17-12-01 VIDEOS: Purple Line UP North

Every year when I take a trip to Chicago I need to find something new to do with my limited time.  Because of the presence of railfan window equipped METRA gallery cars I usually build my itinerary around video opportunities with nice long express runs because a video of an all-stops local is just demoralizing.  Anyway, the only railfan window opportunity on the CTA elevated system is the Purple Line or Evanston Express as the 4 car trains with their rear cab in the half position.  Checking with the scheduled I noticed that I could combine a northbound Purple Line express run from the loop with a soundbound METRA UP North line express run from the Evanston Davis St station.

For the Purple Line express run I would attach a Go Pro to the rear railfan window because it's a transit car running virtually empty in the morning reverse peak.  I broke the video up into two parts, first a "local" section from Merchandise Mart to Belmont, and then an "express" part running from Belmont to Howard.  In the first video you can why the State Street Subway was built as the old elevated alignment endures a number of sharp twists and turns.  The Red Line emerges at Armitage and runs express between there and the Brown Line junction at Belmont.



After Belmont the center Red Line tracks assume local status with the Purple Line tracks on the outside.  I had shot this run once before in 2012 and at that time the Purple Line track were beset with 5-15 mph speed restrictions due to a general state of disrepair.  Moreover, the Wilson Voit Station complex was slated for a rebuild, removing the remnants of the old yard and restoring the station as a Red/Purple transfer point.  Despite the extra stop marring the formerly unbroken express run, with the Purple Line outer tracks now repaired, the overall runtime improved by 5-10 minutes!



At Howard I waited a headway to get some photos before continuing on to Evanston Davis St.  There I found myself with more than a little time to kill so I got stils and videos of the passing METRA parade.  While there were many inbound trains, only one would stop at Evanston Davis and then run express to the CNW Terminal with only a single stop at Clybourne. Here we see outbound Metra train on the UP-North line departing the Evanston Davis St station with Cab Car #6401 and F40PH-3 #141 as it is passed by an inbound express with cab car #8431 and F40PH-2 #161. Note that on the the ex-CNW line trains run reverse or European Style because the stations were built on the lake side of the tracks and the railroad didn't want the passengers to have to wait in the cold in winter.



Here is one of the inbound trains I had to pass up in order to get the really primo express run.  I don't know why anybody would choose a local over an express like so many commuters were doing. The The inbound Metra train on the UP-North line is seen here departing the Evanston Davis St station with Cab Car #8406 and F40PH-2 #151.  Note the small-windowed trains are original Budd and Pullman equipment, some dating to the 1950's!


Finally we get to the part you have all been waiting for.  A METRA UP North Line express run from Evanston Davis to the CNW Station with a single stop at Clybourne.  Note the Automatic Train Stop inductors and the active CY tower past the Clybourne station.  Video gets a little backlit, but not much I could do given the time of day.  Also I had to hand-hold the camera to avoid attracting undo attention from the crew.  Note between 4:30 and 7:00 there is a viaduct renewal project going on that seems to be halfway done with replacing all the vintage bridges.


Well that's it for this special video edition of my series.  Next week tune in for the still photos which include a morning visit to 16TH ST JCT and Roosevelt Ave.