Posted June 23 at 12:01 p.m.

Forgive me a little CTA self-indulgence, but I must speak out about a ridiculous Red Line commute this morning.  The story starts out smoothly enough with a promptly arriving No.35-35th Street bus, which I knew was coming courtesy of the bus tracker.  (Thanks bus tracker!)  But once I got to the 35th Street Red Line stop, the commute hit a kink-- a serious one.

Despite the notion that trains should arrive in timely intervals...I waited not 10, not 20, but 30 minutes for a train headed to the Loop.  This was worsened by the fact that two fake-out trains ( a training train and an express) whizzed past with no regard to the quite evidently infuriated riders on the platform.

Three southbound trains went by until finally, some slovenly northbound train arrived. 

So a trip that could have taken about 30 minutes from the bus to the Grand stop, where I disembark, turned into about a 55-minute nightmare.  So much for rapid transit, huh?

Believe me, I know this is a tired tale by now, and other riders have it 100 times worse, but I just had to share. (Taking deep, cleansing breath) I'm OK now, I promise. 

Your turn.  Share your most recent, annoying run-in with the rails. 

Posted June 3, 12:10 p.m.

Are you wondering what's up with yet another derailment on the CTA?  This time, on the Red Line.  True, the CTA transports millions of riders a day and there are bound to be slip-ups and accidents, but what gives? 

I put in a call to the union that represents CTA rail employees to get some insight into possible causes, though the Red Line incident is still under investigation.  I spoke to the union's first vice president, Calvin Tillery, and here's what he said when asked how derailments typically occur.

"Well, that's hard to say," Tillery told me during a phone interview, during which he explained that other causes -- such as 90-degree temperatures spreading the tracks -- are rare.  "In most cases, we find it's human error.  I could paint a rosier picture, but human error is the largest factor if we look at the records."

Indeed, the CTA already has pinpointed operator error in the recent Green Line derailment.  This despite what Tillery described as refresher training every two years.  Tillery said the union seeks ways to get to the root of such problems, but:

"Sometimes, it's like we go through periods," Tillery said.  "I don't know how to explain it, historically it comes in three's...ironic it happens that way."

We certainly understand there will be some incidents, as drivers of all vehicles -- including trucks-- make mistakes despite training.  So what happens to those operators responsible for derailments?

"Everything is taken on a case by case basis," Tillery said.  "The union always takes position that individuals are worth saving, but the [CTA] has the right to run business way sees fit.  In many cases it's a retrain, people don't necessarily lose their jobs."

Posted May 28, 5:56 p.m.

Whoa, whoa, wait...am I reading this right?  Did the CTA take responsibility for something within the same day that it happened? 

Check this Tribune article about the Green Line derailment out and tell me if I should get a refund on my Lasik surgery.

At any rate, it appears that the CTA -- which has been getting better about speeding up its explanations about accidents like today's Green Line derailment -- is copping up to its role in the incident-- the same day it happened.  You may want to sit down for this one.

To summarize, CTA President Ron Huberman himself spoke of a preliminary finding, acknowledging that it appears a motorman, with 31 years experience, took the train through a red signal  "causing an emergency device at trackside to stop the train automatically," the Tribune reported.

For CTA cynics, this might be more of a d'oh moment...of course you should 'fess up if you've done something wrong, but this development is a far cry from Huberman's immediate reaction to April's Blue Line derailment when he blamed some of the problem -- and botched evacuation -- on riders who took matters into their own hands and escaped the trains sans isntruction.

It seems the CTA has learned a few transit tricks from its previous experience.  But does this admission make you feel any safer or better about traveling on the "L" post-derailment, or are you looking for another way to work/school tomorrow?

Were you on the Green Line train that derailed today?  Was your commute directly affected by this harrowing incident?  Feel free to share your experiences here.  I know I've got some Green Line posters based on response to this earlier item on shoddy service.

In the meantime, here's the latest news and service instructions on the development, courtesy of the CTA.

Earlier today, a southbound Green Line train derailed at the 59^th Street junction on the south branch of the Green Line.  Service is currently suspended both northbound and southbound from the Garfield/55th station to Ashland/63^rd and East 63^rd/Cottage Grove.

