Pink Line (CTA)

The Pink Line is an 11.2 mi (18.0 km) rapid transit line in Chicago, run by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) as part of the Chicago "L" system. It is the CTA's newest rail line and began operation for a 180-day trial period on June 25, 2006, running between 54th/Cermak station in Cicero, Illinois and the Loop in downtown Chicago. As the line enters downtown Chicago, it begins to share tracks with Green Line trains on Lake Street. This connection is handled by the previously non-revenue Paulina Connector set of tracks. In 2022, over 3 million passengers boarded Pink Line trains.[1]

Pink Line
A Pink Line train of 5000-series cars at 18th
Overview
StatusOperational
LocaleChicago and Cicero, Illinois, United States
Termini
Stations22
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemChicago "L"
Operator(s)Chicago Transit Authority
Depot(s)54th Yard
Rolling stock5000-series
4 car trains (typical); maximum 8 cars
Daily ridership9,544 (avg. weekday 2022)
History
OpenedJune 25, 2006
Technical
Line length11.2 mi (18.0 km)
CharacterElevated and At-Grade Level
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Minimum radius90 feet (27 m)
ElectrificationThird rail, 600 V DC
Route map
Pink Line highlighted in pink
State/Lake
Library
Clark/Lake
Quincy
Clinton
Morgan
Ashland
Polk
18th
Damen
Western
California
Kedzie
Central Park
Pulaski
Kostner
Cicero
Laramie
closed 2003
54th/Cermak

Operation

On the Pink Line, what was once the Blue Line's Cermak branch, begins at 54th Avenue and Cermak Road in Cicero (5400 W. – 2200 S.). The line runs on at-grade tracks parallel to Cermak Road from the terminal to about a quarter-mile (400 m) east of Cicero Avenue, then diagonals northeast until it reaches a corridor parallel and adjacent to 21st Street at Kostner Avenue. It then continues east between 21st Street and Cullerton Street, climbing up from at-grade tracks to elevated tracks, through the North Lawndale, Little Village and Pilsen neighborhoods of Chicago, with stops at Kostner, Pulaski, Central Park, Kedzie, California, Western and Damen.

The line turns north near Paulina Street stopping at 18th and Polk stations, then crosses over the Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290). Here, a two track non-revenue branch diverges that descends to the expressway to provide a non-revenue track connection to the Blue Line. It continues on the Paulina Connector to share tracks with the Green Line on Lake Street with stops at Ashland, Morgan and Clinton, before operating around the Loop clockwise.

History

Northward view from the Adams/Wabash station at night
Chicago Transit Authority signal tower 18 guides elevated Chicago "L" north and southbound Purple and Brown lines intersecting with east and westbound Pink and Green lines and the looping Orange line above the Wells and Lake street intersection in the loop
Pink and Green line elevated tracks crossing Franklin Street in the Loop
The Lake Street Elevated bridge over the Chicago River at night

As the Blue Line Douglas/Cermak branch

Until 1996, the Cermak branch was known as the Douglas branch, for Douglas Park along its route. Originally, Douglas trains were operated by the Metropolitan West Side Elevated directly into the Loop by means of the Metropolitan's main line. Construction of the Congress Street Superhighway (known now as the Eisenhower Expressway, I-290) in the 1950s required the removal of the Metropolitan's main line, resulting in Douglas trains being routed to the Loop via the Paulina Connector and the Lake Street 'L' similar to the current service.

Upon completion of the new Congress branch in the median of the expressway, all trains of the Douglas branch were operated via the Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway to the city's Northwest Side and to O'Hare . The Douglas branch was re-named the Cermak branch in the mid-1990s. The entire Cermak branch is ADA accessible.

Converting to the Pink Line

In January 2006, the CTA held hearings on its proposal to reroute trains from 54th/Cermak via the recently rebuilt Paulina Connector to the Lake Street Green Line tracks, then operating around the Loop clockwise for the first time since Douglas trains began using the Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway in downtown Chicago on June 22, 1958. This would allow a doubling of Blue Line trains to Forest Park on the Congress Branch, since service would no longer be divided between the Forest Park and 54th/Cermak terminals. The CTA has also promised that service to/from 54th/Cermak would be increased 100% during weekday rush hours.

At the initial time of proposal, this plan was often referred to as the "Silver Line", as the original idea was to use gray as the line color on printed materials and give it the route name of "Silver".

In February 2006, the CTA approved the separate plan.[2] Non-rush hour trains would be routed via the Loop, Green Line tracks and Paulina Connector. During weekday rush hours, service would be available on this routing as well as the original route via the Dearborn Street subway every half hour. These changes went into effect beginning June 25, 2006, with the trial period scheduled to end 180 days later on December 22, 2006.

