11/24/99
The lighting of the Holiday Tree on Daley Plaza at 4:30 p.m. Friday will be accompanied by another colorful display of lights when CTA's Holiday Train, with Santa on board, operates around the inner Loop 'L' from 3 until 5 p.m.
Decorated with ornaments and thousands of lights, the Holiday Train, with Santa riding a sleigh aboard a flatcar, has become a tradition at CTA, where the train is used to distribute food baskets to needy families during the holidays.
CTA customers paying regular fares are welcome to ride on any of the six passenger cars on the train, which will stop at all nine stations on the Loop above Lake, Wabash, Van Buren and Wells. The Holiday Train will operate clockwise, using the same tracks as Green, Orange and Purple Line Express trains.
After completing its last trip around the Loop, at about 5 p.m., the Holiday Train will be taken out of service and moved to the Cermak Branch of the Blue Line. Arriving at the Polk Street station at about 5:30 p.m., the train will make regular stops west to the terminal at 54th Avenue in Cicero.
The final trip of the day for the Holiday Train will start from 54th Avenue at 6:30 p.m., reaching Congress/LaSalle in the Dearborn subway around 7:05 p.m., and ending at the Rosemont station at about 7:45 p.m.
CTA will operate on a Sunday/holiday schedule for Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25. Friday, November 26, will have regular weekday service, except for school trips. On particularly busy bus routes, there will be some extra service. Extra buses will also be available on Saturday, November 27, in particularly heavy shopping areas. Sunday service will be on a regular Sunday schedule.
For information about all CTA service, call 836-7000 (all local area codes).
###