CTA Ride the Rails: Blue Line to O'Hare

[@themuffinman12345]

Thank you so much to the CTA for doing this! It's an awesome way to satisfy public curiosity. I wish more cities would do this.

[@ellenjo86324]

Thanks for posting these videos of each route. I took this train every day as a teenager 1988-1991, when the line was not yet called the Blue Line, rather the "Congress/Douglas/O'Hare". I lived in Edison Park neighborhood and attended Lane Tech and later UIC. The CTA is amazing-- one of the very best public transportation authorities in the US. Very surreal watching this video and remembering every stop though now many years and many miles away.

[@BobMocarski]

The good ole A and B trains

[@rajeevk.pathak771]

So vivid, so explicit, so lucid, so passenger-friendly ! Thanks for the upload !

[@topvictor34]

Kudos to CTA! I recently visited Chicago from MIA/Fort Lauderdale. Flew into O'Hare and rode the train downtown to Clinton. Very cheap just $3....way cheaper than a cab ride. Convenient. Safe. Clean. Thanks!!

[@acajudi100]

Victor Thomas Thank you. 55 years of a bloody genocide here.💩💩💀💀💩💩💀💀😡 Google: Judi Grace StoryCorps.

[@BrucexfromxCanada]

@@acajudi100 From Canada: $3.00 is very reasonable. Fropm google maps this appears to be about 20 miles. comparing this with the ride from Ste. Anne de Bellevue (about 20 miles West of downtown Montreal to downtown, the tijming soi more or less comparable.. However the blue line has a lot more stops to do along the way, so that seems very efficient to me!

[@terrykendell]

Can you recommend a hotel near an L stop from O’Hare , thanks

[@robertcrafton7187]

Epic route. Trippy visuals. Good music. CTA, you did alright.

[@michaelweiland575]

At 4:37 you can see the stub for a tunnel that continues west under Lake Street. At one time there were thoughts about having the Lake Street L use the subway too.

[@DJ4Kub]

So how far does this go? And do you know where you can find more information about the subject?

[@mlweiland]

Chicago By Day There's some information at the wonderful Chicago-L web site, www.chicago-l.org/plans/1939CompSubway.html This site is maintained by L guru (and CTA communications manager) Graham Garfield.

[@jacobisworld9516]

3:46 The Subway. 6:59 The Short Subway. 8:10 Short Tunnel. 9:58 Short Tunnel 2. 10:43 The Subway 3 By Airport.

[@MetroSonic]

This sure brings back memories from 1987-2002. I miss living in my hometown back in the good ol days.

[@sdvplatt]

metrosonic Chicago no good no more?

[@MetroSonic]

It have gotten rough with high cost of living and crime still at large along with so many lives lost from shooting and gang related violence. I missed the great days I had while my father was still live when I was just a little boy when it was peaceful back in the day.

[@VeloxStang]

Chicago used to be far worse when you were there. Check the statistics

[@ScottysAir]

Ah, yes! I remember that. I rode on Blue Line from ORD to Clark/Lake station. I visit to see my brother in Chicago for a few days and I enjoy ride on Blue Line and Red Line, too. It's great! It was so much easy for me. I don't have to take on taxi or shuttle anymore. It's very extremely expensive.

[@MrKelleyalexander]

I see 2 stub tunnels at 3:46 between UIC-Halsted and Clinton and another set of stub tunnels at 4:37 between Clark/Lake and Grand/Milwaukee, I guess they were supposed to connect to the new subway tunnels: the Loop Subway, the Franklin Subway and the Distributor Subway under Monroe and Michigan Ave. that the CTA proposed back in the 1970s. To this day the new subway tunnels are still an active program, but they still have an undetermined timetable and cost; probably 2040 or 2050 perhaps.

[@ivyrivera8081]

Damen Western & California have breathtaking views of the City 🌃

[@ZeroNineOverride]

Ok this was like one of my favorite videos on KZbin now I’m watching all the other ones

[@horailfan489]

I love the music. I also live in the Chicago suburbs too.

[@fertblu5514]

what kind of music is it?

[@rictrexell2118]

As a Chicago born and Wisconsin raised man, I had no idea the train system was this massive throughout the windy city area. My sister lives in West Chicago and they wanted to take me on the L back when I was 14, but we went to the top of the Predential (sp?) building instead. Since then I have also been to the Sears/Willis Tower. I'll have to take the train some time. As for this video, the tunnel scenes could be edited as there is really not much to see, and once you have seen twenty feet of tunnel, you have seen enough. Otherwise great video.

[@horailfan489]

I love the music and time lapse

[@ShaferProductions]

Music: soundcloud.com/virtualsoundscaperecords/geomystery-panta-rhei Note: The music was extended in the video.

[@starbond6]

To Ben: There was very low ridership at those stops, so they cut them. Read about the Kostner station for a laugh, CTA didnt want it because they knew it would be unpopulated, but the residents protested and almost sued so CTA built one...and sure enough, nobody was using it so they cut the station in the 70s...

