Bad weather caused ‘major’ Green Line delays

Two stalled trains, likely halted in part because of Sunday's winter weather, caused major delays for CTA Green Line passengers.

"We basically had two defective trains with electrical issues on the Cottage Grove branch and the Ashland branch," CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis said.

About 4:45 p.m., officials learned southbound trains had stalled at both the 63rd/Ashland and 55th/Garfield stations, halting both branches of the Green Line, she said.

Southbound service was stopped for roughly and hour and fifteen minutes while crews cleared the trains, Lukidis said. Some passengers were put onto shuttle buses, while other trains turned around and headed back north.

Service has nearly returned to normal as of about 7 p.m.

The trains stalled because of electrical problems, likely related to the weather, Lukidis said.

The entire CTA system started preparing for the incoming winter weather early Sunday, preemptively deploying sleet scrapers on every rail line and activating devices that heat the electrified third rail.

The agency's trains also ran on a weekday schedule rather than a Sunday schedule, in hopes the additional trains would prevent any ice buildup, Lukidis said.

Officials also made the decision to replace all 60-foot articulated buses -- which run mostly on Lake Shore Drive and downtown -- with 40-foot, non-accordion buses, which stop better on icy conditions.

Field supervisors are also keeping watch on Lake Shore Drive as the storm continues Sunday evening, Lukidis said.