Fundraiser Lets You Ride The Rails On The CTA

By Kevin Robinson in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 16, 2010 4:40PM

The Illinois Rail Museum will host a fundraiser Sunday, March 28, with a chartered ride on nearly every rail line of the CTA, as well as "non-revenue" lines and rail yards, on a four car train of 2200-series cars built by Budd, the oldest CTA cars in service. (Just like riding the Blue Line to work!) Those cars are scheduled for retirement, to be replaced by 5000-series cars. The event, which costs $42 a ticket, will raise funds to pay for indoor storage of the IRM's cream-and-green 2000 series L cars from the 1960s.

The trip departs at 9 a.m. from the Rosemont Blue Line station, and will run about nine hours. According to the IRM, "riders may also board at Rosemont southbound at approximately 9:20am, Jefferson Park station (4917 N. Milwaukee Ave.) at approximately 9:35am, or Clark/Lake station (124 W. Lake Street) at approximately 10:05am; to board train at these alternate Blue Line stations, hold up ticket in plain view of motorman and excursion crew."

Tickets are $42, and can be purchased through the Illinois Rail Museum website.