[@jazielreacts3998]

Why did they do it ro central?

[@VirreFriberg]

4:10 Why are all Stations connected from here on?

[@RC-pj3zs]

THANK YOU CTA FOR LIFELONG USE UNTIL 2013 MY LAST VISIT TO HOMETOWN CHICAGO. BORN NOV 1946 AND IN CHICAGO JAN 1947 - I WAS 2 MONTHS OLD. IN AUG 1947 AT 9 MONTHS I WON A BABY CONTEST OVER 500 BABIES. ALL ARE CUTE BUT I WAS POSED IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT STOOD OUT TO JUDGES. GREAT AUNT CARRIE GILLESPIE HAD ENTERED ME FOR MY PARENTS. CHICAGO MY HOMETOWN AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL MY WORKPLACE. 💓

[@jajanothaha]

the reason why is because in the middle of the stations was an abandoned station, which was Washington/State.

[@jazielreacts3998]

@@jajanothaha blue line not red

[@andyallwood]

The tunnel part of this video reminded me of that game Wipeout, especially with this music too.

[@jeffbridgman]

Dance party on the blue line! Also, so many track workers (O_o)?!

[@romeronope7248]

There 45 workers in this vid

[@MetraUPWRailfanner]

7:56 I spot inbound metra

[@ericbryant6005]

Who still ride the cta it is almost the end 2021 it is popular to travel in Chicago transit 🚇 authority transit 🚇 system.

[@Cody-hw3bt]

Montrose is where Interstate 90 and 94 join together on the east side and split up on the west side.

[@shawnwright1323]

Can you make a announcement about a Blue Line train to O'Hare

[@romeronope7248]

Logan square , western and clark/lake is my local stop

[@geomystery8343]

Full album by Geomystery (music in this video): vsrecords.sk/releases/detail/id/VSR004

[@nysubwaydude5634]

Why are some stations longer then the train BTW hello from New York City

[@OcelotPlaysFootball]

Relaxing Part of music for yall 10:11

[@andyallwood]

During the tunnel section, I thought I was playing Wipeout!

[@ericburns3127]

The actual ride takes about 1 hour.

[@ivyrivera8081]

Eric Burns yes it does i've rodé from o'hare till oak park. my folks moved to Berwyn.

[@furiouslions8756]

The three long mothballed stations at Central especially, Kostner, and California should get a reprieve. With more transit oriented development even more built around California.

[@halfvolley11]

wow the train in Chicago is so fast.

[@inactive6443]

it's a timelapse

[@halfvolley11]

Aaron Wilson LOL. Funny.

[@inactive6443]

+halfvolley11 I live in chicago and I rarely even take public transit

[@cat1554]

it really goes about 70 mph

[@gaijinblow]

Oh geez the stuff between the elevated tracks aren't they pretty much like pipes?

[@railfanner2015]

why can you walk between Washington and Jackson?

[@NClass468]

Why ard there 3 stations connected together?

[@mlweiland]

The 3 stations under Dearborn St are very close together, so it's just one continuous platform. The Red Line is similar (and even longer), going from Van Buren St on the south end all the way to Lake St on the north end.

[@NYCentralSpotter1070]

mlweiland Except in the Red Line's case, the section for its Washington Street stop has been sealed off so the platform is partially disconnected.

[@dmnddog7417]

It was built during WWII as a bomb shelter in case the city was attacked by air strikes. Same with Blue Line (Dearborn St. Subway).

[@NClass468]

ok thanks. makes more sense now!!

[@kingj-dog1327]

*****​​ the red line train still flies past the former washington station to Lake? Cool Profile Pic, By the way.

[@SteveH-TN]

Memories

[@bpfuels]

What happen in 1973 to force the closure of so many stations

[@ivyrivera8081]

i was wondering the same thing!

[@mynamesjeff.f]

I think it was low ridership, new york city had that issue with some of its subway stations as well. Not enough fare can result in station closure.

[@mic1240]

Used to be AB trains, meaning the stops were an A or B, or AB, and trains went faster bypassing stops to only go to A or B, some pretty close. Westside also lost lots of people (city as a whole did, only about 2.7M in city compared to 3.5M in mid last century)

[@notarotomwithhair5637]

What is the maximum speed reached by the trains?

[@skibbitoiletfan]

It’s probably 88

[@alexterry9471]

what line does Mike and Molly live near and the restaurant that they eat in all the time anybody know?

[@TG4164]

Lol what's with the delays between Damen and Logan Square?

[@Generi_c]

I think of signal clearence

[@777_Luver]

Puts SEPTA to shame here in philly

[@flyingspotscanner]

Are the Grade Time (GT) signals at O'Hare station new since the accident, to slow trains down? Or have they been there since the start?

[@JPlum4090]

They use cab signaling

[@Donnie_Tsunami]

I write this thing and it was pretty scary cuz we got stuck in the tunnel for Signal clearance

[@ismaelquintero394]

Hey it means thats a delay

[@Galaxy-ke9mf]

The music reminds me of driving...

