Back when I lived in Chicago (Lord, these video clips make me homesick) it was the conductor who announced each stop. Usually it was done with such dryness and lack of character … that is except for one particular conductor who would also include which good restaurants could be found at each stop, what the rental rates for apartments were for that particular area, as well as what the weather forecast for the day would be. He was a hoot and I always enjoyed my rides with him.
I remember years ago I was riding BART in the San Francisco Bay Area and the driver said at the end of the announcement in the SNL "Fernando" voice "You all look MARVELOUS!"
Lol the redline guy? I went to school downtown, every morning he would talk about the weather, give some affirmations, and end with “and students, keep studying hard and stay in school!”
Actually, that was a motorman making these extra announcements. His name is John Cameron, who they called The Rapper". He was a good friend of me and my dad.
I moved to the city at the very beginning of the pandemic, so I never got to experience conductors with character, or cta conductors at all for that matter. Gods, we could certainly use them right now.
Let me just say that the most pleasing thing that could possibly happen would be if he rode in the operator cab and made live announcements on the intercom but maintained his level of snark. Just saying ;)
Add some real confusion, stand by the doors and tell riders in that voice --"Please have your boarding pass ready." Or over the PA inside the train car--say "Let me explain the safety features of this CTA x series Train car." That will open some sleepy eyes.
you probably wont see this, and it's weird to comment in the first place lol but, i live about two blocks from a cta stop and when the wind is just right and my bedroom window is open, i can hear you say 'doors closing' and it brings me a lot of peace.
The English announcements for the Seoul subway system sound really similar. I don't know if it's the same guy but it was nice hearing a familiar sounding voice guide me in an unfamiliar city.
This is hilarious! I love all of these train announcement videos from all over the place especially when they introduce the people that made the announcement. This man here cracks me up LOL sometimes I’ll hear some sort of announcement from somewhere and I’ll be like hey those people read the talking books I listen to from the national Library service and then I go and do some investigating and sure enough… I wish other people would pay more attention to the announcements and stuff it might not seem like a great big deal but it’s nice to get some recognition for your work
Yeah, that guy's voice is iconic in Chicago and these people just don't give a damn (well, I guess that's your average CTA rider for you). I think he also has announcements on the buses too (haven't ridden a CTA bus in years so idk for sure).
As Nixon said, "I am not a Crooks!" Anyway, I was on METRA and the CTA yesterday and I was wondering who did the voices. They are they same on both forms of transportation. At time, though it is a woman's voice. There must be yet another voice-over artist out there!!! Cheers!
Metra uses some guy I'm not sure of for the male, but I think the female is text to speech. 80% sure of trains, but with delay annoucements, it's defo tts.
Visited Chicago several times from the UK between 2002-2004 to visit my now wife. I think this was the same voice? Mad it was nearly 20 years ago. Not been back since 2004 and its changed, not the Chicago I remember.
I've always thought the woman's voice at the stations that announces "An inbound train, from the Loop, will be arriving shortly" sounds a bit like a New York accent.
I tried to recreate the voice but even though I got the wording right my voice is slightly deeper. Has anyone noticed that when you take PACE busses the guy that does the narration for the rides sounds like the same guy that narrates the commercials for Menard's? "Save big money..."
When I was in Lisbon, Portugal for public transportation the voice was female. I actually prefer the male voice. My friend has an iphone and changed Siri to a male voice option. For whatever reason I imagined the man behind the voice to be blonde haired and blue eyed. I think it's because for years I worked with a man that sounded like him.
At ORD on train within airport drives me nuts the lady voice says “RE mote” parking, instead of reMOTE” parking. Maybe she says DEtroit, UMbrella, INsurance and GUItar too...
Bryn Mawr is next. Doors open on the left at Bryn Mawr ... THIS is Bryn Mawr. Berwyn is next. Doors open on the left at Berwyn. Please keep your belongs off the seat next to you so that others may sit down.
IMr. Crooks makes more $$$$$$$$ being the voice for the CTA than I do in healthcare, and his ride L. Ride along with the public are public relations campaigns, and CTA marketing, not an easy task for the average person!!
Back when I lived in Chicago (Lord, these video clips make me homesick) it was the conductor who announced each stop. Usually it was done with such dryness and lack of character … that is except for one particular conductor who would also include which good restaurants could be found at each stop, what the rental rates for apartments were for that particular area, as well as what the weather forecast for the day would be. He was a hoot and I always enjoyed my rides with him.
I remember years ago I was riding BART in the San Francisco Bay Area and the driver said at the end of the announcement in the SNL "Fernando" voice "You all look MARVELOUS!"
Lol the redline guy? I went to school downtown, every morning he would talk about the weather, give some affirmations, and end with “and students, keep studying hard and stay in school!”
Actually, that was a motorman making these extra announcements. His name is John Cameron, who they called The Rapper". He was a good friend of me and my dad.
