By Tracy Swartz
RedEye

It's been a tough week for the CTA Yellow Line, the agency's least-traveled line.

The CTA shut off power to a portion of the line today from 11:20 to 11:55 a.m., after a report of smoke near the Dempster-Skokie station. There was debris near the third rail that was smoldering, according to the CTA.

Yesterday, the agency shut off power and delayed Yellow Line service twice. In the morning, a CTA worker was hospitalized after making contact with the third rail while shoveling snow near the Oakton stop.

In the afternoon, there was a minor track fire near the Dempster-Skokie stop because of debris that caught fire, CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis said.

The Dempster-Skokie station has tracks at ground level so it's easier for debris to get on the tracks, Lukidis said.

In the incidents, riders were encouraged to use shuttle service or the No. 97 Skokie bus as alternatives. About 3,500 riders take the Yellow Line on a typical weekday, according to CTA data.