Hundreds of passengers onboard a CTA Brown Line train were forced to evacuate and walk across a portion of a bridge over the Chicago River after a power outage stopped the train in its tracks during the Tuesday evening commute.
Brown Line service was shut down between Armitage and the Loop for hours on Tuesday after a power outage along the route, which left passengers scrambling for alternative transportation for their commute home.
For passengers on board the train, they were evacuated to the nearby Merchandise Mart stop, but before they could get there, they had to move along a catwalk and along the CTA tracks, all while on a bridge over the river.
“Everyone’s getting off of work and everyone’s tired, and then you have to deal with that,” Christina Jones, a passenger on the train, said.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Passengers described the sensation of “being thrown” as the train came to a halt because of the outage. Some ended up staying on the train for two hours as firefighters worked to get every passenger to the front vehicle, where they had to disembark, get on ladders, and walk along the tracks.
“We walked all the way to the front car, and then there were ladders outside,” Finnegan McGuinness said. “We got on the ladders and walked along the tracks.”
While some passengers described feeling nervous about the process, firefighters staggered themselves along the tracks to provide a helping hand when necessary, something that those passengers appreciated.
Local
“It was really well-executed,” Alondra Cuellar said. “They were really helpful watching our step. It was a little scary walking on the tracks, but other than that it was pretty smooth.”
The CTA brought buses to the scene for passengers, which took them to their designated stops along the Brown Line route.
All in all, the passengers were impressed with the professionalism of the CTA and the fire department, making what could have been a chaotic situation a smoother, albeit trying, experience.
“The fire department was great. The CTA people were really helpful, really friendly,” Jones said.
It is unclear when service will be restored north of Merchandise Mart on the Brown Line. Passengers are encouraged to either take the Red Line, or to take alternative bus routes.
