The CTA Train System Is Spelled 'L,' AP Says, Bringing The Hammer Of Justice Down
By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 1, 2016 4:44PM
The Associated Press has taken an official stance on a simmering Chicago spelling dispute: Chicago's elevated train system is called the L, according to the just-released 2016 AP Style Book. It is not called the El. This is literally specified in its entry on page 155 (Robert Feder has a screenshot.)
The Chicago Transit Authority already calls the L the L, so that spelling has had a bit more muscle on its side anyway. In fact, it's always been L, since the advent of the elevated lines in 1892, according to CTA spokesman Jeff Tolman, and "after the CTA was formed in 1947, we continued with the usage of L." Now, given the update from the AP, it's even more official.
The AP updates its stylebook by committee, Slate reported in 2010. The committee usually involves 3 to 7 people, and deliberations can take years. They also occasionally get retracted if people hate them enough, according to Slate—so if you're an 'El' loyalist, there's still hope for you.
But also, why are you an 'El' loyalist? Find a hobby! Knit!