March 03--Ice and snow glazed tracks and stopped trains on the CTA's Green, Pink and Yellow lines Tuesday morning, causing major delays through the morning rush, agency officials said.
Full service was restored on all three lines by about 11 a.m., the CTA said.
The most delays were on the Green Line, where trains were stalled in three separate locations.
One Green Line train was stopped at 37th and State streets, and the CTA eventually transferred the 32 passengers to another train that was taken to the Indiana Avenue station, according to the CTA and the Chicago Fire Department.
Another Green Line train, bound for the 63rd Street station, was stopped at California Avenue, also because of ice on the tracks, Chase said.
A third Green Line train, bound for the Harlem/Lake station, was stopped near the Garfield Park Conservatory because of the same problem, Chase said. Dozens of passengers on that line opted to transfer to a Metra train, according to a reporter on the scene.
On the Pink Line, trains were stopped at the Clinton station but were moving again by 9:30 a.m., Chase said.
On the Yellow Line, trains were standing near the Oakton-Skokie station. Customers were urged to use the 97 Skokie buses as an alternative.
And on the Purple Line, Loop-bound express trains were delayed earlier in the morning because of a problem near the Belmont station.
The CTA provided bus service between the Clark/Lake station and the Pulaski/Lake station for Green and Pink line customers. It also made buses available between the 35th and 63rd stations on the Green Line.
Chase said the CTA had equipment out through the night to keep the tracks clear, but the mix of snow and sleet still crusted some of the tracks. Ice can interrupt the train's connection to the third rail, disrupting power. It can also reduce traction when trains are headed up an incline.