[@silex98]

How far does this line go? It goes on forever. Nice time lapse!

[@levithreatt866]

WorldTrains98 Roosevelt😉

[@GeraldMcGinley]

How long did this take? (stops and all)

[@BobMocarski]

Takes a little over a hour

[@waremblem3405]

My name is Wendell. I'm from the Simpsons. The ride made me seasick. Again.

[@iliketrains839]

because its a timelapse

[@joshlocks727]

Love cta

[@AnnyWC]

Would like this in real time. It is difficult to see anything in fast motion. Good idea but needs adjustment. Real sounds would be nicer too!

[@SUPD100]

Best you can do is set the speed to .5.

[@AnnyWC]

Myles Lenaught If there is such a procedure I can't find it. Many can't even get full screen though I have it.

[@SUPD100]

Anny W. C. I'm using a laptop, so it may be different from whatever platform you are using. Look for the cogwheel icon. It's that icon you click on when you want to adjust the quality of a video from 240p to a higher resolution. Yeah, well click on that, look for speed, which should be set to normal, and change it to .5. Regarding sound, I muted the video itself and I played some jazz from my iTunes, though I did it for CTA's O'Hare to Forest Park vid instead of this.

[@AnnyWC]

Myles Lenaught Definitely not there, but many you tube users have different capabilities. Never was like that before. I have a desktop running windows 7 ultimate of my own design. Didn't like the buy out music either. Try search for CPTM - Linha 9 Esmeralda in you tube for real time ride in St Paul, Brazil.

[@yesfandavidb]

Anny W. C. They do have this in real time.

[@inactive6443]

what song is this?

[@ShaferProductions]

music by geomystery

[@inactive6443]

+Kile Shafer I mean what is the title of this song?

[@ShaferProductions]

i don't know

[@geomystery8343]

Song is PANTA RHEI. Free download here: soundcloud.com/geomystery/panta-rhei

[@jonnykong4290]

i once got locked up in a closed train at midnight in ohare

[@Generi_c]

Oof

[@carloslazaro2124]

why central is closed

[@BobMocarski]

Low ridership

[@romeronope7248]

Yeah

[@AMPProf]

it's so weird! all ob uh suden you hop onto uhh subway line!

[@LevelTheGothicWindowsXPFan2025]

Did anyone see a Metra Train? I did.

[@romeronope7248]

Where

[@romeronope7248]

What time

[@lesa520]

im in chicago

[@makhs8750]

The music is kind of "im reneta bliss and im your freestyle dance teacher" stil good tho

[@rareyellowyesofficerpoop2435]

i like Jefferson park

[@waremblem3405]

Wouldn't it just be easier to fly to O'Hare from your downtown hotel room? (!)

[@Ch7rlene]

10:40

[@midwestrailfan1550]

the united crosses over the train tracks

[@fizzedball7078]

Downtown segment trying to give me seizures ffs

[@declanrawlins2248]

kostner pink line

[@jimanianortonified7015]

The New York City MTA needs to do videos like this. NYC subway is much larger. I don't understand why Chicago brags about their elevated structures when NYC has many more of them. Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Queens have many miles of "els" and most of them straddle busy streets unlike most of Chicago's alley "els".

[@kilojuliet6889]

Well NYC is a bigger city too

[@sirob1193]

Jimania Nortonified Chicago’s L system only has 2 subways in the downtown area. The rest are All elevated connecting every part of the city and meet in the Loop financial district of downtown. Chicago’s L is an architectural marvel built after the great fire for the purpose of rapid transit to neighborhoods previously only accessible by streetcars. The many stations in downtown and the neighborhoods had distinct designs .

[@sauceboy_5930]

Written by New Yorkers. Where Chicago Trounces New York: Fixing Mass Transit: www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/nyregion/chicago-l-train-mta-subway.html

[@mic1240]

Rob K and much of Chicago L is almost ground level too, including parts of red, brown, pink, blue, purple and all yellow lines.

[@romeronope7248]

But Chicago has the loop in downtown and nyc doesn't. correct me.

[@georgenotbusch675]

Its days blue Line To ohare y se going To City

[@3506Dodge]

wooden rail ties!

[@syanenore]

面白かった Was funny

[@romeronope7248]

Here all of the stops Harlem Oak park Austin Cicero Pulaski Kedzie-homan Western Illinois medical district Racine UIC-Halsted Clinton Lasalle (metra RI) Jackson (red brown pink purple orange) Monroe Washington (red orange green purple pink brown) Clark/lake (orange green purple pink brown) Grand Chicago Division Damen/north Western/armitage Calofornia/fullerton Logan square Belmont/Kimball Addison Irving pk Montrose Jefferson park (Metra UP-NW) Harlem (again -_-) Cumberland Rosemont O'hare ✈

[@railfanner2015]

why can you walk between Washington and Jackson?