Slow Ride, Take It Easy

By Joanna Miller in News on May 1, 2006 7:17PM

Brown Line renovation continues to be a pain for riders, and now not just for those who live west of Western.

The CTA is warning passengers that Red, Purple and Brown Line trains may run at ultra-slow speeds between Armitage and Addison in the coming months. As in slower than usual; possibly a lot slower than usual.

The delays are a result of track improvements and new signal installations around the Fullerton and Belmont stations. One or two tracks will be temporarily out of service as this work is completed, according to CTA Interface Manager John Blum.

The CTA Tattler reports a 25-minute trip from Sheridan to Fullerton on the Red Line mid-day Saturday. That’s four stops, if you’re counting.

But the CTA says most work will be done at non-peak travel times and not when the Cubs are playing at home – as to minimize the amount of time commuters and drunken Cubs fans must share the same space.

Nevertheless, we recommend keeping your iPods fully charged and browsing Chicagoist book recommendations for some vital distraction material.

That, or start practicing your paper hat skills.

The Army Surplus Store is gone via Zesmerelda