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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: 1969-70
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:. |
A-47 B-51 (as-built) |
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A-42 B-46 (after mid-life rehab) * |
* Rebuilt by New York Rail Car in 1990-1992
+ The propulsion package, while capable of higher speeds, is limited by the logic of the car controls and the external signal system.
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 aesthetic details of the cars to harmonize with their modernist stations on the Dan Ryan and Kennedy extensions.
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 aesthetic 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 was 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 was 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 were 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.
Rehabs and Overhauls
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 could open in case of air conditioning failure. The provision of hopper windows also was not repeated until the 3200s, though they were later installed in the retrofit 2600-series cars and were included in the later 5000-series cars. The 2200s' cabs were also remodeled and were changed to be 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 the 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 CTA's 2002-2006 Capital Improvement Plan included the retirement and replacement of the 2200-series cars. The 2200-series railcars had been in service for over 30 years at that point, which was well beyond their 25 year design life. The condition of these vehicles was evidenced in the form of increased service failures and longer repair downtime, which resulted in decreased availability for service. The CTA received Illinois FIRST program funds to by up to 150 new rail cars, which would be sufficient to replace the 2200s. However, this did not provide for an increase in the CTA's fleet size which was required when the Brown Line's capacity was expanded to include 8-car trains in 2009, so the life of the 2200-series cars needed to be extended until additional funds could be identified to cover both replacement and fleet expansion. 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 (what would eventually become the 5000-series cars), the 2200s got a reprieve. As a result of a revised schedule for replacement, the 2200-series rail cars received more heavy overhaul work so that the service life of these cars was extended for a period of five to nine years. Examples of items that were 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. (In fact, the prototype 5000-series cars did not arrive until 2009, and the production cars did not go into service until 2011.) The overhaul included rebuilding of all 2200-series cars' trucks and control groups. The trucks received new wheels, rebuilt traction motors, rebuilt gearboxes and new cabling. A rebuilt truck provides passengers with a smoother and more reliable ride. Other work included the upgrade and repair of electric couplers, doors and batteries.
Service History
The 2200-series cars are somewhat unique in that, unlike the railcars of most other series that have moved around to various line over the course of their service lives, the 2200s have only been assigned to a few routes during their 40-plus year careers. Furthermore, some cars have spent their entire service life on a single route, a very unusual situation for "L" cars.
The cars were purchased to provide service on the Dan Ryan Line and the Kennedy Extension when those system expansions opened, and so were assigned to those lines and the lines they were through-routed with -- the West-South Route (Lake-Dan Ryan) and West-Northwest Route (Milwaukee-Congress-Douglas), respectively. On the Lake-Dan Ryan, they were commonly run in mixed consists with the 2000-series cars (they were designed to be compatible, both part of the High-Performance Family of cars); the 2000s were repainted in a paint scheme conceived of by Sundberg-Ferar, with the body and roof painted platinum silver and a charcoal black band through the windows to de-emphasize the two series' different window heights to make the cars harmonize visually. On the West-Northwest Route, the 2200s were operated in solid trains, as the other cars assigned to the route -- the PCC 6000-series cars -- were not compatible.
The cars remained split between the West-South Route and West-Northwest routes for about 13 years. The exact split between the lines fluctuated over the years, but generally speaking about two-thirds were assigned to the West-Northwest Route (typically around 80-96 cars), and the remaining third were on the West-South during the early 1970s. One exception was during the winter of 1972-73, when all of the cars were moved to the West-South Route to receive modification work; an equal number of 2000-series cars were temporarily moved to the West-Northwest Route for the winter to make up the difference. Starting in the mid-1970s the split became more even, and by 1980 the balance had flipped in the other direction -- 104 were assigned to the West-South and the remainder were on the West-Northwest, their place having been taken by 70 of the then-new 2400-series cars.
In the early 1980s, with the continuing retirement of the older 6000-series cars and the arrival of the new 2600-series cars, CTA began shifting the car assignments. The 2400s were taken off the West-Northwest Route, with most going to the West-South. The 2200s were sent back to the West-Northwest, along with some of the new 2600s. By the summer of 1983, all of the 2200-series cars (which totalled 144 cars at that point, some already having been retired due to damage from accidents) were assigned to the West-Northwest Route. Throughout 13 years of shifting the cars between the two routes, several cars numbered in the 2300s remained on the West-Northwest Route, and would remain on that route (or its later incarnations) their entire lives.
