CTA Red-Purple Bypass

Slow ride through the new alignment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOtxtDP ... ernization

CTA’s Red Purple Bypass Is Now Open, Ready For Riders – CBS Chicago - the newscaster claimed that this is the first new permanent "mainline" track in 28 years.

Home pages:
Red and Purple Modernization Program - CTA
CTA Red & Purple Modernization: Red-Purple Bypass Project - CTA

CGI videos of the bypass and trains on it:
0 RPB Master 2020 10 08 No Titles - YouTube
CTA Proposed Red-Purple Bypass: Track Level View - YouTube
CTA Proposed Red-Purple Bypass: Street Level View - YouTube

We may laugh at the statement that train crowding will get eliminated ?? Does anyone know how many persons have avoided the Red, purple. and Brown lines during rush hour that will now use it. That is when C-19 reductions in travel end.

lpetrich wrote: ↑Fri Nov 19, 2021 10:40 pmCTA’s Red Purple Bypass Is Now Open, Ready For Riders – CBS Chicago - the newscaster claimed that this is the first new permanent "mainline" track in 28 years.

1993 saw the introduction of the Orange Line to Midway in October and the Red Line connection from State St to Dan Ryan (bypassing the elevated segment) in February. The previous gap was 9 years back to 1984 Blue Line to O'Hare (1983 to Rosemont). Then back to 1970 ...

Chicago will not be waiting 28 years for the next revenue track - the big project being the Red Line Extension to 130th St.

The flyover could be counted as a "track realignment" but it is a big enough addition to deserve a note, even if it doesn't change the map.

BTW: The last major change to the system was the removal of tracks to Jackson Park in 1996 and introducing the Pink Line in 2006 (over existing tracks).

An interesting couple months in Chicago area railroading. The CTA completes the flyover (finally), the OHare People Mover goes back into service (finally!), and Amtrak hits 90 mph routinely on the Lincoln Service (one final "finally!").