How the CTA stops Ice

Winter weather: it gets in the way of everything. But not the Chicago L! In this video, we ride along on a Blue Line train that has special anti-icing equipment on board. Find out how the CTA uses trains in regular passenger service to prevent ice from forming on the third rail.
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Chapters
0:00 Winter in Chicago
0:55 CTA 7000 series in the snow
1:42 Trains are good in the snow
2:22 the Netherlands and snow
2:53 Issues in the snow
3:15 Infrastructure issues
4:02 Third rail
5:05 Anti-icing trains, explained
6:17 Midwest
7:22 Conclusion

[@jackwtat]

"How the CTA abolishes ICE" 🤣

[@AMT1345]

Lol

[@Thom-TRA]

Someone got it haha

[@AMT1345]

@@Thom-TRA yea

[@kevanhubbard9673]

The problem with most Metro 🚇 style trains is they use a third,or some fourth,rail DC pick up and this rails electrical pickup and discharge can be compromised by snow and ice.With overhead it's not such a problem as the wire is too thin to collect snow but not many Metros are overhead Bucharest, Romania and Newcastle, England spring to mind.

[@AMT1345]

Good thing Montreal is underground because it has Rubber tires

[@SchneiderGeorge]

Having grown up in NJ back when winters were more wintry, I'm amazed I never thought to question the winter conditions on railways. Thank you for the enlightenment!

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome! The only thing that remains to be questioned is my sanity for living in such a good place!

[@SchneiderGeorge]

@@Thom-TRA When I was a kid, I loved winter. Now I love looking out the windows at it. Anyway, I now live in SC, so we don't get REAL winter weather.

[@Dogod2]

I never questioned winter on railways until 2015, when the entire MBTA system basically collapsed after we had large blizzards 4 or 5 weeks in a row.

[@thepetehill]

I’m from Milwaukee originally and rode the L almost every time I went down to Chicago (30+) years. Winter does suck. I always wondered how the ice and snow didn’t make em slip. On a side note: it’s good to hear voice guy.

[@mtgibbs]

Well done, but wanted to add a couple of notes. The sleet fighter cars (configured like the one you rode) operate on all of the lines. The diesel snow fighters are only snow removal equipment and are rarely used. The blue box has a pump in it to pump the fluid onto the rail. Also, the door that was out of service was probably just broken. Usually the doors aren't disabled when they are using the deicer equipment. Lastly, the trains are pretty good in almost everything but freezing rain. Freezing rain can cause too much ice build up on the third rail and it can be hard to get through it though some of the series of cars can handle the "dirty" power better than others. Years ago, I went out riding in freezing rain/nasty conditions for fun and the train I was on (a 2400 series on the Green Line) almost gave up. I ended up going back home on the Red Line, which had 2600 series cars at the time, and they seemed to be faring better.

[@Roma_eterna]

You rode in the freezing rain for FUN? 😱

[@mtgibbs]

@@Roma_eterna Definitely :-)

[@Roma_eterna]

@@mtgibbs you are a madman! lol!

[@mtgibbs]

@@Roma_eterna it's boring if it's always the same haha

[@metromaster2010]

As a retired NYCT motorman, I can really appreciate this video. Very well done

[@captainkeyboard1007]

Transit workers are "The Best People Around' who roll the big wheels abound. From a New York City railroad buff.

[@jacorp7476]

7:23 Hmm interesting choice of words there lol

[@Thom-TRA]

Gotta make a point

[@BrynnCarey-zr3oq]

Wow I never knew this was how the CTA kept ice of their tracks. Once again a great video!

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

6:33 that is just not at all what MBTA stands for lmao

[@captainkeyboard1007]

This is another fine show. I am learning a lot about the Chicago Transit Authority without being there. I am in New York and also am a subway buff, since I was a little young child. 👌

[@KB-dg2gr]

Pretty cool never knew that my ex and i loved to just ride all day long thanks for sharing

[@CalvinMennyweathers]

I've definitely seen those boxes on the CTA before!

[@CameronLandels]

Hi Thom. Thank you for the video! I enjoyed it and learnt something new! Here in the U.K - if we are forecast to have snow, an emergency timetable is enforced (I remember waiting for the 1st train of the day. Was 90 minutes later than planned) plus our infrastructure can't cope at times especially with ice on the 3rd rail.

[@ChicagolandTransit]

Right on the money, Thom! Great video.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!! As always thanks for your help too

[@ck4426]

This was so interesting!!! I had no idea!!! Thank you for this informative and entertaining video!!!!

[@RailpaxScott]

Very interesting video! Chicago and its great transportion system is a favorite of mine to visit.

[@WillHellmm]

I've seen the fires alot, it's pretty cool,

[@TomEnleft]

Great video, as always. If you’ve never seen, seek out some pictures/videos of the fires they set at Jamaica on the LIRR to keep things snow and ice free.

