Welded Rail in the Subways

I took the red subway yesterday for the first time in over a year. I usually ride the brown train downtown because I like the daylight and relative quiet of the L. With the snow we've been getting all weekend, I decided to ride the subway so I didn't have to wait in the snow. Evidently the CTA has installed welded rail in the tunnels. It's so quiet! It was eerie how quiet the subway was. I'm quite impressed. I'll ride the subways more often now.

Mactraxx, it is unreal how quiet the ride is now. I thought we were in a submarine or something.

Both the State ST subway and the Dearborn Milwaukee subway were built with welded rail from the start. That's the early 40s. Except for expansion joints, other jointed sections are the result of replacing broken or worn rail. The track work now under progress includes rail replacement, replacement of the original wood half ties with concrete half ties and new signaling. Sound absorbing materials has also been applied to walls in stations. The Red line has been completed while work is progressing on the Blue line. When all the work is finished, I don't know what top speed will be allowed on subway straight track. Upgraded median track like the finished Blue line is good for 70 MPH.





Pics in the Red line subway of the new concrete ties, rubber pads for that smooooth ride, clamps, all the latest track technology.

David Harrison

A little sidetrack, note the red candy wrapping almost touching the third rail on the second picture, hence the importance of not littering on tracks