It's fantastic that the system is seeing a rejuvenation. I'm hopefull for some pipe drean stuff too. Like a possible yellow line extension. The ROW is pretty much there to do so

I always wondered what a reconstructed El would look like in Chicago; the system is one of the most unique in the world. The new station renders look awesome and even the temporary stops are done in a nice manner.

One thing I noticed are the raised concrete barriers. Between that and the new concrete base it ought to be a lot less noisy for the neighborhood. Good job CTA!

Bryn Mawr facts: Bryn Mawr station is named after Bryn Mawr Avenue of course, but Bryn Mawr Avenue was named in the 1880s by Edgewater developer John Lewis Cochran after Bryn Mawr station outside Philadelphia (now served by SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line) on what was then the PRR's Main Line, as John's hometown was Philadelphia. Thorndale in Chicago is also named for the Thorndale on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. And Berwyn was named after the station and community in Pennsylvania as well, also on the Paoli/Thorndale Line. Bryn Mawr, PA in turn was named after an estate near Dolgellau in Wales that belonged to Rowland Ellis, a Welsh Quaker who emigrated in 1686 to Pennsylvania to escape religious persecution. Bryn Mawr means "big hill" in Welsh.

Agree the old concrete viaducts needed replaced, but sad to see the last remnants of the old Milwaukee Road, north of Wilson, removed.

I'm excited about the Red Line extension to 130th as it's close to where I live, but I know this isn't what the video is about. This new structure up on what they used to call the north side main line seems quieter and makes for a smoother and more comfortable ride. And it seems much higher than the original structure.

That Orange Line shot was SO perfectly done! 🤣

This whole project is absolutely amazing. I have to compliment the CTA on this project because it is being done pretty much to schedule and within budget. Good project management is not very common on US transit systems. There have been no major delays and no ballooned costs as has been common in LA, NYC, and SF projects. We haven't had major equipment problems the way DC and Boston have had either. CTA project management has been consistently good. My favorite part of the L are the tracks between Sheridan and Wilson. That century old structure is beautiful and I love walking underneath it as trains roar overhead. I do get excited when a north and southbound Red Line and north and southbound Purple Line trains all pass over me at the same time. That kind of timing doesn't happen very often so it's cool when it does. I'll be sad when that section is replaced with modern structures. CTA may be the only agency in the US that is doing so much modernization on its system and that is impressive. Much of the system has been updated in the last 20 years. I can't wait for the new elevated mega-station at State & Lake. The new structures are great and the trains can run at speed now. There was something quirkily thrilling about the old tracks as the trains roared loudly over them and we were thoroughly jostled about in our seats on the old tracks. The new stations are the best part because they were old and dilapidated. There was nothing nice about those stations. That Wilson stop was disgusting and now it is thoroughly modern and beautiful. I do wish CTA could have joined Honolulu is pioneering platform screen doors in the US, but I'm happy with what we got and hopefully they can easily be installed on the new platforms in the future.

I lived in Chicago for 14 years. I miss riding the Red Line everyday.

The original plan was to build the new track pylons in the existing earthen embankment, but it was decided to remove it instead. The Northwestern "L" was elevated in 1914-1922 from Wilson to Howard, and an embankment was used instead of steel in order to support the heavier freight cars that used an outermost track to service coal companies on the North Side. The "L" had two electric freight locomotives, and the CTA inherited the freight service, which ended in 1973. There was a ground level connection to the Milwaukee RR at Wilson. All evidence of that is now gone.

I haven't been on the north side in over 12 years. I once was a motorman from Howard St. Seeing all the changes makes me feel OLD!

Cameo for the ex-Skokie Swift Brown Line cars, recognizable by the plates on top.

