Commuters riding the Red, Purple and Brown lines hit a wall near Fullerton Friday morning, as trains on all three routes came to a stop in Lincoln Park because of what the CTA described as interlocking problems. The agency said crews were working to restore service and urged riders to budget extra time for their trips.
According to NBC Chicago, the CTA reported that Purple, Red and Brown Line trains were standing near Fullerton due to interlocking problems. The agency said personnel were working to restore service and advised travelers to allow extra travel time. Riders were also told to consider other options, such as nearby bus routes or buses connecting to other rail lines, while the issue was being sorted out.
Adding to the tense morning, Chicago fire officials reported a train fire in the area, though the blaze was secured around 10:15 a.m. No injuries were reported in connection with the fire, the station's report noted, and it was not immediately clear how long the resulting delays would last.
A Rough Morning Across Multiple CTA Lines
The Fullerton disruption wasn't the only headache for Chicago transit riders Friday. Orange Line trains were suspended near Midway Airport earlier that morning due to track conditions, per the same account, adding to a chaotic start to the commute on the city's South and North sides alike.
It's not the first time this stretch of track has caused trouble. In a separate incident, Red and Brown Line trains were delayed after standing near the Fullerton stop because of a minor track fire, according to ABC7 Chicago, with shuttle buses running from Belmont to State/Lake to keep riders connected through the affected area.
A Pattern Of Delays On The North Side
Mechanical and fire-related disruptions have become familiar trouble spots for these lines. CBS News Chicago reported that a mechanical issue once left Brown, Red and Purple Line trains running with major delays near Belmont, with bus shuttles replacing rail service between Howard and Fullerton on the Red Line and between Kimball and Fullerton on the Brown Line.
A separate fire on the North Side, reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, halted rail service for nearly two hours before trains were restored around 9 p.m. That blaze broke out around 7:12 p.m. on the northbound Brown Line tracks at the Belmont station, and all passengers were cleared with no injuries reported. Red and Purple Line trains were stopped between Howard and Fullerton during that incident, while Brown Line service was halted between Kimball and Fullerton.
Friday's disruption echoed those earlier incidents, though officials have not said whether the morning's train fire was connected to the interlocking problems that stopped service near Fullerton. For now, riders on the Red, Purple and Brown lines are being told to expect delays and plan alternate routes until CTA crews finish restoring normal operations.
