2600-series Cars

 

Car 2635, brand new, trails a four-car Douglas-Milwaukee "B" train at Damen on December 1, 1982. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Doug Grotjahn, Collection of Joe Testagrose)

 

Specifications:

Built by: Budd Company/Transit America
Year: 1981-1987
Length: 48'-0"
Width at Floor: 8'-8"
Width at Windows: 9'-4"
Height over Roof: 12'-0"
Trucks: Wegmann
Truck centers: 33'-8"
Truck wheelbase: 78"
Coupler: #1 end / #2 end: Form 5 / tubular
Wheel diameter: 28"

Seats:

.

A-43 B-49 (as-built)

A-45 B-46 (after mid-life rehab) *
Weight (w/o passengers): 54,140 lb.
Motors per car 4 GE1262A1 @ 110hp
Free speed: 55 mph

* Cars rebuilt by Alstom in 1999-2002

 

History:

In the early 1980s, with access to more federal funds as well as capital generated by the newly formed RTA, the CTA® decided the time was right to catch up in the replacement of its rapidly aging rolling stock. Initially the order was to be for 300 cars, but it was ultimately increased to 600 (300 married-pairs ). The prospect for an order this big attracted a number of bidders and Boeing-Vertol (manufacturer of the previous series) seemed a shoe-in, but surprisingly the winning bid came from Budd. The design was largely unchanged. The interior space was slightly increased without changing the overall design of the car. This large series of cars, the most of any one type of car with the exception of the 6000-series, makes up a sizable portion of the CTA's rolling stock. With the completion of the order, Transit America (the name Budd had since changed to) retired from car building.

The shortcomings of this series became evident when about 300 went out of service during the Blizzard of '99. Most notably, the undercarriage of the car was such that light snow could be sucked into the ventilation and electrical systems -- obviously a potentially-harmful situation -- making the cars susceptible to breakdown in poor weather.

Luckily, the CTA® had already launched a mid-life overhaul of the 2600-series cars in 1998 to ensure a service life of up to 30 years for each rail car. Over four years, Alstom Transportation, Inc. of Hornell, New York has continuously rehabbed the cars, delivering them at a rate of 10 to 14 per month, with up to 42 cars off CTA® property at any given time. The first rehabbed cars began appearing in service on the Red, Blue and Purple Lines in March 1999.

Car 3018, a typical rehabbed 2600-series unit, brings up the rear on an O'Hare-bound Blue Line train at California on September 3, 2001. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
Under the terms of the initial $169 million contract, 284 of the 598 2600-series cars were sent in for mid-life rehabilitation. An option in the contract allowed for the rehab of the remaining 314 cars and was eventually exercised. The project was originally projected to be completed in Fall 2003, but thanks to efficiency and expediency, the overhaul was finished in October 2002, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

The overhaul included rebuilding the traction motors, installing new armatures, replacing the original air-cooled motor alternator systems with state-of-the-art inverters (which operate without rotating parts and are enclosed in sealed boxes), and new stainless steel control boxes for the heating, lighting and air conditioning controls. These changes will correct the problem of wind-blown snow and contaminants getting into the electrical system, which was the cause of the 2600s' failure during the Blizzard of '99. During the winter of 2001-02, the rehabbed railcars already returned to the system performed exceptionally well, experiencing a more than 300 percent improvement in performance.

Additional changes included upgraded door systems, installation of new microprocessor-controlled propulsion, cab signal and auxiliary power systems, remanufactured side door controls, full-width cabs for one person operation, installation of high-voltage cabling, new interior lighting, public address systems and air conditioning systems with air diffusers for greater air flow and cooling power, installation of cloth-upholstered seats, hopper windows that can be opened in the event of air conditioner failure, glass panels on windscreens to reduce drafts and improve passenger safety and comfort, and a new paint scheme. Actually, "paint scheme" is an inaccurate phrase since all the paint and decals were stripped off the cars. Left natural stainless steel and with their end caps painted gray to match, the cars' only decoration is now their car numbers and the CTA® logo on the side at the #1 end of each car. This was done to reduce maintenance and make the cars better blend in the with 3200-series (and 2200-series) cars, which have natural aluminum fluted side panels.

The last of 598 rehabbed 2600-series cars returned to Chicago on October 23, 2002, ready for service and armed with increased service life. CTA® President Frank Kruesi and bus and rail officials welcomed rehabbed cars to the Skokie Shops Heavy Maintenance Shop in a ceremony celebrating the completion of the $354.7 million overhaul program.

The 2003-2007 capital improvement plan includes FY 2003-2007 funding for the start up of a "C" overhaul for the 2600-series (as part of their three-quarters life mini-rehab).