CTA's Ride the Rails: Blue Line to O'Hare Real-time (2019)

CTA Connections
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Published 2019-10-14
CTA's Ride the Rails Real-time Collection:    • CTA's Ride the Rails: Real-time (2019)  

CTA's Ride the Rails Time-lapse Collection:    • CTA's Ride the Rails: Time-lapse (2019)  

Ever wonder what it would be like to see Chicago as if you were a CTA train operator? In 2014, the Chicago Transit Authority released its most popular video series, “Ride the Rails,” a collection of videos highlighting CTA’s eight rail lines, each seen from the perspective of the rail operator. Since its release, “Ride the Rails” has garnered nearly 3 million views worldwide.

A lot has changed in five years: two new stations have been built (Washington-Wabash and Cermak-McCormick Place), two stations have been rebuilt (Wilson and 95th/Dan Ryan), and one station has been retired and demolished (Randolph/Wabash).

For the series’ 5th Anniversary, CTA is releasing an update to “Ride the Rails,” which you can view in both real-time and time-lapse versions. All eight lines have been recaptured from the operator’s perspective, this time in stunning 4K video. The CTA recorded the ride at various times of the day, including sunrise and sunset, and morning and evening rush hours. You’ll even learn facts about the CTA system in the real-time version.

So, hop aboard and enjoy the ride!
All Comments (21)
  • @jermainebrown8688
    As a native New Yorker who has rode every line on the MTA system, I can honestly say that those are some of the cleanest stations and tunnels I have ever seen 😂😂😂
  • @saakhutarrer9488
    Fun fact: if you turn on the captions for this video it shows fun facts about the blue line
  • @chrisfinch8637
    Early morning Blue Line commute? I love it. Especially at how you can see the sunrise from the cab’s point of view. And….Hope you’re not late for your flight, at the end of this journey.
  • @Blueocean800
    What a beautiful ride on the blue line, with the sun rising. The early hours are always the best. CTA thank you for this wonderful video. Kind regards from the Netherlands.👍
  • @williamnowacki
    I used to ride the CTA Blue line from Rosemomt to Jackson and then transfer to the Red line from Jackson to Addison in order to go see the Cubs play at Wrigley. I was about 12-14 years old at that time. Rosemont is known for Allstate Arena aka the Chicago Wolves den. Plus it also has a few popular sites. I’ve never took the Blue line to the O’Hare station but after looking at it I was like oh it’s in the basement.
  • @JustSumChillAlien
    8:40 My favorite part where you can just see the Chicago's skyline up ahead on the freeway.
  • @kyotokid4
    ...I remember riding this when it was the old Milwaukee Ave. line and still terminated at Logan Square riding the old 200s. I also remember coming in on the Kennedy expressway in the late 60s and seeing signs that touted "Coming Up The Middle" for the extension to Jefferson Park. I also remember back then Greyhound had a stop at Cumberland Ave on their route from Milwaukee WI that connected with a Continental Air Transport shuttle to/from O'hare.. The "stop" was at a petrol station (little of that area was built up back then) which was a great place back in the day for plane spotting. Lived north in Milwaukee WI at the time, but made many trips to Chicago by rail (including the Old North Shore) and bus..
  • @sadssddsd2926
    These are AMAZING videos , a HUGE THANKS to all the people involved , thank you for making us rail lovers feel really happy.
  • @nycchislc
    Used to commute from California to Monroe and back every day! Love the blue line especially the above ground portion between Division and Logan Square.
  • @TheLewistownTrainspotter8102
    24:41 With the Blue Line's predecessor, the Metropolitan West Side Elevated, this used to be where their branch lines all converged at Marshfield Junction, which would be right over the eastbound track.
  • @CrystalClearWith8BE
    I love to see the CTA's Blue Line in the middle of the Kennedy Expressway and those reversible express lanes.
  • @wiiu2472
    The Congress branch of the Blue Line needs track reconstruction like the track reconstruction they did on the Red Line’s Dan Ryan branch in 2013, that way trains can run through the branch a-lot quicker then 28 minutes and also the Blue Line can accommodate to newer railcar fleets without taking even longer to clear the branch due to car weight.
  • @mattgipson5523
    3200 series…..I can tell by the door control lever sounds and when the operator powers up the master controller and the hum of the HVAC
  • @BBBuilds12
    Why does it go so slow in certain sections for seemingly no reason? Is it because of signal clearance or speed limits due to track design? Update: Those parts of the line are slow zones due to poor track conditions. Around 70% of the section from Forest Park to the subway portion is part of a slow zone.
  • @Robbi496
    I am posting WAY too much, but the tunnel portal at 37.30 was for a proposed connection to the Lake Street (Green Line) which never happened
  • @davidpanton3192
    Great. Love that there's a station called 'Chicago'. Notice that there are two stations called Western - on the same line. Here in the UK we can't have two stations with the same name in the whole country!