CTA will continue to operate bus shuttle service in both directions as a substitute for Green Line service from Garfield/55^th to Ashland/63^rd, and from Garfield/55^th to Cottage Grove/East 63^rd.

For the evening rush, Green Line service will operate normally in both directions between Garfield/55th and the Loop.  There will be no Green Line service south of Garfield/55^th.

Posted April 28, 1:57 p.m.

So today is the first day that Blue Line 54th Cermak service is as non-existent as rapper Flavor Flav's dignity.  The West Side rail service died a slow and ugly death, first running less frequently, and now officially deceased.  A moment of CTA silence please.

Thanks.

Now that we can talk again, one of the service's former fans would like to sound off about the Pink Line that supplanted it.  The Little Village rider's e-mail was aptly titled: "PInk Stinks."

Can you please pose a question to Mr. Ron Huberman for me?  Will they be adding more rail cars to the Pink line?  OR will they be running trains with more frequency?  Today was the first day of only the Pink line and I was NOT happy.  It was the most uncomfortable ride.  We were crammed in there like sardines.  Honestly, instead of getting better, it just gets worse.  I don't understand it.  We pay our fares just like everyone else, yet, we keep getting the worse service.  It really frightens me that we have to be dependent on this rail line.  It is so unpredictable.  Why does the CTA hate the West Side so much?

Question posed.  I'll see if the CTA cares to comment on this for us.  What's up, West Siders?  Have you found your way around this service change? Do you think you'll get used to it, or do you just plain hate it?

Posted April 21, 1:00 p.m

So, what the heck went wrong with communications during the Blue Line train malfunction, and subsequent evacuation, on April 15? 

Riders who were there in the stalled subway cars and those stuck at stations have sounded off to me about some glitches, including a rather rude employee, but the official word is out now on the CTA's emergency response.

Check out this excerpt from a press release sent out by the CTA:  It demonstrates that both the CTA and Mayor Daley -- initially pretty darn defensive -- are accepting more blame on behalf of the agency and exploring change. 

Mayor Richard M. Daley today challenged leaders of the Chicago Transit Authority to strengthen their focus on providing quality services to the riders of the system, particularly including emergency response procedures which did not work as well as possible during a stalled train emergency April 15 in the Blue Line subway.

"It was a stressful situation for everyone involved – especially the passengers. And to those CTA riders who were on the affected trains, I want to say thank you for your patience and cooperation. The situation was also stressful for police, fire and CTA personnel," Daley said in a City Hall news conference with CTA President Ron Huberman held at CTA headquarters, 567 W. Lake St.

"After learning more about the circumstances surrounding the incident, I directed CTA and other emergency personnel to do an assessment and report their findings to me. The bottom line is we did some things well, but others not as well," the Mayor said.

So who do you blame for the Blue Line bungle?  Vote on this poll and post your comments below:

Posted April 18, 5:50 p.m

UPDATE on 4/22 at 2:43 p.m.: Adam Case, who heads up the CTA's Customer Information department, called me this morning after I inquired about the sign.  Case said he considers this a very important issue, and wants to make sure all the bases are covered, so nobody is left in the dark about the service change. He said there are some in Clark and Lake, as well as trains.  He said that the CTA placed placards on buses and rail operators are making manual announcements (maybe you just couldn't hear them too clearly, though).  Case also said the CTA is handing out fliers to riders.  You seeing any of this, riders?  Let me know if you're not, and I'll keep drilling 'em. 

Today, "Going Public" received not one, not two, but four frantic calls regarding the impending shutdown of the 54th Cermak service on the Blue Line, set for April 27.

I blogged about this last month and it is buried in a West Side service release posted on the CTA Web site, but some riders say they weren't made aware of the change.

That is, until they heard some CTA employees chattering about it this morning. Needless to say, they were not happy when I confirmed the news, with a Lawndale rider saying it will now take her two trains and a bus -- versus one train-- to get to work post-April 27.

So why the surprise?

I asked each caller -- each of whom called the RedEye separately -- if they had seen any signage or anything else to indicate that the branch is indeed over before the end of this month.  The resounding response:  Heck no! 

So I put in a call to Adam Case, who heads up Customer Information for the CTA, and asked what was up with the absence of info beyond the press release posted on March 12.   

It appears my scared riders would have had to wait just one day before their panic attacks, as Case told me the CTA is printing a customer alert -- also in Spanish-- which will appear in stations tomorrow.

