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Originally Posted by Eventually...Chicago
I wish it was possible to get the cars that they have on the barcelona system.
There are no dividers for each car (meaning you have a special front/back car) This allows you, on a strait track, to see from the front of the train to the end and walk from end to end without going through doors. I think it really makes someone feel alot safer on the train. Especially at night when its just you and one creepy guy who keeps yelling and running back and forth. I think it would be more efficient for big rushes too as it would allow people to equally disperse themselves among the train. I'm not sure how it handles tight curver though...
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This is the most significant reason. Curves on the CTA system are much too tight. The Red Line could theoretically handle some mild level of articulation in the cars, but there's alot of value in having completely interchangeable railcars. Which leads to the next point, which is the wildly differing passenger volume levels between lines, by time of day, and type of day. CTA ridership is so packed in the peak, and on some lines extremely light in the off-peak, so it makes more sense to have married pairs that can be joined to provide an appropriate level of service, rather than the fixed articulated train
sets of European cities.
Articulated cars were actually prototyped on the CTA way back in the day, they were called the 5000 series; each carset, which could be combined into multiple trains, was actually 3 short cars with articulated portions between, and I believe the trucks were actually at the pivot points of the cars. This allowed it to navigate the tight curves.
I think it basically ended up being too much hassle for something that could be better acheived with married pairs.
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Other topic... There's no plans to add a stop between cermak and roosevelt, are there? Like something to serve the growing south loop on the green or orange line.
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Every now and then there is talk of a Cermak- Green Line stop to serve McCormick Place, which could theoretically have a north entrance at 21st or Cullerton. This would almost definitely happen if Chicago wins the Olympics. The Circle Line concept also involves making Chinatown a transfer point, with an Orange Line platform and an Archer entrance, but (1) Circle Line is still barely more than a pipe dream and (2) this seems superfluous given Roosevelt transfer is mere blocks away.
Failing the above, a #3 BRT line would do some serious good, too.
In all, a Cermak Green Line and maybe an auxiliary farecard-only entrance at Archer at the north end of the Chinatown stop, and that would be adequate and reasonably affordable. Cermak/State also has some potent TOD possibilities.