Purple Line (Evanston, Sheridan, Davis: train, maps, rain)

[hank0604]

I'm interviewing for a job in Evanston on Monday, and I have a question about the purple line, since I have never ridden it.

Does the train only run from Linden to Howard, or does it go all the way downtown? The maps make it seem as though it runs downtown, just express. So when it's running express, which stops does it stop at, and which ones does it just fly right past?

I would be riding from North & Sedgwick north to Davis Street.

Thanks!

[brainiac138]

the purple line is express during rush periods, it runs express from Howard to Belmont and then runs the brown line route around the loop.

after it goes around the loop it makes stops until Belmont and runs express until Howard and then makes all stops to Linden.

[ERS-One]

During morning (5:20a-9:30a from Linden, 6:05a-10:15a from Loop) and evening (2:25p-6:30p from Linden, 3:15p-7:15p from Loop) rush hours runs express stopping at ALL purple line stops, including all stops between Linden and Howard. Outside of the hours listed above, the purple line runs only between Linden and Howard.

[Thepreacherswife]

Originally Posted by brainiac138

the purple line is express during rush periods, it runs express from Howard to Belmont and then runs the brown line route around the loop.

after it goes around the loop it makes stops until Belmont and runs express until Howard and then makes all stops to Linden.

Actually the CTA recently reversed the direction of the Purple line around the loop; now it goes clockwise like it used to (Brown goes ccw).

During baseball season inbound trips stop at Sheridan when there's a Cubs night game.

And don't be misled by the "express" part - there's so many slow zones on the outer tracks from Belmont to Howard that often you don't save much time over the Red Line on that same stretch.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Thepreacherswife

...And don't be misled by the "express" part - there's so many slow zones on the outer tracks from Belmont to Howard that often you don't save much time over the Red Line on that same stretch.

I do not agree.

I have made it between Belmont and Howard in like 15 minutes or so easily many times in either direction.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I do not agree.

I have made it between Belmont and Howard in like 15 minutes or so easily many times in either direction.

It's better now without the "three track operation". Granted, that didn't affect the Belmont to Howard stretch, but it definitely slowed the Purple Line from the Loop to Belmont. So if people got on both trains at Lake Street, I think the Red Line could have made better time to Howard during three-track. Especially considering the extra wait for the Purple Line, which doesn't run as frequently as the Red.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Thepreacherswife

During baseball season inbound trips stop at Sheridan when there's a Cubs night game.

Outbound too.

[hank0604]

So, would you recommend taking the Purple Line, or should I just take the UP-N Metra from Clybourn/Armitage?

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by hank0604

So, would you recommend taking the Purple Line, or should I just take the UP-N Metra from Clybourn/Armitage?

If you have the option...Metra no question..

That said, the Purple Line is still a pretty good way to go.

[brainiac138]

sorry for the wrong info there about the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, maybe the times I have ridden the Purple line it was re-routed.