| For
more than a century, the Brown Line has served
as a vital artery to the neighborhoods and
businesses of Chicago's Northwest Side. |
| Running
between downtown and the Northwest Side, the
Brown Line was originally constructed in |
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|
 |
|
| the
late 1800s and early 1900s. The line is one of CTA's
busiest rail lines, serving more than 80,000 customers
each weekday, with 19 stations from Kimball on the north
to the downtown Chicago Loop. |
| The
line is one of CTA's busiest rail lines, serving
more than 80,000 customers each weekday. |
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|
Before
the Brown Line capacity expansion project began, all
Brown Line stations accommodated six-car
trains with the exception of Merchandise Mart, Fullerton
and Belmont, which already could berth eight-car
trains. The Brown Line was one of only two CTA rail
lines that could not fully accommodate eight-car trains.
The other line is the Purple Line.
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Since the mid-1990s, CTA has made operational changes
to accommodate demand on the Brown Line, including
having Purple Line trains stop at Brown Line stations
from Belmont to downtown Chicago, extending service
hours, adding additional trips during afternoon rush
hours, reducing headways and restoring service on
Sundays. Despite these service adjustments, persistent
crowding on Brown Line station platforms continued
to impact customers. |
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