Transit fans are on a quest to ride Chicago's ‘L’ in record time. It won’t be easy

CHICAGO -- Daniel Buwalda and a group of friends arrived at the Linden Purple Line station before dawn on a cold, snow-covered February morning.

Armed with snacks and maps, they were setting out on a quest to join an elite group of CTA riders who visit every “L” station in record time. Months of talk and weeks of pouring over timetables and dividing up tasks had gone into this moment.

It would not be a simple journey. Even all their planning could not prepare the group for the hurdles CTA would throw their way: Delays on the Green Line. Track construction on the Blue Line.

But, if they got a little lucky, they might still hit their target time of 8 hours and 35 minutes. Then, glory and bragging rights would — to some extent — be theirs.

But glory and bragging rights are only part of the motivation. , riders who have undertaken this challenge have been compelled by a desire to see different city neighborhoods or explore a public transit system that is an integral part of a big city. There’s the creativity needed to map out routes. And then there’s the absurdity of the