@@TheUselessInfoSquad That guy is a legend.
I moved to the city at the very beginning of the pandemic, so I never got to experience conductors with character, or cta conductors at all for that matter. Gods, we could certainly use them right now.
I can imitate the CTA announcements so well!
+ChicagolandEye Me too!
lol me too!!!!!
me too
I'm an actor and I'm not good at it
TheBoeingRailroader I can too
He became a symbol to us chicagoans
Let me just say that the most pleasing thing that could possibly happen would be if he rode in the operator cab and made live announcements on the intercom but maintained his level of snark. Just saying ;)
This guy is so funny, now I know what the voice looks like when I ride lol
"This guy keeps interrupting me!"
@@jaywad8876 "It's like he owns the place or something!"
@@PaulyM856 "I keep trying to talk... I don't know who he is, but..."
Announcer: This is LaSalle/Van Buren
"Of course it is."
He’s also in Buffalo NY on their light rail.
Finally I can put a face to the voice. very cool
2:26 girl in the background so cute 🥹🥹 that smile can light up anyone’s day on a morning commute
Add some real confusion,
stand by the doors and tell riders in that voice --"Please have your boarding pass ready." Or over the PA inside the train car--say "Let me explain the safety features of this CTA x series Train car." That will open some sleepy eyes.
OR "No pushing, shoving, disturbing or harassing others on CTA vehicles. Thank you!"
you probably wont see this, and it's weird to comment in the first place lol but,
i live about two blocks from a cta stop and when the wind is just right and my bedroom window is open, i can hear you say 'doors closing' and it brings me a lot of peace.
Love that guy! he helped so many people and bring positive impression of the city.
Friendly, yet assertive.
Chicago, Portland (Oregon) and Boston are my three favorite transit voices! Frank Oglesby is awesome! He retired recently!
2:12 The guy's face when he realizes it's the same guy..both confused & still annoyed.
Yes.
🤣
It’s so nice to finally meet the voice of CTA
The English announcements for the Seoul subway system sound really similar. I don't know if it's the same guy but it was nice hearing a familiar sounding voice guide me in an unfamiliar city.
This. This is the God of Chicago. IT'S REALLY HIM!!!😃😃😃😃 HE'S MY FRIGGIN HERO!!!
He’s in Buffalo NY too on their light rail.
I wish all cta trains said door closing at all times
They do
This is hilarious! I love all of these train announcement videos from all over the place especially when they introduce the people that made the announcement. This man here cracks me up LOL sometimes I’ll hear some sort of announcement from somewhere and I’ll be like hey those people read the talking books I listen to from the national Library service and then I go and do some investigating and sure enough… I wish other people would pay more attention to the announcements and stuff it might not seem like a great big deal but it’s nice to get some recognition for your work
Celebrity train announcements! "This is your announcer Cher! This is a brown line train, owww'
That's cool this guy is the voice of CTA
He’s also the voice of the NFTA Rail in Buffalo NY.
THIS IS THE VOICE OF MY CHILDHOOD. I LOVED HEARING PULASKI
Outstanding thanks mr Lee crooks
I'm listening to him every day! 🤣 my favorite voice after voices of my family members
0:57 Wow Lee Crooks actually likes those 50-year-old 2600 series trains
It's a 5000 series train.
Green Line @@Blox_101
@@Blox_101it's a 5000 series railcar
What a legend
That's a little sad. You can tell most people don't give much of a damn who that guy is. LOL
i feel bad for him too
I disagree
Everyone's got a CTA face.
Yeah, that guy's voice is iconic in Chicago and these people just don't give a damn (well, I guess that's your average CTA rider for you). I think he also has announcements on the buses too (haven't ridden a CTA bus in years so idk for sure).
Only because the director is awful, or has no comedy experience. He's just taking video without knowing what he's doing.
Cool that he has a sense of humor
Its so hilarious that the guy who recorded the cta train announcer is riding the with his recordings
2:14 boi we see you looking in the back
Should have had him ask people what they think he looks like
I would love to meet this guy he's such a sweetheart ❤❤❤❤
Reminds me of Mr Rogers
Not too high, not too stentorial (low). Perfect!
I remember when they first interviewed him and didn't show his face kinda cool to see it
2:12 that guy in the bottom left is the face of anyone hearing any disturbance on chicago transport
As Nixon said, "I am not a Crooks!" Anyway, I was on METRA and the CTA yesterday and I was wondering who did the voices. They are they same on both forms of transportation. At time, though it is a woman's voice. There must be yet another voice-over artist out there!!!
Cheers!
Metra uses some guy I'm not sure of for the male, but I think the female is text to speech. 80% sure of trains, but with delay annoucements, it's defo tts.
Lee Crooks is also the voice of the Buffalo NFTA Light-Rail Subway Line in Buffalo, New York!
