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2200-series Cars
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2200-series Cars
 Car 2218 trails a two-car West-South Route train at Homan on August 16, 1970, a year after delivery. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Joe Testagrose) |
Specifications:
Built by: Budd Company
Year: 1969
Length: 48'-0"
Width at Floor: 8'-8"
Width at Windows: 9'-4"
Height over Roof: 12'-0"
Trucks: Budd Pioneer III
Truck centers: 33'-8"
Truck wheelbase: 78"
Coupler: #1 end / #2 end: Form 5 / tubular
Wheel diameter: 28"
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Seats: |
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A-47 B-51 (as-built) |
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A-42 B-46 (after mid-life rehab) * |
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* Rebuilt by New York Rail Car in 1990-1992
History:
In March 1967, the City of Chicago started construction on two rapid transit extensions. One was in the median of the Dan Ryan Expressway from 18th Street to 95th Street and the other from Logan Square via the Kennedy Expressway median to Jefferson Park. The construction projects included 150 cars of the 2200-series designed and built by the Budd Company and funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of Chicago.
The City of Chicago was technically the grantee and, therefore, purchased the cars. The City hired consultants, including CTA®, who provided engineering assistance to prepare the car specifications and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, who prepared the esthetic details.
Planned as another generation in the High Performance Family started by the 2000-series cars, the 150 cars of the 2200-series were thus designed to be totally compatible with the earlier 2000-series cars. Though the cars were required to have a top speed capability of 70 mph, they were limited in operation to 55 mph, matching that of the 2000-series cars.
The esthetic features of the 2200-series cars included large windows, charcoal gray' seat coverings, beige window masks and gray wainscot panels, loop handles on the seats, and horizontal fluted stainless steel exterior sides. The air conditioning package is entirely under the car and used a system of ducts to distribute air more uniformly throughout the car. A motorman's cab that opened up for passenger use when not in service and a plain front end with only inserts of fiberglass for the windows and lights were additional innovations. Most striking on the exterior is the use of unpainted stainless steel instead of the painted aluminum that had been standard in Chicago designs for twenty years; this would not be repeated until the 3200-series cars nearly 25 years later. These were the last and are the only cars remaining with "blinker" doors, which turn inward as they open.
When compared with the 2000-series cars, the engineering differences in the car and electrical systems are insignificant. The trucks, however, were of a new type, the Budd Pioneer III. These cars have proven to be reliable performers, aggregating more average annual mileage than the 2000-series cars did in their first years.
The cars received their mid-life rehab in 1990-92, overhauled by the New York Rail Car Corporation, though the changes to the cars were not obvious nor monumental. The windows were retrofit with hopper windows along the top, which can open in case of air conditioning failure (not necessarily a rare occurrence). This also was not repeated until the 3200s, though they are now being installed in the retrofit 2600-series cars. The 2200s' cabs were also remodeled and are now only for crew use. Padded seats were replaced by fiberglass seat frames and inserts. Backlit advertising card racks were replaced with unlit solid panels, except for he ones in the bulkheads over the sidedoors. The loss of these lights were offset by the installation of ceiling-mounted fluorescent tubes just above the ad racks. Interior panels were also retrofit to match the appearance of more recent rail cars, such as the use of faux-wood grain panels on some wall surfaces and stainless steel door surrounds. Outside, external speakers were installed next to the sidedoors.
The 2200s are the oldest cars still in service. They spent all their lives on the Lake-Dan Ryan (where they were often paired with 2000s) and O'Hare-Congress-Douglas Lines. They are all now assigned to the Blue Line, but because their blinker doors can not accommodate a wheelchair, they must be trained with at least one 2600-series car in order to meet ADA compliance.
