12/7/07
Red Line Trains Resume Normal Speeds as Work to Eliminate 8,400 Feet of Slow Zones from Grand to Clark/Division is Completed
Red Line riders traveling through the Loop should notice an improvement in their travel times through the subway. The CTA today announced that both northbound and southbound slow zones have been eliminated on the Red Line subway tracks from Grand to Clark/Division. Train speeds have increased up to a maximum speed of 55 mph on that section of track, an improvement from restricted speeds from 35 mph to as low as 6 mph on the curve just south of Clark/Division.
"Every minute we gain by restoring normal rail operating speeds helps contribute to a faster, more convenient and reliable trip for our riders," said CTA President Ron Huberman. ?We greatly appreciate the patience demonstrated by customers while subway trains were rerouted to the elevated lines while this work was underway ? the payoff is less time on the train and more time for their daily routines."
Slow zone elimination work will continue in the Red Line subway to eliminate 2.5 miles of slow zones from Clark/Division to just north of North/Clybourn, and just under a mile between Lake and Roosevelt. Work is currently underway on the Blue Line from Harlem to Jefferson Park and southbound on the Red Line from Wilson to Sheridan.
In September, CTA restored normal train speeds on the Blue Line from Damen to Clark/Lake following the replacement of more than 5,000 deteriorated wooden rail ties with concrete rail ties. Work has also been completed on the Red Line from Morse to Loyola and on the Red/Purple/Brown Lines from Armitage to Diversey.
Work to eliminate slow zones from Jefferson Park to Addison will be completed by the end of 2008.
In 2008, more slow zone removal work is also planned for the Purple, Brown and Green Lines and Loop Elevated.
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