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It's Curious City, where we take your questions about Chicago and the region, and investigate, report, explore, from WBEZ.

Hi, I'm reporter Sean Kennedy.

This time on Curious City, we've got a question you've probably wondered.

It's from R.C. Jones.

What determines the route of CTA-L-Train lines?

Some of them seem to zigzag for no apparent reason.

RC commutes every day on the Brown line, which stair steps from the loop to the northwest side.

If you're not sitting down and holding on, you could definitely fall over with all of the turns back and forth.

If you're reading a newspaper or texting, you're going to eat it.

Think about the L-map for a second,

and how the lines twist and turn and jog.

You'd think nice, straight lines would make more sense, right?

Faster, more efficient?

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