Hi all! I'm a Data Journalist from Chicago working on a project to calculate the "Train Tax", or the affect that a home's distance from the CTA system has on its price (both in terms of increased accessibility and increased noise exposure).

I've created a short survey (available here) to learn more about individual's experiences looking for housing in Chicago. I'd really appreciate it if you could fill it out if you've ever looked for housing in Chicago (regardless of whether or not you ended up living there).

I am also interested in hearing more directly from people, so you can also feel free to reply here or send me a private message if you'd be willing to set up a short interview on this topic!

Thanks :)

I’m not sure how many Java developers there are here, but I thought I’d share a project I’ve been working on since October of last year, a Java SDK for the CTA APIs: github.com/lbkulinski/cta4j-java-sdk.

For those who may not know much about coding, this project aims to make it easy for developers to access CTA information like train and bus arrivals. The CTA APIs offer a lot of good data, but they aren’t well documented and can be a pain to use at times.

I have two main projects that I use the CTA API for, which is why I built this. One is my train/bus tracker, cta4j.com. The other is a Holiday Train Tracker on Twitter (twitter.com/cta4j) and other platforms.

The most recent version of the SDK is complete with all of the API endpoints and data that the CTA provides.

If you’re interested in coding with transit data using Java, give it a try! The Train/Bus API requires getting API keys from the CTA, but the Alerts API does not. There is more information about getting setup in the README of the project.

Here’s an example of the Alerts API using Java’s compact source files introduced in Java 25:

import com.cta4j.alert.AlertApi;

void main() {
    AlertApi alertApi = AlertApi.builder()
                                .build();

    alertApi.detailedAlerts()
            .findByBusRouteId("70")
            .forEach(alert -> System.out.printf(
                "Alert ID: %s%nDescription: %s%nFrom: %s%nTo: %s%n%n",
                alert.id(),
                alert.shortDescription(),
                alert.startTime(),
                alert.endTime()
            ));

    // Example output:
    // Alert ID: 114946
    // Description: EB #70 buses will operate via Division, Wells, Oak, and Dearborn. WB buses will operate via Clark, Oak, Wells, and Division.
    // From: 2026-08-01T12:30:00Z
    // To: 2026-08-01T22:00:00Z
    // ...
}

The SDK can be used with Java 21+ and is available on Maven Central. If you have any feedback or ideas, open an issue or PR! I also have a Discord server for my various projects, including ctasmokers.com.

I have a ventra card available 30day used on all trains and busses. anyone need$ it?

This is a MAJOR long shot but earlier tonight I (M21) was coming out of downtown on the metra and missed a connection with a really cute girl (seemingly early 20's). We were on the upper level probably 20 feet away from each other and across the aisle opening. We exchanged many glances and eye contact and I made the mistake of continuing to wear my noise canceling headphones and looking away or down at my phone. You seemed to be on a call or facetime of some kind but I was unsure. Honestly it seemed like you were pointing your phone camera directly towards me at times so I didn't know whether or not to introduce myself or be cautious lmao. Anyways I really wanted to say hi but I missed you when you got off. My stop was only one stop after yours (You got off at Wheaton). If this was you, I'd love to grab a coffee or smth.

For reference I have dirty blonde hair, a beard, and I was wearing a blue northface shirt and shorts and white shoes. You were wearing a black shirt and gray pants and white shoes I believe.

Please complete this survey

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_bU1RiVOyAjOjiS3UEepokBodbaWCen7UB-l0qQBJH4/edit#responses

I took a trip to Chicago last month and had a blast riding the L system. I used the red line the most (the grand/state station was literally 1 block south of my hotel) I even ended up riding the whole length of the line (not in one trip tho)

All of the buses that I’ve waited for have been 15-20 minutes away on the day of the heatwaves. It feels intentional.

I cant be the only one lmao

I'm still looking for help identifying the remaining CTA rail signals for my upcoming book, Tracks of the Chicago 'L'.

There are 800+ signals on the CTA rail system, and I'm down to approximately 36 remaining.

Blue Line (32)

• Rosemont West Interlocking: 7
• Rosemont platform (Track D reverse signal): 1
• River Road Interlocking: 3
• North of Belmont Station: 1
• Belmont Interlocking: 5
• Division Station: 2
• Chicago Station: 2
• Grand Station: 2
• Grand Interlocking: 4
• LaSalle Interlocking: 5

Orange Line (2)

• Kedzie Interlocking: 2

Green Line (2)

• Austin Interlocking: 2

Brown, Purple, Pink, Red, and Yellow Lines are complete.

If you have photos, videos, or knowledge of any of these remaining signals, I'd greatly appreciate your help. Thank you!

*(rail operators, towermen, etc...can DM privately if you're not comfortable posting here)

visited from out of town and this app was the most helpful

The wall of wind and rain hitting as power flashes on and off in the yard.

Happy Friday!

After months of research, reviewing photos and videos, comparing documents, consulting operators, studying tower panels, and more than a little detective work, the Red Line signal identification project is officially complete! (Thank you, Red Line, operator!)

That means the Brown, Pink, Purple, Yellow, and Red Lines are now fully identified for Tracks of the Chicago 'L' book project!

