12/19/06
Normal Orange and Green Line Service to Resume First Thing Early Wednesday, December 20
CTA President Frank Kruesi announced that normal service would resume Wednesday morning with the first run on the Orange Line and south branch of Green Line following the derailment of an Orange Line train on Tuesday. The first northbound Orange Line train leaves Midway at 3:55 a.m., the first northbound Green Line train leaves 63rd/Ashland at 3:52 a.m. and at East 63rd/Cottage Grove the first northbound Green Line train leaves at 4:11 a.m. CTA crews are working through the night to repair a stretch of the third rail and replace rail ties at the elevated structure at 14th and State Street that were damaged as a result of the derailment.
Throughout Tuesday evening's service hours, Orange Line trains will continue to operate between Midway and Halsted. CTA will also continue to operate a bus shuttle between Halsted and State/Van Buren, and recommend that Orange Line customers take the #62 Archer bus to travel between the Loop and Halsted station until normal service resumes early Wednesday morning.
Green Line trains will continue to operate from Ashland/63rd and East 63rd/Cottage Grove to 35th-Bronzeville-IIT station throughout Tuesday evening's service hours. Green Line customers are asked to use the Red Line to travel from the Loop to Sox-35th, then walk one block or board a shuttle bus to the Green Line 35th-Bronzeville-IIT station to continue southbound until normal Green Line service resumes early Wednesday morning.
Green Line trains on the Harlem/Lake branch will continue to operate in both directions to the Loop throughout Tuesday evening service hours. Green Line trains continue to operate on the outer track in the Loop (counterclockwise) stopping at Wells, Van Buren, Wabash and Lake to return to the Harlem/Lake terminal in Oak Park until early Wednesday morning when southbound trains will resume normal service on the inner Loop track and continue south to Ashland/63rd and East 63rd/Cottage Grove. Throughout Tuesday evening customers will board Green Line trains out of the Loop west to Harlem/Lake on the outer track as usual.
Green and Orange Line customers are asked to continue to allow extra travel time through the evening. CTA appreciates the patience demonstrated by its customers throughout Tuesday's derailment and apologizes for any inconvenience.
# # #