Beyond that, Case said, the CTA is doing the following:

*Printing promotional material about pink line service in the area to be put up on our trains/buses and at stations next week.

*Purchasing print advertising next week to inform riders.

*Making announcements next week on Blue/Pink Line trains about the change in service.

*Handing out flyers at affected stations all next week about the service change.

Hmmm, still seems a bit late to me, judging from the reactions of riders.  I think the CTA is underestimating the level of outrage because of what they've called low ridership on that branch and the so-called popularity of the Pink Line. 

So, talk to me. 

Did you feel you were informed about the Cermak change? 

Do you have a game plan for when the service shuts down?

Posted April 18, 12:30 p.m

As blog comments keep rolling in about what happened in Tuesday's Blue Line evacuation, one of the more marked and disturbing remarks is about a rail operator who may have called riders "stupid" for taking matters into their own hands and exiting a train. The comment also apparently was captured on video. Watch the first third of the story and hear it for yourself.

So what's up with that operator?  The CTA is in the process of reviewing disciplinary action for the accused employee, according to Rick Harris, president of the union that represents rail operators. I talked to him about the situation to get his reaction as well as to find out what the CTA typically does in situations like these. (The CTA may weigh in later today with their own comment, so stay tuned for an update.)

UPDATE at 1:08 p.m.:  That was fast, huh?  Here's what the CTA had to say about the investigation into Stupid-gate.

"CTA is conducting a thorough investigation into the Blue Line incident.  We did receive some complaints regarding an operator and are investigating those complaints as we would when we receive any type of complaint regarding a CTA employee.

CTA has a progressive disciplinary procedure and should the investigation indicate disciplinary action is warranted, any action taken will follow those procedures and will include consideration of the nature of the violation, and whether or not the operator has previous violations."

Harris, for his part, predicts that it doesn't look good for the operator-gone-wild.  He said the "stupid" remark jarred him from his breakfast as he watched the local news, and has met with a lot of media attention.

"I was sitting at my kitchen table watching Channel 7's coverage of the evacuation," Harris told me. "As they are showing video of it, I heard it clearly: 'Hey, stupid, get back on the train.'"

Harris said he has since confirmed it was one of his members, and though he does not condone the behavior, he believes it can be defended.

"This is proof we need the conductors back on the train," Harris said, hearkening back to the two-person train operation that was completely phased out by 2000 due to budgetary constraints. "It's asking a lot for one guy to evacuate an entire train of a 1,000 or more people."

Harris pointed out that in the post-conductor era, the rail operator is charged with checking out a malfunctioning train, communicating with the Control Center and a chorus of CTA managers demanding to know what's going on-- all while trying to keep riders calm. It's a case, Harris said, where anyone could snap.

While I can concede tempers would flare while trapped in a dark subway tunnel, I asked Harris how he would feel if an emergency occurred on an airplane and a flight attendant called passengers "stupid." It would be unacceptable, right?

"That's right," Harris said, but countered there isn't one flight attendant per flight for let's say 200 passengers.  In my experience, there are at least three or four, so that's about an attendant for every 50 flyers.

Harris said that the operator could face anywhere from a one- to a 29-day suspension for a behavioral infraction. At worst, such as in the case of it getting physical, an operator can be canned.

But Harris feels "fanfare" and footage of the incident could lead to a firing.

"I think they'll go for the jugular this time," Harris said of the CTA.

Should this rogue rail operator be canned for being stuck on stupid during the Blue LIne evacuation? Or is high-level operator irritation a sign that the CTA needs to rethink its staffing on trains?

Posted April 16, 2:52 p.m

My fellow RedEye blogger, Tracy Swartz of "Word on the Street" is coming up with words to describe the annoying and harrowing events of yesterday's Blue Line debacle. This is what she does for a living, folks, seriously. She did us a favor by waiting a day until some of the anger dissipated...or well, at least cooled off a half-degree.

You can play too.  I even tried my hand at it.

I came up with a term in an earlier Blue-related blog: "Kruesi-fied," or a term you can use to describe when a CTA President is called on the carpet.  El Presidente Ron Huberman's predescessor, Frank Kruesi, didn't exactly leave the agency on a high note.   

