The Chicago Transit Authority will bid farewell to its oldest passenger-rail cars.
The CTA is retiring its 38-year-old 2400-series rail cars with eight cars of the series taking trips Wednesday around the Loop and on other routes.
The 200 cars in the series were introduced beginning in 1976 and were built until 1978 by Boeing-Vertol.
They had red, white and blue graphics to celebrate the nation's bicentennial.
They differed from their predecessors in that they featured sliding doors instead of the four-panel accordion type that swung inward. This made it possible to convert them for wheelchair access under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Wednesday's eight-car train will feature maps and advertising from the period of their launch.
The cars will become part of CTA's historic rail fleet.
