CTA Ride the Rails: Purple Line to Howard in Real Time

2019 update version is now available!
Ride the Rails in Real-time: • CTA's Ride the Rails: ...
Ride the Rails in Time-lapse: • CTA's Ride the Rails: ...
The CTA has more than 224 miles of railroad tracks across Chicago and surrounding suburbs, serving the agency's eight rail lines. In an average weekday, there are about 2,200 train trips making stops at the system's 145 rail stations. For more than 100 years, the 'L' has offered a unique perspective of Chicago.
In the first-ever documentation of its kind, the CTA has created a real-time ride along the length of each rail line. Shot in HD, you can now experience the 'L' like never before from the vantage point of the rail operator. You can even transfer between lines.
Hop aboard, and enjoy the ride.
For route diagram and guide please visit www.transitchicago.com/purplel...
Station List
---------------
Linden (beginning of the line)
Central ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
Noyes ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
Foster ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
Davis ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
Dempster ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
Main ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
South Blvd ( • CTA Ride the Rails: Pu... )
Howard (end of the line)

[@Navillus.55]

After growing up up just north of Howard Street in Rogers Park, I moved to Evanston in 1968, where I lived on Ridge Avenue by Noyes Avenue. The train was then called The Evanston Express and I could board at the Noyes Street station on week days (it didn't run during the weekends). The train cars were wooden at that time with woven seats. The train made the regular stops in Evanston to Howard and then was an express until it came into downtown above ground and went around the Loop with stops along the way. If I wanted to, I could change at Howard onto an A or B metal green and white train and go through the subway, where I got off at Monroe. They did not call out the stops in those days, but we all had them memorized and also knew which stops were A or B, and which stops were for all trains. I'm not positive, but I believe the fare was 50 cents at the time.. After high school, I worked at the corner of Monroe & Clark at Bell Savings & Loan before moving to Idaho in 1970. All the platforms at any station other than in the subway were made of wood 2x6's and, since women always wore high heels (along with white gloves too) in those days, I had to more or less tip-toe across the platforms to keep from catching my heels in the spaces between the boards. The trains could always make it through bad weather and I even managed to get to work on time during the blizzard in the mid-1960's. Before that, I had been riding the 'el' (as it was known then) since 1951 through 1955 from Howard to Berwyn Avenue (a B stop) where I transferred to the Foster Avenue bus for Amundsen High School at Damen Avenue. There were a few crazies on the trains during all those many years, but females learned to carry a steel-tipped umbrella even on the hottest, sun-filled day. You could do a whole lot of damage with those pointed steel tips. Also, if I was sitting by a window, I couldn't open it more than an inch or two even in the hottest weather, because people on the platforms could reach in and steal my purse. You really had to know the ropes in those days... I've enjoyed 'riding the rails' on this You Tube site and I appreciate that the CTA did this.

[@ronniec8038]

Great tale, thank you for sharing. (Ron from west Texas).

[@drewkelly1955]

Navillus 55 a good friend of mine lives on the corner of ridge and noyes! I miss Evanston. Cool story btw thanks for sharing.

[@vortexworldsword6784]

Do I care?

[@combineadvisor572]

i love linden in willmete, its a peaceful place

[@jaywad8876]

CTA Purple Line The "Howard" sign (or neon) _Going Southbound_ to "Chicago". The "Howard" Branch: #1 Instruction- Please be considerate when talking on your phone or listening to electronic devices so as not to disturb other customers. #2 Smoking, littering and eating are prohibited on CTA vehicles. (Originally announced instruction "Smoking, littering and playing radios or loud devices is prohibited.") #3 Instruction III- Soliciting and gambling are prohibited on CTA vehicles. (Originally announced instruction " Soliciting on CTA trains is prohibited. Violators will be arrested.") #4 Instruction IV- Priority seating is intended for the elderly and passengers with disabilities. Your cooperation is requested. #5 This is a Purple Line Express to Downtown (or the "Loop"). #6 Instruction V- Standing passengers, please do not lean against the doors. #7 Instruction VI- Please keep your belongings off the seat next to you so others may sit down. #8 Instruction VII- Your safety is important. If you observe unattended packages, vandalism, or suspicious activity, inform CTA personnel immediately. #9 Welcome aboard, Purple Line run --- . #10 Central is next. #1a In the direction of travel, doors open on the left at Central. #11 This is Central. #12 Noyes is next. #1b Doors open on the left at Noyes. #13 This is Noyes. #14 Foster is next. #2a Doors open on the left at Foster #15 This is Foster. #16 Davis is next. #2b Doors open on the right at Davis. #17 This is Davis. #18 Dempster is next. #3a Doors open on the right at Dempster. #19 This is Dempster. #20 Main is next. #3b Doors open on the right at Main. #21 This is Main. #22 South Blvd is next. #4a Doors open on the left at South Blvd. #23 This is South Blvd. #24 Howard is next. #25 Transfer to Red and Yellow Line trains at Howard. #26 This is Howard.

[@andykemnitz1225]

Dangit, I came here for announcements but there are none.

[@francesthronson4788]

Me too! So disappointing.

[@QuarioQuario54321]

Why does this feel like it was filmed on a 3200? This was uploaded 2014 so the 2200s and earlier were out, and I’m sure the 2400s were also gone by this point. I don’t really recall the purple line having 3200s ever.

[@thetransitfanofchicago1718]

The Purple line now uses the 5000s I'm not sure if it will keep it's 5000s when all the 7000s are in service

[@thepauldinglight8640]

The 2400 on the purple line in the front while they recording and the 2600 in the back it’s probably mix wit 2400 and 2600

[@thepauldinglight8640]

But now it’s 5000 on the express

[@alexandreblel3847]

cool

[@rainbowgirlswirl8337]

Did you guys see the part when it said noyes And it has No yes in there

[@michaelbrinkers1145]

And the CTA Blue Line has 2 stations: "Montrose" and "Rosemont".

[@hughgrectionstud]

Any plans for Filming the Rush Hour Purple route?

[@QuarioQuario54321]

David Metzger It's called the purple line express and this is the channel but doesn't reply

[@michaelbrinkers1145]

This is 2019, and of this date I don't think the CTA has any idea what to do about the Purple Line Express. Between Fullerton and Merchandise Mart, it shares the same tracks with the Brown Line (its own tracks were demolished), and north of Fullerton, I believe it makes some Red Line stops (eg., Belmont, Wilson, Loyola), further slowing it down. I guess ridership has been declining, esp with competition with the faster Union Pacific North Line, which runs parallel. This is unfortunate because the northeast side of the city could benefit from some express-type service (Red Line is ALWAYS crowded from Loyola to Fullerton).