The thought of winter, especially in Chicago, makes me go “ugh”, too… but of course, I’ll more than likely be there sometime during early December or so, for Holiday Train time. ❤😅

One of the more interesting aspects of this project is that much fill held in place by retaining walls are also being taken out

Very interesting to see all these developments … haven’t been to Chicago in many years. Thanks for producing! 👍

I really enjoyed the video and learned so much about the modernization project. You certainly put a lot of research into your videos.

Enjoying the Catalpa exit at Bryn Mawr while it lasts!

Great job very informative, glad to see the L getting some upgrades and like you said that they could keep it going during this much-needed work. Thanks for sharing.

10 cars happening on the Red Line? They are really try to be like Japan

What a fantastic video! Gives me hope for American public transit!

I was actually in Chicago that same week and I checked out the RPM update on the Purple Line express the day before this was shot. Yeah I remember it being super hot those two days in a row. I had something going on in Evanston so I just saw it on the way there and coming back.

Hope one day you do a Collab with miles in transit and visit south Florida's transit system

EXCELLENT VIDEO! Very informative and researched. I've lived here my entire life and even I didn't know the extent of what CTA was doing.

So, CTA is thinking about doing the "NY MTA thing", running 10-car trains as opposed to 8. It seems doable given that most of the subway and el lines of the New York Transit Authority run 10-car trains with the exception of the BMT J, L, M and Z lines. The IRT 7 line to Flushing is unique in that it runs 11-car trains, especially during rush hour. It will be interesting to see if CTA can pull that off.

Cta 76th year happy late birthday CTA!!!!!!

12:18 Wow, that boogie looks so "streetcar-ish", it even has an electro-magnetic brake, a rare sight on the "big" (non-tramway) railroad equipment.

Very cool. Keep up the good work

Yeah I'm glad they're doing it. It's a long time coming. I remember writing that thing back in the early '90s and I still live in Chicago. It definitely needs upgrading those stations need to be renewed. They're going to make them all accessible.

Great video on update on cta red line

I enjoy the video👍👍

yessssss go cta!

Thanks for this video! I used to live in the city, Berwyn was my red line stop. I moved out to the Chicago burbs in early 2021, so I don't really get to see what they've been doing all this time!

Well researched!

Great video, to learn all the awesome changes taking place, and how well you keep up

This was extremely interesting since I just took the purple line Express from Belmont to Main Street (Evanston) yesterday!!! The close-up look at the temporary stations was so fascinating!!! Thank you so much for this update and interesting video!!! I’m so sorry it was so hot while you were here, please come back for a beautiful fall day in Chicago!!!

The bold red exterior of the temporary Bryn Mawr station reminds me of the cladding of the new Albula tunnel building site at Preda on the RhB \m/

I love the sound the train makes new tracks can’t wait to see how it is on the 7000 series in the future

This is fascinating to me, because the Red Line north is the L line I'm most familiar with. My mother grew up in Uptown near the Lawrence station, and my Aunt Hazel lived within eyeshot (and earshot) of Thorndale station. It's great to see the modernization happening to this line. Thanks for reporting! If they light up those bright red stations at night, they will probably attract the drunks who ride the L all night. 🤭

The temporary Argyle Station is built on the Argyle turnback track

Heated platforms 🤯 We don't even have those in Finland... Commuter trains often run late when it's snowy and you have to stand outside in the cold 🥶

The temporary station actually looks better than a lot of permanent stations... I'm hoping CTA renovate the red & blue line underground stations

12:54 love the subtle orange line slander (well deserves as the only lasting impact of that shutdown was the retirement of the old trains)

Elevated concrete structures never last as long as steel ones and cost more to maintain/patch once cracks start to appear and corrosion of rebar begins. I am surprised that the half that has been rebuilt doesn't have permanent half-station with rebar sticking out so the second half can be attached to it as the other 2 tracks are built. Curious on the sequencing of work if they will have to close the station while the temporary structure is torn down and permanment one built once all 4 tracks are there. (and if they are able to build half of permanent station on second half, how come they couldn't do same for first half such that when 2 halves are done, you have 1 fully completed permanent station.

