Loop Shuttle

Loop Shuttle

Company type	Rapid transit route
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	September 30, 1969 (1969-09-30)
Defunct	September 30, 1977 (1977-09-30)
Area served	Chicago Loop, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Products	Rapid transit service

The Loop Shuttle was a rapid transit route on the Chicago "L", operating in a clockwise direction around the Loop and stopping at every station along the way. It began service on September 30, 1969, and ceased operations exactly eight years later, on September 30, 1977.

Operations

The Loop Shuttle continuously circled the inner track of the Loop in a clockwise manner, covering roughly . Service ran from Monday through Saturday during daytime hours only; there was no late-night or Sunday operation, and evening service was eventually discontinued. The line generally utilized two-car 6000-series trains stored at Kimball Yard.

During weekday peak periods, the Evanston Express also operated clockwise on the inner Loop track, while southbound trains on the Lake–Dan Ryan shared the inner track along the Lake and Wabash sections.

Although color-coded routes were not officially assigned by the CTA at that time, system maps typically depicted the Loop Shuttle using gray or black.

History

The concept of a continuous "L" route encircling the Loop arose in 1969 amid changes allowing for through service between the Lake Street branch and the newly opened Dan Ryan branch. Prior to this, all trains ran counter-clockwise: Ravenswood and Evanston Express lines on the outer track, with Lake Street trains using the inner track. The Lake–Dan Ryan Line commenced service on September 28, 1969, closely followed by the launch of Loop Shuttle operations two days later. Ravenswood trains maintained their counter-clockwise path on the outer track, whereas Evanston Express trains switched to running clockwise on the inner track.

To reduce expenses, the Loop Shuttle was discontinued on September 30, 1977. Subsequently, only the Evanston Express continued clockwise service around the Loop. Complete inner loop service was restored with the introduction of the Orange Line in 1993 and later expanded with the Pink Line in 2006.

Present-day usage

When service interruptions prevent trains from entering the Loop, CTA deploys a shuttle train to preserve access to all Loop stations. This shuttle aids transfers between rail replacement buses or rerouted rail lines to lessen disruption for passengers. For example, counter-clockwise Loop Shuttle operations took place during major projects such as the Wells Street Bridge replacement and Ravenswood Connector rehabilitation in 2013 and 2015.

Station listing

Station	Connecting "L" services and notes
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox (at Lake Transfer)
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox (at Template:Cta)
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox Template:Rbox
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Closed September 2, 1973
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox
Template:Cta (inner platform)	Template:Rbox Template:Rbox

Trains return to Clark/Lake