CTA L Blue Flag - what does it mean?

[Tadman]

Today I saw a group of 5000's rocket around the loop with blue flags flying. Usually this means "do not move equipment until the person who placed this flag removes it". Obviously not the case here. What gives?

[CarterB]

Maybe they're "Blue State Specials" in honor of the Democrats who control Chicago?

[dinwitty]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/1 ... 01970.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

maybe this....

[HammerJack]

Maybe they're "Blue State Specials" in honor of the Democrats who control Chicago?

What's a Democrat's favorite CTA line? The Blue Line! Haha

Anyway, CTA ran a farewell special of the 2400 series cars on 01.21.15. It made a few runs throughout the system, including some trips around the loop. Maybe you saw something related to this special? Perhaps not, since you said the flags were on a 5000. Anyway, here is the link....

http://www.transitchicago.com/2400farewell/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[orangeline]

What's a Democrat's favorite CTA line? The Blue Line! Haha

And yet, the busiest route in the rail system is the Red Line! Go figure!

[Milwaukee_F40C]

...CTA ran a farewell special of the 2400 series cars...

Link says they're adding 2400s to the "historic fleet". A new historic fleet, starting with those? And they couldn't have kept an extra pair of 2200s around? That's quite a gap of history between the 4000s and 2400s.

At least museums around here have real representative historic fleets. But I'm disappointed that the only complete pair of 2200 Budds will probably be the one at IRM. So it is kind of a nutkick that CTA is saying they will keep extra 2400 Boeings around.

[Tadman]

There may be other things at play - the 2400's have been work motors for the last ten years, perhaps that's why their keeping a few around, for work duty.

[Milwaukee_F40C]

Well they did mention the "two dozen" work motors separately. I bet those will last at least as long as the 3200s are still around. Maybe even in revenue service sometimes.

The article makes me think they might keep some other 2400s sitting around too, in CTA's "historic fleet". Historic defined loosely.