Скачать или смотреть CTA Holiday Train, December 5, 2023

I had no idea this train was coming. I was standing on the southbound platform at the Roosevelt Red Line Station where the front car would stop, and just wanted to get home. I was looking in the other direction when I heard the train whistle, and figured that people were too close to the edge of the platform, and the operator was blowing at them out of an abundance of caution. After all, someone had either jumped or fallen onto the tracks in the State St. subway the previous day, bringing police and EMT's to the scene and temporarily forcing Red Line trains to switch to the elevated tracks to get past downtown.

Then, still facing the other way, I heard yelling and saw red and green lights flashing on the subway walls. By the time I turned around and got my cameraphone in video mode, the train had already stopped, the doors had opened, and the party began.

I had never been on a CTA Christmas train before -- just seen the outsides, so to actually be able to come onboard, the first time the CTA has allowed that since COVID... it's a feast for the eyes! Not just strings of red and green lights, but a snowflake-spangled blue ceiling, candy-cane striped poles, candyflake red and green seats, a red floor, a Santa-suited train operator, and elves handing out candy canes!

Cars in the 2600 series haven't run on the Red Line since 2015, so I was surprised to see these. I found out from one of the elves that these cars stay decorated like this all year, and are stored in between Christmas seasons. This would be way too much work to put together and tear apart every single year.

When doing videos, even when planning carefully, never, never discount serendipity. When the train came back northbound about an hour later, I had estimated where it might stop at the 47th St station, but never dreamed that Santa's sleigh would stop right in front of me. Yess! A great night, and I'm glad the CTA is allowing Christmas train rides again. Merry Christmas to all!