Blue Line UIC destination?

While driving on 90/94 this weekend I saw multiple Blue Line trains displaying a "UIC" destination sign. I didn't even know that the cars were equipped with those (and I thought I knew my CTA pretty well). I assume this is the equivalent of the Red Line's "Roosevelt" destination to allow short-turning. How often is this done on the Blue? Any particular/common reason why?

I've seen every other train turn. When capacity is needed between O'Hare and the loop there is no need to waste it on trains going to Forrest Park.

Since the latest timetable change (May 2013) every second train Saturdays and Sundays run O'Hare to UIC/Halsted during daytime. Train frequency has been increased and weekend trains run 4 car instead of 8. Monday to Fridays every second or third train during rush hours also run only to UIC/Halsted.

busfan2847 wrote:Train frequency has been increased and weekend trains run 4 car instead of 8.

It's about time. And there have been times when I've seen 8-car trains on Blue after midnight on weekends while driving home on I-290, which always made me scratch my head in amazement. Even when the weekend headways were 12-15 min. with almost every train running the full route length, it still made no sense (to me, anyway) to run 8-car trains between downtown and Forest Park when the ridership didn't justify it...

rosskin92 wrote:One of my classmates (former CTA worker) told me that the CTA would love to close things west of UIC-Halsted.... demand isnt as strong as the O'Hare part of the line.

CTA is studying a possible relocation and expansion of the Blue Line to Forest Park.
http://www.transitchicago.com/blueweststudy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's great to hear. Given the duplication of service provided by the mile-away-parallel green line, a retasking of the blue line would be interesting. It would also be interesting given the state of the I-290 Eisenhower Expressway, otherwise known as "a black hole" for traffic. A limited stop extension to I-294 with a large parking lot and connecting pace service would be amazing.