Improved
Travel Times For the Red, Brown and Purple Express
Lines |
Click
here for more |
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CTA
Resumes Four-Track Operation at Fullerton
and Belmont Stations |
Normal
Service Resumes
Six
Months Earlier Than Scheduled |
As
of Saturday, December 20,
three-track operation at Belmont concluded
and all four tracks have been restored
to normal operation.
A key component of the station and platform renovations
as part of the Brown Line capacity expansion project
is to make the stations accessible to customers
with disabilities with the installation of elevators
or ramps. The installation of elevators at both
Belmont and Fullerton required the tracks and the
platforms to be reconfigured to allow room for
the elevators.
Since April 2007, one track has been removed from
service – first northbound, then southbound – to
allow crews to complete the necessary work and
keep service operating, albeit at a reduced level.
To help ease the impact of operating on one less
track, in March CTA introduced eight-car trains
on the Brown Line during morning and evening rush
hours. Eight-car service was implemented 18 months
earlier than originally planned.
In May, CTA committed to restoring normal four-track
operation six months earlier than originally planned
by accelerating the construction work to realign
the tracks at Belmont and Fullerton.
Read complete press
release. |
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CTA
Completes Three-Track Operation at Fullerton
Station |
As
of
Saturday, November 22 at 5 a.m., construction is
completed on the southbound track at Fullerton and
service is available on both southbound tracks
signaling the end of three-track operation during
rush hour at Fullerton. Three-track operation is
still in place at Belmont.
Since March 30, southbound Brown, Red and Purple
Express trains have been limited to one southbound
track at Belmont and Fullerton while the platforms
are being rebuilt and tracks reconfigured to
allow room for the installation of elevators.
The restoration of normal southbound service
at Fullerton means trains can operate more freely
south allowing for smoother operation for Red,
Brown and Purple Line Express trains arriving
at the station.
The three-track operation at Belmont is expected
to be concluded by the end of the year.
In May, CTA announced that it was accelerating
the three-track project in order to restore the
southbound track to service by the end of 2008,
six months earlier than previously announced.
The first phase of three-track operation began
Monday, April 2, 2007. Red, Brown and Purple
Express trains shared one northbound track at
Fullerton and Belmont. Normal northbound service
resumed in March 2008.
Read complete press
release. |
|
New
Southbound Track and Platform at Belmont Brown Line
Station |
CTA
put a section of the new southbound platform and
track at the Belmont Brown Line station into service on Friday, July 11, 2008.
All southbound trains (Brown Line, Purple Line
Express and Red Line) will now use the new southbound
track. All southbound riders will board and exit
trains on the Red Line side of the platform until
three-track operation is completed at the end
of the year.
Northbound train boarding is not affected. Three-track
operation will continue at this station. Please
allow extra travel time.
Southbound Brown, Red and Purple Express trains
have been limited to one southbound track at Belmont
and Fullerton since March 30 while the platforms
are being rebuilt and tracks reconfigured to allow
room for the installation of elevators at both
stations. |
|
 |
Fullerton station looking south.
(Feb. 2008)
Click image to view larger Fullerton station construction photo. |
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New Southbound Track
and Platform in Service at Fullerton
CTA put
the new southbound platform and track at the Fullerton
station into service on Friday, June 20. All southbound
Brown and Purple Express trains now use the southbound
Red Line track. All
southbound riders will board and exit trains on
the Red Line side of the platform until three-track
operation is completed at the end of the year.
Southbound Brown, Red and Purple Express trains
have been limited to one southbound track at Belmont
and Fullerton since March 30 while the platforms
are being rebuilt and tracks reconfigured to allow
room for the installation of elevators at both
stations. |
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CTA
to Accelerate Three-Track Work |
The
construction work to realign the tracks at the Belmont
and Fullerton Brown Line stations will be accelerated,
allowing
the CTA to restore the southbound
track to service by the end of 2008, six months earlier
than previously announced.
There are four tracks serving the Fullerton and
Belmont stations on which the Brown Line, Red Line
and Purple Express operate. Two of the tracks
are for northbound service, two are for southbound
service. One of the four tracks along the platforms
at each station must be taken out of service while
the platform is rebuilt and tracks are reconfigured
to allow room for elevators to be installed. The
specific track to be taken out of service will vary
during the course of the project.
Operating trains on one less track at Belmont and
Fullerton allows the CTA to keep both stations open
and maintain rail service during construction but does
result in more crowded trains and longer commutes for
customers on the Brown Line, Purple Line Express and
north branch of the Red Line.