In March 2006, the Chicago Transit Authority announced that of the top three colors, Pink, Gold and Silver, Pink had received the most votes in a write-in essay contest for Chicago-area schoolchildren in kindergarten through 8th grade—a $1,000 savings bond was awarded to a selected essay writer who advocated for the color pink.[3]

The Pink Line began operation in June 2006, using the rebuilt Paulina Connector, which had not been used in regular revenue service for 48 years.

The service, which was originally set up as a temporary service to be run for a trial period of 180 days (6 months), doubles service on both the Douglas branch and the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line. This is accomplished by routing all but 12 trains per day coming from O'Hare to Forest Park and adding entirely new service from the 54th/Cermak terminal in Cicero to The Loop via the Paulina Connector and the Lake Street branch of the Green Line. Pink Line trains operate clockwise on the Inner Loop track via Lake-Wabash-Van Buren-Wells before returning to 54th/Cermak.

On December 12, 2006, the CTA board approved a six-month extension to the trial period before making a decision on whether or not to make the changes permanent,[4] and another 180-day extension was added to the trial in June 2007.[5] On December 4, 2008, CTA announced its decision to make the Pink Line permanent.[6]

Operating hours and headways

The Pink Line operates between 54th/Cermak and the Loop weekdays from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m., and weekends from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. Trains run on a minimum headway of 20 minutes after midnight, decreasing to 8–9 minutes during weekday rush hours.[7]

Rolling stock

The Pink Line is operated with the Bombardier-built 5000-series railcars. Trains operate using four cars on weekdays and weekends. Frequently, the Pink and Green Lines borrow each other's cars when either line is short on cars. Since September 2018, two cars sets assigned to the Pink Line make weekday rush hour trips on the Blue Line. At the time of their reintroduction, all Pink Line consists using 5000-series cars were six cars long. As of mid-August 2012, the Pink Line was using the 5000-series cars in four and six car consists.

With the successful testing of the Pink Line 5000-series cars in four car consists during August, the Pink Line reverted to running four cars during most times of the day. Some of the 5000-series cars that had been assigned to the line, were reassigned to the Green Line. The last 2600-series cars were removed from service from the Pink Line in June 2012, making the Pink Line the first line to be fully equipped with the 5000-series cars. Most of the Pink Line's 2600-series cars were reassigned to the Blue Line to replace its 2200-series cars.

Possible route to Ravenswood

In 2002, the CTA proposed the creation of the "Circle Line", which would utilize segments of existing rail lines to keep new construction to a minimum, in addition to 6.6 miles (10.6 km) of new subway and elevated segments to the 'L' system to complete the circumferential route. Maps additionally suggested increasing the route length of two lines: Possibly running the Brown Line from its terminus at Kimball, to the Loop, and continuing to the 54th/Cermak terminus via the current Pink Line route from the Loop; and Orange Line service from Kimball, to the Loop, and continuing to Midway Airport via the current Orange Line route. These considerations have been undergoing study and analysis.