I felt that Huberman might be Kruesi-fied for actions like this one, taken from today's Trib/RedEye story:

After some passengers jumped off and refused to get back on the train, officials shut down power, Huberman said. In a morning press conference, Huberman appeared critical of riders.

"If not for the [riders'] evacuation, we could have restored that service in around 25 minutes," Huberman said.

Say what?  Huberman later backed down from such time-frame comments, the Trib reported, and apologized to riders inconvenienced by the events.

OK, now that we've got the CTA scene set, visit Tracy's Word-creating headquarters and help us term our Blue Line blues. Then, hurry back.  I've got more in store.

Posted April 16, 11:05 a.m

Yesterday was a bad, bad day for the CTA.  So bad, in fact, that I almost (emphasis on the "almost") felt a bit sorry for the  agency. 

Mind you, my heart truly goes out to the riders trapped and delayed by this fiasco, but I'll bet you CTA headquarters was on Orange Alert -- or maybe that should be Blue Alert -- all day.

After a string of positive news -- bus-tracker launch, new digital advertising deal for the stations-- they get a smackdown of Blue Line blues...and on the day they have to shell out a million-plus to a rider injured during a Blue Line derailment from '06. 

All together now:  Ouch!

I know a number of riders -- and you can see their comments from yesterday -- wanted to drink the CTA's milkshake a la Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood."  CTA President Ron Huberman's statement that the delay might have been lengthened by some rider's "self-evacuation" didn't help the cause, I warrant you that.

In fact, I thought he was in danger of being Kruesi-fied.  ('Memba that fella?)

That's why I felt it might lift our collective spirits to hear a positive piece of CTA feedback...to get at least a bit of the warm fuzzies about service gone right. Check out this kind letter about No.151-Sheridan and No.124-Navy Pier service from a rider who lives in a Oswego. 

He said he has been treated nothing but nice as a result of foot surgery that required him to use crutches:

"Every driver has gone out of their way to make sure I got on and off the bus safely. Several have gotten out of their seat to assist me, and one grabbed me by the belt when I lost my balance getting off the bus, or I would have fallen out. I have also observed the drivers making sure that other passengers got off at the correct stop. Since I sit in the seat closet to the driver, I have often engaged in conversations with them, and have found that they are personable and friendly. Driving those huge buses in downtown rush hour traffic seems to be very stressful, but the drivers always seemed to remain calm and in control."

Awwww, isn't that sweet?  Bask in the glow of it for a few minutes.  Because the rest of what I've got cooking in the "Going Public" inbox ain't warm or fuzzy in the least.  Stay tuned...

Posted April 15, 11:47 a.m

Posted April 15, 11:27 a.m

A Wicker Park rider, Jim O'Brien, asked me to give him a call at work to talk about his experience in a train behind the one that stalled near the Clark and Lake stop early this morning. O'Brien, who said he got to the Damen station at 7:50 a.m. and arrived at work at 10 a.m. due to the Blue Line bottleneck, said the mood on the train, and even during the eventual evacuation, was relatively calm, but he raised some interesting points that tend to crop up during these events. I plan to ask the CTA about this, but here goes:

(1) Evacuation Route: O'Brien said as he and others walked on a narrow, approximately two-foot catwalk out of the train, he saw a door to the street that he felt could have been used.

(2) Unclear Communications: He also said (and how tired are we of this?) that the operator's initial instructions were garbled and unclear, though he said CTA workers did come by and give direct instructions on how to get out later in the ordeal.

(3) Lowered Expectations O'Brien attributed some of the calm to resignation that these snafus will happen on the CTA. We all know that incidents will occur with the CTA operating so many trains and buses, many of which are aging and in need of replacement, but it's sad to hear that some riders appeared completely unsurprised by this big honking deal. Stay posted, as I try to find out what's up with some of these issues.

Posted April 15, 10:59 a.m

"Going Public" is talking to riders who were stuck on the Blue Line this morning, either on or behind the stopped train. Were you there today? Or were you otherwise inconvenienced by this event? How did the CTA communicate with you about the incident.  Tell me about it, and keep checking in for updates about this event.

Posted April 2, 3:33 p.m

'Memba last week when I mentioned an incident on March 26 in which a rider, Leigh Parker, boarded a southbound Red Line train at Bryn Mawr only to sit in a dark car all the way to the Loop? 

