The Chicago transit Authority knows how to do Christmas!

 Wow! Are you sure that's the CTA Chris? 

That's a"little" outta character for them.

I think even the Canadian Pacific would be impressed.

very cool!

WOW! 

That is awesome. Love it!

Wow what a great idea. Too bad New York City won't do something like that. All the lights will end up in somebody's house. 

Great! Like the night shots. Its been cold though brrr.

That is so coooool!

Well we know what will be in the next MTH catalog!

Here is the 2018 schedule: https://www.transitchicago.com/holidayfleet/

Very Kool

Dean

My hat is off to the CTA. Great Christmas spirit booster for the public to enjoy. Does the MTA in New York do anything like the CTAS's Christmas trains?

I do not know about NYC, but the MTA in Baltimore, MD does a Holiday bus each year; and the ride is free. Here are photos of last year's:.

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Well we know what will be in the next MTH catalog!

Yeah, how did they miss that for this year? 

Great post, Chris!

-Dave

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Well we know what will be in the next MTH catalog!

One would hope!

CTA really knows how to show off there stuff.  It would be nice if someone would decorate one of the Cincinnati Bell Connector Streetcar's like Chicago.  At least Cincinnati Union Terminal "Museum Center" is now open.  One price gets you into all of there attractions except The Large Theater.  At night they are doing Illumination Laser Shows on the Front of the Building along with Movies.  The large out-side "O" Scale Third Rail B&O Cumberland  Division is Operating and it looks like they have rebuilt the layout.  The Huge Water Fountain in front is in operation -- and the inside of the building sparkles like new money or shall I say it looks as good as when the Terminal was built back in the early thirties.  Merry Christmas & Happy New Year      railbear601  

Thanks for posting! I have been riding the CTA el trains fairly often for the past five years to visit the many barcades with pinball machines. It is always a treat for me to ride the CTA el. I hope I see the Christmas CTA train in person.

Nice post.  Thanks Chris.  CTA did a really wonderful job.  I liked Santa popping up out of the emergency exit on the bus and Santa's sleigh on the train was way cool.

I was going to ask if they posted a schedule or if it was just the luck of the draw for patrons but Chitown Steve answered that by posting the link for this year's schedule.

Yes!  A lot of great ideas, creative imagination, nice touches all put together with the flourish of professionalism.  I especially liked the "L" flatcar with Santa and trees (withstanding the wind and the cold), the lighted big red Rudolph's nose on the bus, and candy-cane striped standee poles.  And of course the lights.  A fantastic creation by the Chicago CTA.

Recall bringing in a 6000 series CTA train into the shop around 1982 to get decorated for the Christmas train. Something about the 6000 series trains perhaps because i was broke in on one back then , soon afterwards they were no longer.

Before retirement each year they did more and more to decorate .

Good for the Chicago area and ones spirit .

The NYC MTA idea of a holiday gift is what they are giving riders right now, announcing fare hikes while also talking service cuts and saying that subway performance is not going to improve "any time soon".