CTA Control Center

The Control Center Theater is the heart of the CTA's 24/7 operations. In this secure 9,000-square-foot facility, controllers monitor service, power and safety for Chicago's trains, buses and transit stops in real-time on an enormous wall of monitors. They manage all movement and communication on the second largest public transit system in the country. Real-time bus management software, a train location system called QuicTrak, and access to an extensive camera network give CTA's skilled team of controllers the ability to peer into any portion of the system and work to keep things running smoothly. They communicate directly with bus and train operators and station attendants. They can also send out announcements to all transit users and stations in the system.