Station listing

Location Station Points of interest and notes
Cicero 54th/Cermak Disabled access Parking Points of interest:
Morton College, Chicago Motor Speedway, Morton East High School
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 21 Cermak, N60 Blue Island/26th
Bus interchange Pace Bus: 316 Laramie Avenue, 322 Cermak Road/22nd Street
Cicero Disabled access Points of interest:
Hawthorne Works
Connections:
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  BNSF (at Cicero)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 21 Cermak, 54 Cicero, 54B South Cicero, N60 Blue Island/26th
Bus interchange Pace Bus: 302 Ogden/Stanley, 392 Little Village/UPS Hodgkins
North Lawndale Kostner Disabled access Originally Kildare. Reopened as Kostner on July 17, 2003
Points of interest:
Hawthorne Race Course, Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
Pulaski Disabled access Points of interest:
Homan Square
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 53 Pulaski, 157 Streeterville/Taylor
Central Park Disabled access Points of interest:
South Lawndale, Little Village
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 82 Kimball/Homan, 157 Streeterville/Taylor
Kedzie Disabled access Points of interest:
Douglass Park, Our Lady of Tepeyac High School, WRLL Radio Station
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 52 Kedzie
South Lawndale California Disabled access Points of interest:
Douglass Park, Cook County Jail, Little Village, Mount Sinai Medical Center
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 94 California
Lower West Side Western Disabled access Points of interest:
Heart of Chicago, Heart of Italy, St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran School
Connections:
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  BNSF (at Western Avenue)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 49 Western, X49 Western Exp.
Damen Disabled access Originally Hoyne. Reopened as Damen on July 22, 2004.
Points of interest:
Chicago International Produce Market, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 50 Damen
Bus interchange Pace Bus: 755 Plainfield/IMD Express
18th Disabled access Points of interest:
Pilsen, St. Adalbert's, Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 18 16th/18th
Near West Side Polk Disabled access Points of interest:
Illinois Medical District, University of Illinois at Chicago, Rush University, Rush University Medical Center, Little Italy
Connections:
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 7 Harrison, 157 Streeterville/Taylor
Bus interchange Pace Bus: 755 Plainfield/IMD Express
Ashland Disabled access Points of interest:
United Center
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Green
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 9 Ashland, X9 Ashland Exp.
Morgan Disabled access Points of interest:
UIC, Greektown, Coyne College, Fulton-Randolph Market District
Clinton Disabled access Points of interest:
Chicago Transit Authority Headquarters
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Green
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  Union Pacific North,  Union Pacific Northwest,  Union Pacific West (at Ogilvie Transportation Center)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: J14 Jeffery Jump, 56 Milwaukee, 125 Water Tower Exp.
The Loop Clark/Lake Disabled access
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
James R. Thompson Center, Richard J. Daley Center
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Blue Brown Green Purple Orange
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 22 Clark, 24 Wentworth, 134 Stockton/LaSalle Exp., 135 Clarendon/LaSalle Exp., 136 Sheridan/LaSalle Exp., 156 LaSalle
State/Lake
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Chicago Theatre, Gene Siskel Film Center, Harold Washington College
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Red (at Lake)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 2 Hyde Park Exp., 6 Jackson Park Exp., 10 Museum of Science & Industry, 29 State, 36 Broadway, 62 Archer, 146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Exp.
Randolph/Wabash Closed September 3, 2017; demolished and replaced by Washington/Wabash
Washington/Wabash Disabled access
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park
Connections:
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  Metra Electric (at Millennium Station)
Mainline rail interchange NICTD: South Shore Line (at Millennium Station)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: J14 Jeffery Jump, 20 Madison, 56 Milwaukee, 60 Blue Island/26th, 124 Navy Pier, 147 Outer DuSable Lake Shore Exp., 151 Sheridan, 157 Streeterville/Taylor
Madison/Wabash Closed March 16, 2015; demolished and replaced by Washington/Wabash
Adams/Wabash
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Grant Park, Petrillo Music Shell, Buckingham Fountain, Art Institute of Chicago, Orchestra Hall, DePaul University
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Brown Green Orange Purple
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 1 Bronzeville/Union Station, 7 Harrison, 28 Stony Island, 126 Jackson, 151 Sheridan
Harold Washington Library Disabled access
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Harold Washington Library, DePaul University, Robert Morris University, John Marshall Law School, Chicago Bar Association, Auditorium Building
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Brown Orange Purple, Red (at Jackson), Blue (at Jackson)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 2 Hyde Park Exp., 6 Jackson Park Exp., 10 Museum of Science & Industry, 22 Clark, 24 Wentworth, 29 State, 36 Broadway, 62 Archer, 146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Exp., 147 Outer DuSable Lake Shore Exp.
LaSalle/Van Buren
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Board Options Exchange
Connections:
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  Rock Island (at LaSalle Street Station)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 22 Clark, 24 Wentworth, 36 Broadway, 130 Museum Campus
Quincy Disabled access
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Sears Tower
Connections:
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  BNSF,  Heritage Corridor,  Milwaukee District North,  Milwaukee District West,  North Central Service,  SouthWest Service (at Union Station)
Amtrak Amtrak long-distance: California Zephyr, City of New Orleans, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle, Lake Shore Limited, Capitol Limited (at Union Station)
Amtrak Amtrak intercity: Hiawatha, Illini and Saluki, Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg, Cardinal, Pere Marquette, Wolverine, Blue Water, Lincoln Service (at Union Station)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: 1 Bronzeville/Union Station, 7 Harrison, 28 Stony Island, 37 Sedgwick, 126 Jackson, 130 Museum Campus, 151 Sheridan, 156 LaSalle
Washington/Wells Disabled access
(inner platform)
Points of interest:
Chicago City Hall, Civic Opera House, Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Connections:
Metro interchange CTA "L" trains: Brown Orange Purple
Mainline rail interchange Metra:  Union Pacific North,  Union Pacific Northwest,  Union Pacific West (at Ogilvie Transportation Center)
Bus interchange CTA Bus: J14 Jeffery Jump, 20 Madison, 37 Sedgwick, 56 Milwaukee, 60 Blue Island/26th, 124 Navy Pier, 157 Streeterville/Taylor

After stopping at Washington/Wells, Pink Line trains return to Clinton, then make all stops back to 54th/Cermak.

Rail yard

The 54th Yard is a CTA rail yard for the Pink Line in Cicero, Illinois. Currently, 5000-series railcars are stored here.[8]

See also

References

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