Bryn Mawr is the closest station to my house

The temporary station be looking better than some permanent stations...

Love train geeky stuff like this!

So sad seeing you with a temporary CTA pass rather than a Ventra card! Hope you enjoyed your visit!

The Red Line is a work horse in the city. Aren't they also working on extending the Brown out to connect with the blue at Jefferson Park. The new CTA L system is going to be amazing. Just have to get the brown line running all day. So many damn nice bars that I have to uber to because it closes at night.

I LIVE IN CHICAGO

I don’t live or know anybody up north but I might ride the red line all the way to the new stations

I think that the hottest shade temperature I have ever been in on Earth,well obviously Earth as I haven't been to any other planet!,is 45c in Yerevan, Armenia a few years ago.

do the trains go any faster on ttge newly buiult lines.

Why does the red line include "in the direction of travel" when saying which side the doors open when it doesn't on the blue line (I don't know about the other lines I take the blue line most often)

the old steel viaducts used to scare the #2 out of me as trains would pass over.

L platforms are long enough for 8 trains max. So they're looking to create 10-car consists? Add to platform length, of course. But cynical me says they want longer trains to enable longer headways, longer waiting for the next train. Thats the MOST discouraging aspect of public transit.

Is sheridan getting a new station? It's long overdue

Another quality video, are you in some kind of a media job?

Your Uniqlo shirt is nice! Drying them after laundry is tricky though, any tips?

Did the CTA move to AC? The trains sound like they have a AC motors. When I was a kid, it was all DC. When that project is completed, those trains are going to move much faster. Are the new viaducts prefab or cast in place?

In the future they won't be able to build cheap temporary stations like this because they're not wheelchair accessible. They can justify it here since the original stations weren't anyway, but the new ones will be

0:38 why is part of the Blue Line ripped up?

But I'm not standing on Belmont 🤗

TOM YOUR MY FAV KZfaqR I WISH YOU COULD COME TO MY HOUSE!

I've always been curious about the modernization of the Chicago L and this video provides a nice insight into it. The modernization looks amazing, certainly better than what MBTA is doing lol. Hope you can cover the Blue Line modernization as well!

Nice, but WHAT IS THE SECRET CONTENT LOL

I have some ideas for The RPM Modernization that could work. 1: at certain stops they should add Ramps to the stops they're built at. In my opinion they should be built at Berwyn because of the many stores that are around the stop and buses that come from Downtown Chicago and Jefferson Park I think having an ramp alongside the elevator would be beneficial for everyone who uses the stop. Another place that should have a ramp is at Howard Street for obvious reasons. Like Berwyn Howard Street CTA Terminal is in the middle of a shopping district so there's a lot of people who uses shopping carts so having a ramp would help people to catch their train without having to wait for the elevator to come back down or having to climb the stairs while pulling up the heavy shopping cart up the stairs. Also being Howard Street CTA Terminal is a major CTA and Pace Interchange having a ramp would help with potential crowds. 2: At Main Street CTA Station the platform for the CTA Purple Line and the platform for The Metra Union Pacific North Line is so close that even when I was a kid I wondered why they never built a ramp/bridge between the platforms. Like it would be really convenient for people who want to transfer to The Metra or The CTA Purple Line and don't want to have to go down the stairs and go around the corner to get to the station they can use the ramp to do it. And there would be a employee who would make sure that people are paying the fares and everything.

Great video! I've got a drone and live in the area. Hit me up if you'd like some drone footage of the project for a future video.

Aqui linea morada seria el tren Low Cost AVLO, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mquDh5abt8uYlWQ.htmlsi=1Ojur4IjMOTR9-FJ&t=1 Madrid Barcelona 7€ aunque hay que comprar 3 semanas antes de viajar para conseguir esos precios.

10-car trains? I thought 8 was the magic number! At least, according to the Chinese.🎉 By the way, why a duct?🦆🥸