The CTA's® 2002-2006 Capital Improvement Plan includes the retirement and replacement of the 2200-series cars. The 2200-series rail cars have been in service for over 30 years, which is well beyond their 25 year design life. The condition of these vehicles is evidenced in the form of increased service failures and longer repair downtime, which results in decreased availability for service. The CTA® received Illinois FIRST funds to by up to 150 new rail cars, which would be sufficient to replace the 2200s. However, this would not provide for an increase in the CTA's fleet size which will be required when the Brown Line's capacity is expanded to include 8-car trains. The number of cars to be purchased will be determined by a 2002 assessment of future rail car procurement, schedule and maintenance requirements. The 2003-2007 capital improvement plan included FY 2003-2007 funding for the replacement of the 2200-series rail cars. However, when the new car procurement was delayed due to the decision to return to the drawing board and give the new cars AC propulsion, the 2200s got a reprieve. As a result of a revised schedule for replacement, the 2200-series rail cars will receive more heavy overhaul work so that the service life of these cars can be extended for a period of five to nine years. Examples of items to be replaced are control groups, air conditioning units, and truck assemblies including traction motors, brake calipers, and axle assemblies.
Beginning in spring 2004, the CTA® began to overhaul the 2200-series rail cars as part of a life-extending rehabilitation. The need to overhaul these cars and keep them in active service is brought on, in part, by not being able to take delivery of new cars until 2006 at the earliest. This will include rebuilding of all 2200-series trucks and control groups. The trucks will receive new wheels, rebuilt traction motors, rebuilt gearboxes and new cabling. A rebuilt truck provides passengers with a smoother and more reliable ride. Other work includes the upgrade and repair of electric couplers, doors and batteries.
Over the years several 2200s have been retired, typically due to damage from an accident. Although only 150 2200-series cars were made, cars 2351-52 are renumberings of existing cars. The fate of the retired cars is as follows:
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Car # |
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2257-2258 |
Unit removed from service after 2258 had a trolley block fire on the Congress Line between California and Western northbound on 1/15/97; car 2257 initially stored at Skokie Shops, then assigned to the CTA® Maintenance Training Facility (initially at Hawthorne, then later at IIT), then moved to Skokie Shops on an interim basis on 12/9/04, and finally moved to Linden Shops on 2/18/05; car 2258 removed from service due to severe damage resulting from the 1/15/97 fire, laid up at Desplaines Yard when scouts from Universal Studios saw it on a scouting trip for Mercury Rising, body sold by CTA® to studio and shipped to Hollywood where it was used in the filming for Mercury Rising, later modified with red and blue stripes to mimic a Los Angles Red Line train for another film, then used in Spiderman II. |
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2289-2290 |
Unit damaged in Loop accident on 2/4/77, authorized by CTA® for retirement on 12/21/82, held in storage as of 9/6/83, still on property as of 9/30/85, eventually scrapped. |
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2307-2308 |
Unit involved in accident at Addison on the Kennedy Extension in 1976; car 2307 renumbered 2351 and paired with car 2352 (originally car 2316) on 6/30/82; car 2308 severely damaged in Addison/Kennedy accident, authorized by CTA® for retirement on 12/21/82, held in storage as of 9/6/83, still on property as of 9/30/85, eventually scrapped. |
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2315-2316 |
Unit involved in accident (failed suicide attempt) at Chicago/Milwaukee in 11/77, with car 2315 suffering shattered passenger side motorcab windshield and a portion of the windshield frame was damaged, unit transferred to Skokie Shops for repairs; car 2315 damaged in fire in Skokie Shops yard that started on S-606 on 11/26/77, authorized by CTA® for retirement on 12/21/82, held in storage as of 9/6/83, still on property as of 9/30/85, eventually scrapped; car 2316 was renumbered 2352 and paired with 2351 (originally 2307) after mate was authorized for retirement (AFRed). |
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2341-2342 |
Unit involved in derailment at Cicero (Douglas) on 9/24/79; car 2341 converted to training car; car 2342 suffered damage in 9/24/79 accident, authorized by CTA® for retirement 12/21/82, held in storage as of 9/6/83, still on property as of 9/30/85, eventually scrapped |
Excerpts from this car history are from Chicago's Rapid Transit, Volume II: Rolling Stock 1947-1976 by the Central Electric Railfans Association. Copyright 1976, CERA. All right reserved.
