Orange Handles under CTA cars

Every CTA car has a handle or two painted orange, on either side of the "A" end of the car. Is this an uncouple lever?

It is! The "newer" old CTA cars at IRM have these too, and they're used to "pull the pin" when coupling/uncoupling.

How come only at the A end?

Married pairs. B-ends cannot be uncoupled except by crews in the shop with wrenches. It's basically a drawbar.

Thomlinson style coupler? Won't be a knuckle. Orange probably helps you locate it from all the grungy workings underneath.

CTA cars do not use a Tomlinson coupler, but instead the Ohio Brass form 5. See here for a picture of mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidfulla ... 991134579/

There is indeed a knuckle there, but it's kept taut and virtually slack-less by the pins/holes. Any CTA car, from the 1947-built 5000-series all the way up through the 2009-built 5000 series can mechanically couple.