The 5000 series cars consisted of 4 three unit articulated sets, with two sets from each manufacturer. They were were renumbered 51-54 in 1964, when the Skokie line opened.
The North-South (Red) line at the time included the Howard, Englewood, and Jackson Park segments. The West-Northwest (Blue) line was formed in 1958 out of the Milwaukee and Douglas segments, and the new Congress segment which at that time replaced the Garfield Park segment. And the West-South (Green) line was formed in 1969 out of the Lake segment and the new Dan Ryan segment. The difference with those lines today, is that in 1993, the two south side segments were switched to the other lines. At that time, the present color identifications were adopted.
YEAR 1949 1950 1952 1955 1958 1962 1965 1971 1973 1975 NEW 5000 6000 6200 1-50 2000 2200 CARS PS+StL StL StL StL PS Budd North- 4000 4000 4000 South 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 Milwaukee wood wood 4000 4000 6000 Douglas wood wood wood wood 4000 6000 6000 Garfield wood wood wood 4000 West- 4000 4000 North- 6000 6000 6000 west 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 6200 1-50 1-50 2000 2200 2200 2200 Lake/ wood wood wood West- 4000 4000 4000 4000 South 2000 2000 2000 2000 2200 2200 2200 Ravenswood wood wood wood wood 4000 4000 4000 4000 4000 5000 5000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6000 6200 6200 1-50 1-50 1-50 1-50 Evanston wood wood wood wood 4000 4000 4000 4000 5000 5000 5000 5000 6000 6000 6000 1-50 1-50 1-50 1-50 1-50 Skokie 50's 50's 50's 50's 1-50 1-50 1-50 1-50 YEAR 1949 1950 1952 1955 1958 1962 1965 1971 1973 1975Additional Car Assignment Notes
After the West-Northwest line was formed in 1958, 4000's were needed during rush hours only, and were generally limited to Douglas-Milwaukee trains. The Congress line was America's first rapid transit line to utilize an expressway median strip, and the CTA wanted the image of a "modern" transit line.
The 2000's were eventually kept off the Douglas branch, due to unusual physical characteristics which caused a "rumbling" over the ground level segment in the town of Cicero.
Until 1973, the main reason for the continued use of 4000 series on the Evanston line, was an insufficient number of "newer" cars with trolley poles for the overhead electrification. The conversion of that line to third rail enabled the retirement of the last 4000's. Ridership shifts also enabled the reassignment of additional 6000's to that line from other lines.
1980's - 2600 series cars arrive
This large group of cars went to all lines except the Skokie Swift, and enabled retirement of all but a few 6000's. The remaining 6000's, along with cars 1-50, were used on the Ravenswood, Evanston, and Skokie Swift lines. All 2000's were assigned to the Englewood/Jackson Park-Howard line, all 2200's were assigned to the Congress/Douglas-Milwaukee line, and all 2400's were assigned to the Lake-Dan Ryan line.
1990's - Rapid transit changes and new 3200 series cars
In 1993, the CTA adopted colors to identify its rapid transit lines. The 1993 switch of the south side lines resulted in the 2400 series cars going to the "Red" (Howard-Dan Ryan) line, and the 2000 series cars going to the "Green" (Englewood/Jackson Park-Lake) line. The new 3200 series cars went to the "Brown" (Ravenswood) line, the newly opened "Orange" (Midway) line, and 3200's equipped with pantographs went to the "Yellow" (Skokie Swift) line. The Green Line was closed in 1994 for renovation, and the 2000's were retired. 2400's were assigned to the Green Line when it reopened in 1996.