By the summer of 1987, the last of the 6000-series cars were removed from the West-Northwest Route, leaving just 2200s and 2600s on the line. The 2200s and 2600s would frequently operate in mixed consists on the route, which was renamed the Blue Line in 1993. With the exception of a period of 1993-96 when a few 5-50 series cars were assigned to the Blue Line (but which were there largely for work train service and saw limited passenger service), this would remain the cars' service environment for the remainder of their lives.
Following the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the 2200-series cars were required to be paired with at least one 2600-series car in each train to maintain accessibility on every train, since the 2200-series cars' folding blinker doors could not accommodate a wheelchair, nor was there a space inside a 2200-series car for a wheelchair to be safely positioned out of the aisle or doorway. CTA's preference was to "belly" the 2200s -- to have them in the middle of the consists rather than on the ends -- though various factors did not always allow this to be the case.
In 2006, the Douglas branch (by then called Cermak branch) of the Blue Line was split off and operated as its own route to the Loop, the Pink Line. Some rush period Blue Line service over the Cermak branch was maintained through 2008. Of the 44 cars required for Pink Line service, half assigned were the first 2200-series cars, cars 2201-2222. Practically speaking, some of these 2200s still travelled to the O'Hare branch on the rush hour O'Hare-54th trips, and some 2200s assigned to the Blue Line did the opposite, travelling to the Cermak branch during rush. After the rush period O'Hare-54th trips were discontinued in 2008, all of the 2200s were again assigned to the Blue Line, where they remained until retirement.
Retirement
The 2200s are the oldest cars currently in "L" service. Reaching 43 years of service before the series' retirement began, the 2200-series is first series of cars that were used in daily service that are over 40 years old since the 4000-series cars on the Lake Street Line. (While the 4000s continued to be used for several more years, with some cars eventually reaching 49 years of service, their use was limited to rush hour service in their final years.)
While some 2200-series cars were retired as early as the 1970s, just a few years into their service lives, due to accidents or other mishaps, 144 of the 150 cars built remained in service into the 21st century. Retirement of the cars did not begin in earnest until 2010.
In October 2010, four 2200-series cars -- 2291-2292 and 2329-2330 -- were moved from the active roster to the long-term hold list to provide a pool of parts for the rest of the 2200-series fleet. By June 2011, the four cars were off the car roster entirely, and were scrapped in 2012.
With the delivery of production units of the new 5000-series cars beginning in 2011, and accelerating in 2012, the remaining 2200-series cars began to be retired and scrapped. Belson Steel Center Scrap, Inc. of Bourbonnais, Illinois won the contract to scrap the first set of cars that were retired in 2012. The units were taken to Chicago Heights Processing, which is owned by Belson, for scrapping to be performed. In addition, three cars were sold to the US government for training purposes and sent to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin.
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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| 2201-2202 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2201 sent on 8/14/2012, car 2202 sent on 8/13/2012 |
| 2203-2204 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; car 2203 scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility, sent on 3/13/13; car 2204 stored at Skokie Shops yard awaiting scrapping |
| 2205-2206 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2205 sent on 6/29/2012, car 2206 sent on 7/2/2012 |
| 2207-2208 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 5/26/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2207 sent on 8/1/2012, car 2208 sent on 8/3/2012 |
| 2213-2214 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2213 sent on 2/8/13, car 2214 sent on 2/11/13 |
| 2215-2216 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 5/26/2012; stored at Skokie Shops yard awaiting scrapping |
| 2225-2226 | Car 2225 status unknown ???; car 2226 scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility on 4/25/2012 |
| 2231-2232 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; sold to the US government and sent to Fort McCoy, WI for training purposes -- car 2231 listed as "scrapped" on 2/1/2012 and car 2232 on 1/31/2012, but unit remained on roster under long-term hold list until 5/10/2012 |
| 2233-2234 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; stored at Rosemont Yard yard awaiting scrapping |
| 2241-2242 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2241 sent on 3/11/13, car 2242 sent on 3/12/13 |
| 2245-2246 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 5/26/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2245 sent on 5/25/2012, car 2246 sent on 5/30/2012 |
| 2247-2248 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/22/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2247 sent on 7/24/2012, car 2248 sent on 7/23/2012 |
| 2251-2252 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 5/26/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2251 sent on 8/6/2012, car 2252 sent on 1/16/2013 |
| 2253-2254 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2012, stored at Skokie Shops yard awaiting scrapping |