The construction is part of the Brown Line capacity
expansion project which, when completed, will allow
the CTA to accommodate more customers in this busy
and growing corridor and will make all Brown Line stations
accessible to people with disabilities. |
Southbound Brown, Red and Purple Express trains have
been limited to one southbound track at Belmont and
Fullerton since March 30 while the platforms are being
rebuilt and tracks reconfigured to allow room for the
installation of elevators at both stations. As a result
of three-track operation, CTA has supplemented bus
service near the stations and added personnel and signage
in an effort to assist affected customers.
In addition, the CTA announced that it will add escalators
to the Belmont and Fullerton stations. The original plans
provided space for future installation of escalators but
because the project remains within its budget and on schedule
the CTA has determined that there are sufficient funds
to install two escalators at each station. The escalator
installation is scheduled to be completed by December 2009.
Read CTA press release
Watch April 2008 video about three-track |
|
Red,
Brown & Purple Express Trains
Share One Track |
There
are four tracks serving the Fullerton and Belmont stations
on which the Brown Line, Red Line and Purple Express
operate. Two of the tracks are for northbound
service, two are for southbound service. One
of the four tracks along the platforms at each station
must be taken out of service while the platform is
rebuilt and tracks are reconfigured to allow room for
elevators to be installed. The specific track to be
taken out of service will vary during the course of
the project.
Operating
trains on one less track at Belmont and Fullerton allows
the CTA to keep both stations open and maintain rail
service during construction but does result in more
crowded trains and longer commutes for customers on
the Brown Line, Purple Line Express and north branch
of the Red Line.
The construction is part of the Brown Line capacity
expansion project which, when completed, will allow
the CTA to accommodate more customers in this busy
and growing corridor and will make all Brown Line stations
accessible to people with disabilities. |
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Eight-Car
Trains Operate on Brown Line During Rush Periods |
Southbound
Trains Limited to One Track |
|
The next
phase of three-track operation at the Belmont and
Fullerton stations started Sunday,
March 30, 2008. Southbound trains are limited
to one track at the Belmont and Fullerton
stations due to construction for the Brown Line capacity
expansion project. To help ease the impact,
the CTA is operating eight-car trains on
the Brown Line during morning and evening rush hours. The
introduction of eight-car service occurred nearly
18 months earlier than originally planned. (watch
video -
March 2008)
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Three-track
configuration |
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Southport
and Diversey stations reopen;
Paulina and Wellington
stations temporarily close |
|
Paulina and
Wellington stations
closed for renovation on March 30. While
the stations are under construction, Brown Line trains
will bypass both stations.
Also on March 30, the CTA reopened the Southport station
and opened a temporary station at Diversey.
Both stations had been closed for construction and
are now able to accommodate eight-car trains. Using
a temporary station at Diversey makes it possible
to reopen for service nearly three months earlier
than originally planned. Work
to install elevators and complete the stationhouse
at Diversey will continue throughout the spring. |
Leave
early, leave late or alternate |
|
Longer trains provide more capacity,
but the number of trains that can operate on one
track is limited, so customers should plan
accordingly, particularly during the morning commute
where the peak travel time is more concentrated. CTA
is supplementing service on bus routes that
are nearby alternatives to rail service.
There are more than 40 bus routes that can be
used as alternate transportation, including nine
lakefront express routes that provide direct service
to and from the Loop during rush periods. CTA
has increased bus service on several routes:
- #11
Lincoln/Sedgwick
- #22 Clark
- #134 Stockton/LaSalle
Express
- #135 Clarendon/LaSalle Express
- #147 Outer Drive Express
- #148 Clarendon/Michigan Express
- #156 LaSalle
The CTA also recommends that riders consider other
nearby bus routes or other CTA
rail lines such as the Blue Line.
To the extent possible, the CTA recommends that
riders plan to leave earlier or later, and allow
extra travel time.
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Northbound
Red Line Trains
Resume Operation on Normal Track
at Fullerton on Friday, January 25 |
Northbound Red Line trains resume operating
on the inner northbound track at Fullerton station,
track 3, on Friday, January 25, 2008. Construction
crews have completed northbound track work at Fullerton
so northbound Red Line trains will no longer have
to share tracks with northbound Brown and Purple
Express trains. Northbound Red Line customers will
resume normal boarding and exiting at Fullerton starting
Friday.
Red, Brown and Purple Express trains have shared
one northbound track at Fullerton since April 2,
2007 while the platform was rebuilt and tracks were
reconfigured.
Northbound Red Line trains will continue to share
tracks with Brown and Purple Express trains at the
Belmont station for the next few weeks as work continues.
(more) |
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