[@KyrilPG]

In Western Europe, the problem when it snows is more with how the train drivers will get to the depot than running the trains themselves. Like in France, where I live : the country's in panic when there's 5 centimeters of snow. Airports are a mess, highways are blocked, authorities almost declare a state of emergency... A real shitshow! To the point it can have a measurable effect on the economy. A few years ago, there were thousands of people blocked on some of the largest radial highways of Paris due to a small amount of snow that would make Nordic countries die of laughter. They had to declare an emergency plan to rescue the motorists and open sports venues as emergency shelters, etc. In Paris, 5cm of snow = 1200+ km of traffic jams. I think it was the same year but I'm not sure, both main airports were blocked, CDG, the largest one, was the worst affected and it took several days to clear up the passenger backlog. Several thousands of them being stranded for 24, 48 or more hours in the airport. Only because of a snowfall that would be an average winter day in half of Europe.

[@Thom-TRA]

It is how funny how different places deal with weather they’re not used to! It’s like when northerners are confronted with heat that people in the south would consider normal.

[@KyrilPG]

​@@Thom-TRA Yes ! They have problems handling major heat waves too, like when they slow down trains because the catenaries are too loose due to high heat. Thankfully it's not as much a mess as with a few centimeters of snow. Generally the TGV high-speed lines tend to be the very last type of lines to be degraded in case of major heatwave thanks to the much higher pulling tension on catenaries, precise rail wielding and sleeper cradling, but I've found myself delayed once in a TGV due to high temperatures that made the rail authority reduce the operating speeds from 320kph to 260kph or 240kph (200mph to 160mph or 150mph) in the Southernmost part of the network. It already had arrived substantially late at my boarding station from an origin further South operated on the regular network which speed was reduced almost by half. The worst train problems during heatwaves are usually caused by some of the older urban rolling stock not yet equipped with AC in which passengers suffer heat strokes and faint, requiring paramedics intervention and delaying trains by the dozen. Thankfully there has been a strong "winterization" and "summerization" effort of all the equipment, rolling stock and infrastructure, whether it's urban / suburban, subway, regional, long distance or high speed, to better cope with the weather and climate worst situations.

[@lukestrainsandotherstuff]

Once again favorite train KZbinr great video!!!! :)

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!!

[@OnkelJajusBahn]

Wow, really fascinating to see, how they do it. Thanks for the amazing video.

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome! It is fascinating

[@toddgraff9282]

Thanks for a great and informative video. Just one thing on lines like the Brown and purple they do run the anti-icing equipment durring normal operating hours. Keep up the fun and informative videos.

[@acelakid94]

The MBTA does the same thing with the anti-ice thing on the orange line, but the whole car is closed off to passengers. I would guess they do it on the other lines too, but I never worked on them so I don’t know for sure.

[@Herowebcomics]

It is awesome to see how they deal with weather like this! It's similar to how they do things in my city! ...I think. We DO have a large track vehicle with a spinning brush on one end!

[@alteredstate42]

erg informatief! :) bedankt voor het delen!

[@Thom-TRA]

Alstublieft!

[@rbrouns9569]

Very interesting video. Tot de volgende keer.

[@Thom-TRA]

Tot later!

[@Acidlib]

This was really interesting, I was staying in Chicago for last two weeks of January and got to experience a couple small winter storms. I wondered how winter weather would effect CTAs rail operations, especially since service seemed to be on par with when I visited a few months prior, even while it was actively snowing.

[@Thom-TRA]

So sorry you had to experience the winter here, even if it was a “mild” one lol

[@Acidlib]

@@Thom-TRA I’m from Iowa so it’s not _that_ much worse, I’ll still take the condolences for experiencing Midwest weather most of my life though lol

[@kr46428]

Interesting video Thom! I wonder how overhead wires perform in snow vs a 3rd rail? For the winter train delays I've seen, it is almost never "the train is physically unable to get through" but stuff like "the crossing gates are all frozen in the open position" (😱) or "the crossing gates are all frozen in the down position" or "a car slid on to the tracks". Or some combination of the above.

[@Fallingbread_playz]

Great video,I am subscribed and all your videos are very good.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you so much!

[@Fallingbread_playz]

Your welcome!

[@Bobrogers99]

There are third rail setups where the shoe picks up power on the underside of the rail. This helps during ice storms.

[@Thom-TRA]

I believe Metro North uses those. Or the Amtrak Empire Service trains. One of the two.

[@DC4260Productions]

Some parts of New Zealand can take a beating from snow as well, but not the region where I live (go figure). I don't know if KiwiRail have any special methods to combat the wintery conditions, especially since the few electrified sections we have use overhead wires rather than third rail. As for NS cancelling trains when a hint of snow is forecast, that sounds incredibly annoying.

[@blkboot65]

The CTA thinks about this issue. Here in Boston, the MBTA has not.

[@Thom-TRA]

lol

[@TonyP9279]

Most of the other rail systems Midwest provides service to use paddle contacts with covered 3rd rail, though some of those probably had drop-sleds when they initially signed up.

[@Thom-TRA]

Oh, the company Midwest, lol. I got confused for a second. It’s been a while since I made this video.

