CTA Holiday Train Photos

I had the pleasure of riding the CTA Holiday Train this week, not once, but twice (the Red Line on Monday and the Purple Line on Tuesday).  This was an improvement over not riding it at all since 2005.  It just so happened to coincide nicely with my commute on both days. Here's a gallery of the full set:



Everyone should ride the Holiday Train at least once.  Here's what I love about it:

• It's ridiculous.  Where else will you see crowds of not just kids, but grown adults crowding around to see Santa Clause.
• The CTA employees are actually friendly.  At one point one of the "elves" on Tuesday was trying to give me photography advice.
• It's the one time of year where no one cares if you photograph the crap out of the place, and I did.

If you plan to bring a camera with, you should keep in mind that the trains are pretty dimly lit, especially at night.  The normally bright interior lights become more like "mood" lighting because of the red and green bulbs.  Bring a camera that can shoot at ISO1600 or a fast lens, or both.

As this is my last post before Christmas, I hope everyone reading has a lovely holiday!