Photos: The CTA Is Running A Rainbow Train For Pride Weekend & It Looks Amazing
By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 23, 2017 4:11PM
CTA
The annual Pride Parade is just around the corner, and god love 'em, the CTA is getting into the rainbow-striped spirit too.
Throughout Pride weekend a rainbow-flag-wrapped train car will run along the Red Line, in all its prideful glory. The photos look fantastic. Maybe we could just keep it past the weekend? Please?
We’re showing some pride this year with four ‘L’ cars wrapped in the rainbow flag—look for 'em on the Red Line! #RideWithPride #Pride2017 pic.twitter.com/euFrFAqwqe
— cta (@cta) June 23, 2017
.@CTA is showing its #Pride this weekend! Four 'L' cars in rainbow colors will run on the Red Line to celebrate #Pride2017 #ChicagoisOne pic.twitter.com/UvDiiprrnd
— Mayor Rahm Emanuel (@ChicagosMayor) June 23, 2017
The CTA is walking the walk, too, by taking some appreciated practical steps to celebrate Pride: additional train service, with more trains running on certain lines and longer trains also in operation on Sunday. The Pride Parade kicks off at noon on Sunday, at the corner of Montrose and Broadway, snaking southeast to the endpoint at Diversey and Sheridan. (Check out the map here.)
The 2017 Chicago Pride Parade will step off at noon from Montrose/Broadway and wind its way south via Broadway, Halsted, Belmont, Broadway, Diversey and disband on the west half of Cannon Drive to Fullerton Parkway. In addition, during the parade, reroutes along nine bus routes and several road closures will be in effect.
Red Line: From 9 a.m. until 7 p.m., service runs more frequently.
Brown Line: Longer trains from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Service runs more frequently from approximately 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Blue Line: Longer trains from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Orange Line: Longer trains from 5 a.m. until 6 p.m
There will be extra bus service, as well. The Fullerton #74 bus will run more often between 10:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. And the Belmont #77 and Montrose #78 routes will have more frequent service throughout much of the day, from roughly 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. There's a handful of bus reroutes and street closures that you can find out more about here.
If you do take the train, here's hoping the stars align and you catch the rainbow ride. And if you're a straight ally planning on attending, allow us to recommend some reading material for the ride over.
Check back next week for photos and recaps of the parade.