Well, the CTA got back to me about the incident which they had been trying to track down without a run number, and here's what one of their spokesfolks, Sheila Gregory, had to say.  (Resist the urge to look at your calendar and/or watch.  Yes, it is a week later, but we have to give them points for unearthing and dealing with this issue.)  Here's your official Mass Transit Mea Culpa, plus a rather intricate explanation of what happened.

First off, we would like to apologize to the passengers riding in the last four cars of the train. It should not have been allowed to enter the subway without working interior lights. If the interior lights couldn’t be restored quickly, then customers should have been asked to either board another train at Fullerton, or move into the cars in front where the interior lights were working.

After checking with our rail operations staff, it was found that the interior lights were on in the first four cars and not on in the last four cars of this train. The problem occurred because of the way the train was configured – it had been operating as a four car train, and then another four car train was added for the morning rush. The lights should have come on automatically when the last four cars were added, but a problem with the electrical relay prevented the lights from coming on in the last four cars.

A passenger advised the operator via the passenger intercom unit. The operator tried to correct the problem but was unable to restore the lights. A supervisor was dispatched to intercept the train and was able to restore the interior lights on the last four cars, unfortunately the fix did not occur until after the train exited the subway.

Any other CTA mysteries you want to get to the bottom of?  Got questions on another kind of public transit protocol (dark station, medical emergency on a train) or are you wondering about how you saw a CTA emergency handled?

Posted April 1, 4:41 p.m

On Facebook, I once wanted to add a potentially promising application called "Oh No You Didn't," that allows you to call out your buds on foolish actions online and in real life.  I changed my mind once I saw the accompanying illustration with some attitudinal, seemingly black woman with a 'do rag on her head and her finger wagging in the air.  If you are familliar with my other column that runs in the RedEye on alternating Fridays, you know I don't go for that.

But that stereotypical siren, or at least her "oh-no-you-didn't" might be needed in response to this ignorance observed on a Red Line train, as reported by a rider who goes by Burkay:

Among my friends, I am usually the most appreciative of CTA's service. I always argue that instead of complaining all the time we should help CTA personnel to improve the service by keeping the cars clean, etc. However, today something that even I cannot forgive happened on the Red Line. Shortly after we stopped at one of the subway stations (I believe it was Chicago and St), the operator made this announcement: "People in front of the third car. Get your asses into the train." First, I thought I must have misheard, but after a quick exchange with the other riders on the car we all came to the sad realization that the operator actually used that expression. (I might be wrong about the exact wording for the speakers of CTA trains are not famous for their high quality sound).

My intention is not to point fingers to anyone specific, therefore I will not disclose the run number of the train. However, I am really disappointed of CTA as an institution. They should educate their personnel about the proper ways of addressing the customers, and they should do it now. Modernizing stations and buses is all but futile when there are people in CTA to whom even the basics of social interaction are completely unknown. And Kyra, we CTA riders really appreciate what you are doing.

First, thanks to Burkay for letting us know about this. Second, what on earth is going on if Burkay's interpretation of the announcement is accurate? It may be annoying to watch riders mill about by the doors and not allow each other onboard or offboard, but to curse at them? Ridiculous.  Maybe this was some April Fools joke gone goofy...

Either way, it begs the question: Have you observed any outrageous behavior such as this by riders, rail/bus operators? Let's give them an "oh-no-you-didn't," sans head scarf and stereotypical salutation.

Posted March 31 5:20 p.m

So I just got this little self-congratulatory press release from the CTA saying that the Brown Line reverse three-tracking-- one-tracking on southbound tracks did not create major Brown bottlenecking. The first day of southbound three-track operation at the Belmont and Fullerton stations went well and there were no major service disruptions.

Throughout the morning rush, Red, Brown and Purple Express trains operated as scheduled without any major delays. During the rush period, the travel time for a southbound Red Line trip from Wilson to the Loop averaged only three minutes longer than normal. Brown Line trips averaged five minutes longer from Irving Park to the Loop.

Read the whole release if you care for more details. 