This video makes me miss Chicago so much! 🥹🥲
He should go to IRM! Hear his voice on the retired L cars. Might surprise many people there maybe even the curator!
Wahh, that's so cool. I wish I could had met this guy
0:55 My reaction to the new CRRC 7000 series railcars replacing the 2600 and 3200 series railcars.
Can I get some Milwaukee pride here? :P He's apparently from my neck of the woods.
Has Milwaukee been able to hire him to do their 'Hop' tram announcements?
@@mgk920 👀
@@GameN3rdz I haven't been on a Hop tram car since a couple of months after they started up
@@mgk920 I have no idea what that is 😐
Reminds me of how much I miss being home in the Chi.
I think this is the guy who did test runs for St. Louis' transit system. I love the sound of his voice.
I always wish it was my voice on the cta being heard by millions of people every day.
This should be played at High Volume!
I've wondered for many years what that face looked like 😂😂
2:17 soooo cute
The guy in the Royals shirt at 2:12
Visited Chicago several times from the UK between 2002-2004 to visit my now wife. I think this was the same voice? Mad it was nearly 20 years ago. Not been back since 2004 and its changed, not the Chicago I remember.
yes it is the same voice. :)
I've always thought the woman's voice at the stations that announces "An inbound train, from the Loop, will be arriving shortly" sounds a bit like a New York accent.
Yeah. "Customer assistance is needed at the kiosk."
Every bus. Every train. Escalators. Come on guys. How can you not hear him?
Imagine if he did announcements for the NYC subway.
That's funny...nice voice!
That is awesome
I got this dude confused with Charlie Pellett, voice of the NYC subways.
Charlie Pellett grew up inLondon, England.
Not gonna lie, he looks exactly like he sounds.
I LOVE this
he should get free rides for life.
Thats funny pretty cool not what i thought the voice would look like
So many pranks you could have played, dna info, you need better people for this, with imaginations.
This video makes me homesick
Why
@@GameN3rdz I miss being home, I miss my friends, my family. There's no literally no type of culture where I currently live.
awesome
Lol he sounds like Chris Hansen
I tried to recreate the voice but even though I got the wording right my voice is slightly deeper.
Has anyone noticed that when you take PACE busses the guy that does the narration for the rides sounds like the same guy that narrates the commercials for Menard's? "Save big money..."
thats awesome
When I was in Lisbon, Portugal for public transportation the voice was female. I actually prefer the male voice. My friend has an iphone and changed Siri to a male voice option.
For whatever reason I imagined the man behind the voice to be blonde haired and blue eyed. I think it's because for years I worked with a man that sounded like him.
Does he do the buses too?
Every day I hear "route 91 Austin to Jefferson Park Blue Line." It's how I get home
Riley Sondermann I take the same exact bus and yes he does
+Sophia I take it from Belmont after school
YeP _Route 63 63rd Street to Midway: Orange Line_
He also voices the Buffalo New York metro rail
How cool!😂
He is to the CTA what Jim Cornelison is to the National Anthem!
I would confuse people by disabling the voice announcing and do it yourself with a loud speaker in a car. and freak people out a bit.
Soo this the guy huh very cool
love chicago
I am sorry but in New York it all ways says stay clear of the closing doors please
I visited NYC for a week (from Chicago) and that voice annoyed the hell out of me. There's something about this guy's delivery that never gets old.
Of course there is always the London Tube with “mind the gap”.
dos he do the bus to
How much do you think he made recording that?
James Sevening If he's CTA employed, $10/hr. If he's union, $25. If he's Rahm's friend, $25 million no-bid
+Higgins2001 Add, If Rauner, it's $27,000 an hour and he dictates what you MAKE!
At ORD on train within airport drives me nuts the lady voice says “RE mote” parking, instead of reMOTE” parking. Maybe she says DEtroit, UMbrella, INsurance and GUItar too...
This is crazy lmao
He sounds kind of like Mike Rowe
Bryn Mawr is next. Doors open on the left at Bryn Mawr ... THIS is Bryn Mawr. Berwyn is next. Doors open on the left at Berwyn. Please keep your belongs off the seat next to you so that others may sit down.
IMr. Crooks makes more $$$$$$$$ being the voice for the CTA than I do in healthcare, and his ride L. Ride along with the public are public relations campaigns, and CTA marketing, not an easy task for the average person!!
Coool
in MTA god of voice
How did he get the gig ?
Wabasnia 😃
Rip
I'm sorry but with that last name I can't trust this guy or his family (I'm jking couldn't resist)
773 likes
Lol
hy
deep portrait of the meaninglessness of modern existence
@SuperPunch76 like what?
I wanna go back to Chicago downtown where the cta trains 🚞 are not the best day to say doors closing lee crooks
I’m only 8 years old as a boy 👦
Doors 🚪 closing go Chicago transit authority 🚅