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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 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, then moved to Linden Shops on 2/18/05, car scrapped on 4/21/2011; 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 on 6/25/97 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, subsequently used in Spiderman II and other features. |
| 2265-2266 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/22/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2265 sent on 6/27/2012, car 2266 sent on 6/28/2012 |
| 2269-2270 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/22/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2269 sent on 7/27/2012, car 2270 sent on 7/26/2012 |
| 2273-2274 | Unit transferred from Rosemont Yard to Skokie Shops yard overnight on 4/3-4/13, then from Skokie Shops to 61st Yard overnight on 4/18-19/03; converted to switchmen's locker room/breakroom for temporary reactivation of 61st Yard during Red Line South Reconstruction Project. |
| 2275-2276 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; car 2275 sold to the US government and sent to Fort McCoy, WI for training purposes, listed as "scrapped" on 2/2/2012, but remained on roster under long-term hold list until 5/10/2012; car 2276 scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility, sent on 5/14/2012 |
| 2277-2278 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 11/20/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2277 sent on 7/16/2012, car 2278 sent on 7/17/2012 |
| 2279-2280 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2012, scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2279 sent on 9/14/2012, car 2280 sent on 9/14/2012 |
| 2281-2282 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 1/10/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2281 sent on 6/25/2012, car 2282 sent on 6/22/2012 |
| 2283-2284 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 6/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2283 sent on 5/8/2012, car 2284 sent on 5/9/2012 |
| 2285-2286 | Unit scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2285 sent on 5/23/2012; car 2286 sent on 5/22/2012 |
| 2287-2288 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2287 sent on 7/5/2012, car 2288 sent on 7/6/2012 |
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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, scrapped on 7/22/86 at Pielet Brothers Scrap in McCook, IL |
| 2291-2292 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 10/10/2010 to provide a pool of parts for the rest of the 2200-series fleet; removed from the car roster by 6/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2291 sent on 5/4/2012; car 2292 sent on 5/3/2012 |
| 2293-2294 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; temporarily stored at Harlem Yard; transferred from Harlem Yard to Skokie Shops yard overnight on 3/27-28/13, awaiting scrapping |
| 2297-2298 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2297 sent on 7/30/2012, car 2298 sent on 7/31/2012 |
| 2299-2300 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2299 sent on 8/16/2012; car 2300 sent on 8/17/2012 |
| 2301-2302 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; transferred from Rosemont Yard to Skokie Shops yard overnight on 4/3-4/13, awaiting scrapping |
| 2305-2306 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2012; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2305 sent on 1/24/2013; car 2306 sent on 1/21/2013 |
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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, scrapped on 7/23/86 at Pielet Brothers Scrap in McCook, IL |
| 2311-2312 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; temporarily stored at Harlem Yard; transferred from Harlem Yard to Skokie Shops yard overnight on 3/27-28/13, awaiting scrapping |
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2315-2316 |
Unit involved in accident 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, scrapped on 7/23/86 at Pielet Brothers Scrap in McCook, IL; car 2316 was renumbered 2352 and paired with 2351 (originally 2307) after mate was authorized for retirement (AFRed). |
| 2321-2322 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; stored at Rosemont Yard yard awaiting scrapping |
| 2323-2324 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; stored at Rosemont Yard yard awaiting scrapping |
| 2325-2326 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 11/22/2010; removed from car roster by 6/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2325 sent on 5/2/2012, car 2326 sent on 4/25/2012 |
| 2329-2330 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 10/10/2010 to provide a pool of parts for the rest of the 2200-series fleet; removed from the car roster by 6/12/2011, scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2329 sent on 4/20/2012; car 2330 sent on 4/19/2012 |
| 2331-2332 | Unit scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2331 sent on 5/16/2012; car 2332 sent on 5/15/2012 |
| 2335-2336 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2335 sent on 4/18/2012, car 2336 sent on 4/18/2012 |
| 2337-2338 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 8/19/2012, stored at Skokie Shops yard awaiting scrapping |
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2341-2342 |
Unit involved in derailment at Cicero (Douglas) on 9/24/79; car 2341 converted to training car, scrapped on 6/27/2001; 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, scrapped on 7/22/86 at Pielet Brothers Scrap in McCook, IL |
| 2343-2344 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 2/7/13; stored at Rosemont Yard yard awaiting scrapping |
| 2349-2350 | Unit moved from active service to the long-term hold list on 12/12/2011; scrapped at Belson Steel Center Scrap's Chicago Heights Processing facility -- car 2349 sent on 1/17/2013; car 2350 sent on 1/18/2013 |
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.
