Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

What We Know About the CTA's New 'L' Cars

By Tanveer Ali | February 11, 2016 5:41am
 These plans were what the CTA drew up for the 7000-series car, coming to
These plans were what the CTA drew up for the 7000-series car, coming to "L" tracks as early as 2019.
View Full Caption
CTA

CHICAGO — All of your responses on our app asking for your favorite place to ride on the "L" had us wondering about the status of the CTA's next generation of "L" cars.

In 2013, the CTA unveiled initial designs for the 7000-series CTA trains, a $2 billion project that would replace the agency's oldest train cars.

Unlike every other type of CTA train, that design was unusual because it was based on surveys from actual CTA riders, instead of being designed entirely in-house. The surveys took place largely due to some criticism over the "New York-style" seating of trains that now run on the Red, Purple, Green and Pink lines.

Initially slated to arrive in 2016, CTA officials say the trains won't come until 2019 at the earliest on lines still to be determined.

"The proposed configuration was created after careful study of existing design, passenger flow, capacity and customer surveys and is a hybrid of the best features from existing CTA rail cars," said CTA spokesman Jeffrey Tolman.

The CTA is soliciting bids for the project, after which the design will be finalized.

And once those trains start running, we will certainly ask you what's your favorite place to sit or stand on that train, too.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: