. The CTA could also insulate the sides of the rail with wood that would The risk abit. Something that NYC did.

[@pinggaming9568]

For me the annotations for transfers don't show up. Can anyone help?

[@UncleAaron2007]

Click your icon at the top right. On the drop-down menu click settings. On the next page, under Account Settings click on Playback. On the next page, on the right-hand side of the page, make sure there's a check-mark beside "Show annotations and in-video notifications". And then click the Blue "Save" button.

[@42A7C5]

KZbin has discontinued annotations.

[@nuyorican1985]

Compares to NYC MTA subways the stations in Chicago seem very far apart. There seems to be a lot of open space that could be used for new infill stations in Chicago. New York City did a pretty good job a placing station reasonably spaced to maximize train useage in the city....

[@tacojosh4]

Chicago's rapid transit used to have stations every 2 Blocks (8 blocks = 1 mile) but then the CTA took over and saw that the times it took to get to the downtown area took forever so the cut it so most stations were about 4 blocks or 8 blocks apart, the only exceptions were in the Loop. Not only did they want to speed up times, some stations had low ridership than others so they removed the ones with low ridership (2 of them are seen in the video).

[@pomerlain8924]

​@@tacojosh4 Though some stations did not to be closed. Like on the Ashland branch of the Green Line. Closing down Harvard and Wentworth in the service purge left an over 2 mile gap before the next stop at Garfield. The CTA has built in-fill stations further up the line at Cermak-McCormick Place and Morgan, and are currently building a new Damon stop, but they need to start focusing on the southern end of the line.

[@yesfandavidb]

Need the Purple Line express

[@jenniferpesquera1783]

Please wear a mask to Ride a bus or train. Please

[@sekaidaniels9865]

A thing of the past.

[@tech83studio38]

125 years strong she's not going anywhere.

[@elanamargolis]

Why does it go super sllllllloooooooowwwww

[@khristianwilliams9933]

Do you know how long this line been in served

[@mic1240]

CTA trains are actually fast compared to NYC subways and others, there may be slow work areas or other trains ahead slowing down, but you can see when part down highway the move...

[@denisedavis949]

a 😒😆😒