Smoke brought northbound CTA trains to an abrupt stop near the Belmont station in Lakeview late Tuesday, halting service on the elevated tracks and forcing riders out of at least one stopped car. Video circulating online showed smoke rising from beneath a train while crews clustered along the structure and the Chicago Transit Authority warned of major delays, urging riders to find alternate ways home.
What officials say
The CTA told ABC7 Chicago that Kimball-bound Brown Line trains and Linden-bound Purple Line trains were standing near Belmont because of a mechanical problem, and that crews were on scene working to clear it. Chicago fire officials told the station the blaze appeared to be under a train, and ABC7 Chicago reported that no injuries had been reported.
Service impacts and shuttles
While crews worked, the CTA requested bus shuttles to replace rail service between Kimball and Belmont on the Brown Line and between Howard and Belmont on the Purple Line, creating ripple-effect delays across the North Side. A service alert on the agency's site listed the situation as a "Major Delays" event and said personnel were working to restore normal operations, according to the CTA.
Riders on the scene
Riders shared video of the smoke and evacuations from the halted trains, and initial coverage included footage from the platform as firefighters and CTA workers moved through the cars, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. Witnesses described trains being held for tens of minutes while frustrated commuters bailed for shuttle buses or simply walked to other nearby stops.
Belmont's role in the system
Belmont is a key transfer hub where Red, Brown and Purple Line trains share a four-track elevated structure, so a problem there can quickly spread across multiple routes. That layout, combined with heavy transfer traffic, means service disruptions at Belmont often ripple through North Side operations, according to Wikipedia.
How to plan your trip
Riders were advised to keep an eye on the CTA customer alerts page for the latest updates and to allow extra time if their route uses the North Side 'L' lines. Shuttle buses were put in place while the scene was cleared, and the alerts page will carry the most current information on when full service is restored along with suggested alternate routes.