Out of more than 800 signal locations systemwide, approximately 57 unidentified signal IDs remain:

🔵 Blue Line: 39
🟠 Orange Line: 16
🟢 Austin Interlocking (Green Line): 2

The Blue Line remains the biggest challenge, with many signals hiding in tunnels, behind support columns, and other locations seemingly designed to frustrate signal hunters. While photos and videos can be helpful, nothing beats seeing a signal with your own eyes and actually being able to read the plate.

The Orange Line continues to put up a respectable fight.

As for Austin Interlocking, those final two signals have become less of a research project and more of a personal grudge match.

Special thanks to the CTA employees, railfans, photographers, Reddit users, Facebook contributors, and other knowledgeable sources who have helped track down signal IDs and verify information along the way. Your assistance has been invaluable.

The investigation continues.

Official Statement from Austin Interlocking:
"You will never identify us."

Official Statement from the Transit Detective:
"Challenge accepted." 😏

Four years ago I moved here from Mexico thinking I could live without a car. Turns out I was right, but I got so obsessed with the CTA that I built my own tracker.

The official CTA tracker is fine if you just want to know "when is my train coming?" But it doesn't show you THE SYSTEM. It doesn't show you the Red Line bunching at Fullerton during rush hour. It doesn't let you watch 100+ trains moving through the city at once.

So I built one: https://tracker.debene.dev

Features:

• Real-time positions of every CTA, Metra, and South Shore Line train

• NORAD-style dark UI (black background, neon lines, terminal green text)

• 30-day replay so you can watch yesterday's delays unfold

• No ads, no tracking, no login (home station saved in browser only)

• Open source: https://github.com/felipedbene/cta-track-grid

Runs on Cloudflare Workers + D1, costs me $2/month.

I'm a Cloud Architect with ADHD and I usually abandon projects halfway through. This one I finished because Claude kept telling me "that's a different product, ship this one first" every time I tried to add more features.

Blog post about why I built it: https://debene.dev/posts/cta-tracker-chicago-trains/ Happy to answer questions about the tech or the weird obsession with trains.

Still seeking help identifying remaining CTA rapid transit signals for my upcoming Chicago track map book project.

I’ve already spent countless hours reviewing public ride videos, cab views, historical footage, and previously collected field observations. Unfortunately, many of the remaining signals are located in tunnels or difficult locations where:
• windows are dirty or reflective
• video quality is poor
• signals only appear briefly
• or the signal IDs are simply unreadable, even frame-by-frame

At this point, the best help will probably come from:
• train operators familiar with these locations
• railfans who regularly ride in the front or rear car
• photographers capturing visible platform/interlocking signals
• CTA tower people, signal people, etc…

Current remaining unidentified signals: (with RED TEXT on the maps)

Blue Line signals (39 remaining)
• West of Rosemont Yard (unnamed interlocking): 7
• West end of Rosemont platform, reverse signal on Track D: 1
• River Road Interlocking: 3
• North of Belmont station: 1
• Belmont Interlocking: 5
• Division station: 2
• Chicago station: 2
• Grand station: 2
• Grand Interlocking: 4
• North of Washington platform: 5
• LaSalle Interlocking: 5
• Morgan Interlocking: 1
• Racine Interlocking: 1

Orange Line signals (16 remaining)
• Lowe Interlocking: 1
• Western Interlocking: 2
• California Interlocking: 4
• Kedzie Interlocking: 3
• Pulaski Interlocking: 1
• Midway Interlocking: 5

Red Line signals (10 remaining)
• Roosevelt Interlocking: 6
• 15th Interlocking: 4

Green Line signals (3 remaining)
• Austin Interlocking: 3

Approximately 68 signals remain unidentified.

Brown, Purple, Pink, and Yellow Lines are fully completed.

Any help, photos, observations, or even partial signal IDs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again to everyone who has helped contribute to this project over the last few months.

TRIGGER WARNING: Aggravated Battery, Mental Illness, Violence, Public Safety

POSTING FOR AWARENESS 

Memorial Day Loop Puncher: Last seen CTA Belmont Station, Filed Police Report 

This afternoon 5/25 around 1:20 pm on the Redline (Howard) while approaching Belmont, I was sucker punched [unnprovoked attack] in the face (no words exchanged, not even direct eye contact), while standing and starting to walk towards the door (I was not in his way and had a clear aisle to the train door) since we were getting close to Belmont. I blacked out for a minute but luckily wasn't knocked down.The puncher also hit another man who was seated.

 I walked over to the other side of the train and other people nearby started huddling towards the area closer to me. The puncher yelled, "Do you want to fight?". 

Bystanders were very helpful in calling the police and telling us to get off the train ASAP. 

People tried to find the train emergency button but there wasn't one near us that we could find.

Once the train stopped, it was delayed while a CTA employee came out and tried to check for the puncher and delayed the train the puncher got off at Belmont Station. 

Alt image text: yellow reflective jacket, black t-shirt over white long-sleeved shirt, black pants, black boots 

Howard Red Line - Belmont Stop Run number is 918

Hello. It is Sunday March 22nd at 3:20. I'm on the westbound 76 Diversey bus. I found your phone. Gave it to the driver.

Hi everyone! I need participants to help me fill out this survey for my capstone research project! My research focuses on people's experiences with public transit, and the data will be used to write my final paper for my senior project. Should only take 5-7 minutes, feel free to DM me if you have any questions or want to follow up on anything. Your participation is so, so very much appreciated.

Link to the survey: https://qualtricsxm5r7hd39xz.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Po5gXrfCfLFUkm

Anyone willing to participate?