[@deaventuraconkikomas4281]

Hi Thom... I will be traveling on the Empire Builder from Seattle Washington to Chicago Illinois as you did with your brother. I will be in Chicago from May the 3rd to May 8th, and I was wondering if you are going to be recording a new video somewhere those days in Chicago and maybe I can meet you. I am fan of your videos and like the way you explained in details trips and some other things about trains.

[@KillSteelVol3]

I’ve seen the anti icing happen a bunch of times especially on the green line but usually they used the last car I’ve never seen them use the first one.

[@chromebomb]

L trains are like heavy light rail cars

[@nixcails]

I'm glad you pointed out that although almost perfect Nederland Spoorwegen isn't 100% weather invisible. There is a perceived myth in the anglophone world that UIC trains don't get weather issues. Third Rail (and worse 4th rail) in ice is always fun to watch. Back in the 1990's I did 60 km commutes from my village in Hampshire to work in London Piccadilly. The 1960's built 100 mph 4-VEP/4-CEP rolling stock would spark and arc on cold days and coming home after sunset was a free light show on a cold evening! Fortunately snow was a less common feature but frozen points slowed down services on reduced power would often lead to delays. I'm pretty impressed with the work on the EL not sure if our Health and Safety Executive would be happy with the deicing arrangement though.

[@Thom-TRA]

The problem with NS is not that they’re not weatherproof, but rather that they are. It seems their management is afraid of a little snow. But that’s the way it goes with so many things NS does.

[@jcbaily5559]

You can send what winter you don't want down to us here in AZ.

[@nashorn9745]

Could temperatures are also problematic for trains with overhead wires the overhead wires can freeze, and the pantograph will not make a good connection with the overhead wires. It will make sparks because the current is going thew the ice. Normal mainline trains will just use both pantographs, but this leads to great ware and tare. Many operators have a de-iceing vehicle with a verry similar setup to the one of CTA. It just sucks if the de-iceing streetcar is broken my local streetcar company had to realize the hard way.

[@NonstopEurotrip]

Very interesting mate. How long did you have to search for that deicing train 😆❄️

[@Thom-TRA]

Super long. I had to walk all the way up to the platform, wait for 3 whole minutes, and then it showed up! It was just absolutely exhausting and I almost gave up.

[@NonstopEurotrip]

@@Thom-TRA The things you do for us 🤗

[@EpicThe112]

Really excellent video perhaps they should have United Kingdom Network rail or Dutch Metro systems that use the top contact Third Rail systems 600-750v DC buy their system

[@dvferyance]

It really hasn't snowed much in Chicago the last couple of winters.

[@Thom-TRA]

Nope

[@weirdbeard56]

Hey Thom, have you noticed the 7000 series trains are much slower than the 2600/3200 train? If so what causes this?

[@Thom-TRA]

I don’t think they go any slower. Speeds are usually determined by the specific operator

[@th3juic3man]

Great video! What beat is that playing @ 3:47 mark?

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s called World War Outerspace, from the KZbin Audio Library

[@MetxsightseerRailfan]

5:09 CTA Blue Line to 54th Cermak.

[@nicholasholub1823]

CTA will light small kerosene fires at switching locations when temperature stays well below freezing. Surreal when riding by them.

[@Thom-TRA]

Wow I need to see that!

[@mtgibbs]

All of CTA's switch heaters are electric. Union Pacific does use some natural gas heaters on its Metra lines and those have the open flames. Most modern switch heaters though are either electric heaters mounted to the rails or hot air furnaces that blow heated air onto the switch points.

[@counterfit5]

Gas flame heaters are still pretty common in Switzerland, I think

[@Carspotter682]

I know what you mean. I don't like the cold ether.

[@sjokomelk]

Top contact third rail is not the best for snow and ice. That is why systems that are used to snow and ice use bottom contact third rail instead.

[@Thom-TRA]

Interesting, did not know that but it makes sense

[@sjokomelk]

@@Thom-TRA Look at the metros in Oslo and Helsinki. Both going mostly above ground and in heavy winter. Both using bottom contact third rail. And they "never" have winter issues.

[@sjokomelk]

The Amsterdam and Rotterdam metros also use bottom contact third rail. Guessing that systems built after the 1950s (?) use bottom contact, and older systems use top or side contact third rail.

[@jacobbaer785]

Many third rail systems in the US use safety covers over the third rail, these are also semi successful at reducing ice build up. But the Chicago L does not have enough clearance for this because it is an older system.

[@counterfit5]

The MBTA blue line switches from third rail to overhead when it gets near the ocean just in case of ice.

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

I still find it interesting that the CTA doesn’t have any covers over their third rails like the MTA does

[@larryh8578]

The CTA trains use a trolley shoe to ride on the 3rd rail, in NYC they use a shoe called a slipper to ride on the 3rd that extends out from the trolley beam, so that’s why in NY they can cover their 3rd rail.

[@pilotaburch172]

I have seen this on the orange and recently the green line

[@NovaVortex193]

This video is going to make no sense in 10 years at the rate things are going.

[@Thom-TRA]

Funny but sad