The CTA certainly seemed to have enough personnel on hand for transit troubleshooting. During an ride this afternoon from Belmont to Francisco, I noted that along with hordes of Cubs fans headed to Wrigleyville, there were a lot of green-coated CTA staffers bustling about. The ride was relatively smooth, with the exception of one 5-minute "standing, waiting for signals ahead," and an excessively loud cell yeller bemoaning some lost money.

Admittedly, I wasn't traveling during rush crush, so you let me know: Was your commute adversely affected or did it go fairly smoothly, considering a $530-million construction project is going on?  How was the evening run?  Let me know, or ask any questions you want, and I'll try to get answers for you.

Posted March 31 3:40 p.m

Posted by Guest Blogger: Tracy Swartz, Word-Lord from another RedEye blog at redeyechicago.com/wordonthestreet

After a somewhat-stressful weekend of bridesmaid duties in Florida, I was feeling euphoric when my plane landed early at O'Hare Saturday.

I was on a mission: Get downtown before 6 p.m. to pick up my packet for the Shamrock Shuffle. So I was feeling good when I got on a train at about 3:50. Plenty of time, I thought.

Wrong. Before getting off the plane, I didn't even think to check if the Blue Line was undergoing reconstruction. No surprise -- sections of the Blue Line were being made over. Lucky me.

I travelled two stops on the Blue Line to Cumberland before I was forced to detrain and take the Blue Line shuttle. The shuttle ride was free, CTA workers proclaimed, as I made my way on the crowded bus, luggage and celery-colored dress in hand.

Posted March 31 3:33 p.m

So I descended gingerly into the Grand/State Red Line station today when it hit me like a ton of bricks: How hideous is that stop right now? Perhaps I'm prejudiced because I had the misfortune of going through it on a day that was rainy and nasty to start with. It doesn't help the cause that the stairs are practically mini-mud puddles.

CDOT is working on a renovation, which you can get  more details about on the City Department of Transportation Web site, but I still have to say it: it's outrageously ugly right now.

I felt sort of depressed looking at the drab, stripped walls; wooden planks on the platforms; and abject darkness. While waiting for a northbound train, I looked across and saw a movie poster for "The Ruins." It occurred to me that the movie title was an apt description of the dungeon that is Grand right now.

Does Grand make you feel not so grand? If you could, what additions would you make to this station?

Posted March 26- 2:40 p.m

So, if you're just tuning into my blog, which I hope you aren't, I am trying to get to the bottom of a car on the Red Line this morning that lost its lighting and proceeded into the tunnel for a pitch-black experience for riders. 

A dutiful rider reported this "ride on the dark side" this morning, and we're digging into what the heck happened.  Still waiting for the CTA to get back to me, but in the interim, I hit up my peepz at the union that represents CTA rail operators and mechanics.

The union's president, Rick Harris, said the dark-car phenomenon seems to happen most on the 2600 Series of railcars, and are typically caused by the following factors:

(1) Train leaving the third rail

(2) Batteries low, similar to with your own personal car

(3) Motor alternator problem

Typically, only one car will be affected. In cases of a total blackout, it is because the CTA has shut off power to the track in event of an emergency, Harris said.

Hmmm...interesting. Well, stay tuned for more of this CTA saga.

Posted March 26- 12:32p.m

Apparently, a Red Line rider took a trip to the dark side today.

Leigh Parker asked "Going Public" to get to the bottom of why it was "lights out" on her train early this morning, and I've put in a call to the CTA to get the skinny. Here's the note from Parker:

"This morning, the Southbound Red Line Train (stopped at 7:45am at the Bryn Mawr location) had no lights on its cars. This was not a problem on the elevated tracks as today was a sunny day, however, once we descended into the subway, this lack of lighting caused a safety concern. Nothing was done about it and nothing was announced. The train was exceptionally dark when passing the closed Washington station and several passengers, including myself, got noticably uncomfortable. This type of equipment failure is unacceptable and it leaves us to wonder what's being done about it, if anything? I found it a bit ironic when the "safety" announcement was played. If our safety is such a concern, I am curious as to why we were all riding in the dark this morning where anything could have happened."

Was anyone else aboard the light-less "L" train this morning? I'm going to call my rail operation contacts on this one too, so we can figure out what the heck happened. I'll also update you when/if I get an answer from the CTA.

Tell me about your weirdest commute. Did you get stuck in a station with no lights? Were you ever trapped on a train car? Spill, I'm listening.