MRChiCity Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Metra will soon be unvaling it's new website on Wednesday, for more information go to http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-metra-website-07-sep07,0,6631951.story and tell me what you think thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 In addition, and I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the unveiling of the new website, Metra has updated its timetables for the modern times (and correct me if I'm wrong, this is the first time in 20 years that they've updated these). They are longer, nicer looking, and more informative than the previous schedules. The only thing they've taken out are the front cover and system maps, which is alright by me. I'll have pics posted after the sun rises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 In addition, and I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the unveiling of the new website, Metra has updated its timetables for the modern times (and correct me if I'm wrong, this is the first time in 20 years that they've updated these). They are longer, nicer looking, and more informative than the previous schedules. The only thing they've taken out are the front cover and system maps, which is alright by me. I'll have pics posted after the sun rises. It looks like they already have them up on their site, such as MDN, UPN. However, the format of the actual timetable portion doesn't seem any different. Other than the cover page, the only differences seem to be a single foldout instead of book form, info on a panel instead of the bottom of the schedules, and "Ticket-By-Mail/Ticket-By-Internet — Visit our website for more information," obviously a cop out since the credit card option is still a work in progress. The 09 09 09 legend on the current main page seems a bit ominous to me.:unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ctafan630 Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Metra will soon be unvaling it's new website on Wednesday, for more information go to http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-metra-website-07-sep07,0,6631951.story and tell me what you think thank you http://metrarail.com/Service_Advisories/new_site.html Has anyone noticed the picture at the bottom of the page? In the picture it shows 4 train sets - 2 with engine 402. I will like the feature where you can subscribe to email alerts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Has anyone noticed the picture at the bottom of the page? In the picture it shows 4 train sets - 2 with engine 402. ... I assume you mean after clicking on the "Learn more" button. Given the similarity in reflections (the number to the left as you look at it is blurred), repeated backgrounds, etc., looks like a bad Photoshop job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ctafan630 Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I assume you mean after clicking on the "Learn more" button. Given the similarity in reflections (the number to the left as you look at it is blurred), repeated backgrounds, etc., looks like a bad Photoshop job. I was referring to the picture found at the bottom of their new site information page. I added a link to the page itself. I figured it was a duplicate picture of the trainset, but I would have thought at some point in the day the train yard would have been full where they would not need to photoshop a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 The website is up and running nicely. Its a beautiful thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twyztdmynd Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 The website is up and running nicely. Its a beautiful thing. Anyone having trouble with loading 'MyMetra' ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Anyone having trouble with loading 'MyMetra' ? I got a 503 Service Temporarily Unavailable message. About five minutes later it cleared up. I also intermittently got that message when using the Schedule Finder, but it usually worked. The thing I didn't like was when you put in the time, while it did shade the schedule for the next train, it didn't automatically scroll to it, so that if you were asking after about 8:00 am, you have to scroll to find that one. It does limit the display to the stations of interest, so it might be better than having to search through a timetable with all stations, but having to scroll to the gray column is a bit counter intuitive. On the Buy Tickets online page, the pull down for the line didn't load the first time; did about 3 minutes later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ctafan630 Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Anyone having trouble with loading 'MyMetra' ? I cant get the "My Metra" Page to load either. I get the "cannot find server" error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 I was referring to the picture found at the bottom of their new site information page. I added a link to the page itself. .... Browsing around, and also trying the links that are now dead, it appears that was a two day wonder. Also, it appears that the links to the pdf schedules are to the old style ones: MDN, UPN, and the links in my prior message to the new ones are dead. Wonder when that will be remedied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Tribune article on the subject. Apparently we all overloaded the system. Sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ctafan630 Posted September 10, 2009 Report Share Posted September 10, 2009 Tribune article on the subject. Apparently we all overloaded the system. Sure. I am surprised they did not use the typical Metra answer to problems - Signal problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Playing with this, I discovered a major faux paus. First of all, I checked out a few of the lines to see if this is better or worse than the old schedule method. I would imagine it depends on how you view things. I think, to a point, it is a little bit easier to read a to/from 2 lines than the old schedule. But I question why one would have to go through the hassle of inputting a specific time only to have the display show trains from the earliest part of the day. But one problem is that by not seeing all the trains, it could set up some safety issues during rush hour with confused people perhaps running for a train that is not their's. It happened when you could see all the trains. However, the major faux paus is when I went into the Metra Electric and pulled up service between Millenium and 83rd Street/Avalon. This would be certain early morning and Evening UP trains and morning/afternoon BI trains. The problem is upon further review...the menus show Monday-Saturday service, similar to the printed timetables. However, Saturday service is not the same as service during the week. So, for example, during the week, train 237 (my current train) departs Randolph Street at 5:41pm. On Saturday, there is no 237, but train 239 that departs at 5:51pm. But if you look at the readout, you would think that there is always a 237 and a 239 10 minutes later, 6 days per week. This would also apply to all of the other rush hour trains (example, no 700, 500 or 400 zone trains on Saturdays...but you wouldn't know from the display). The printed schedules distinguish between Mon-Fri and Sat trains. I guess I should expect people whining about getting what they asked for again !!!!!! Should be a fun Saturday....again. :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 However, the major faux paus is when I went into the Metra Electric and pulled up service between Millenium and 83rd Street/Avalon. This would be certain early morning and Evening UP trains and morning/afternoon BI trains. The problem is upon further review...the menus show Monday-Saturday service, similar to the printed timetables. However, Saturday service is not the same as service during the week. So, for example, during the week, train 237 (my current train) departs Randolph Street at 5:41pm. On Saturday, there is no 237, but train 239 that departs at 5:51pm. But if you look at the readout, you would think that there is always a 237 and a 239 10 minutes later, 6 days per week. This would also apply to all of the other rush hour trains (example, no 700, 500 or 400 zone trains on Saturdays...but you wouldn't know from the display). The printed schedules distinguish between Mon-Fri and Sat trains. I guess I should expect people whining about getting what they asked for again !!!!!! Should be a fun Saturday....again. I hadn't seen this, since at least the MD-N had pulldowns for Weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.* But you are right that this is a problem with the MED. I think that the real problem with the MED is that they are putting too much onto one printed schedule. There shouldn't be both Weekdays Only and Saturdays Only columns on the same table. Furthermore, IMO, I think that the three branches should be separate (they don't put 3 UP lines or 2 Milw lines in the same pamphlet). In fact, I would rather go to the old days, when there were also separate schedules for to 63rd and to Kensington (to take care of the problem that someone at 57th would have to look at three schedules). Are ME passengers so wedded to the current format that they couldn't cope with multiple schedule tables? Working for them, do you know who would take the suggestion from you? __________________ * I tried looking at other lines, but got the 503 error again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Working for them, do you know who would take the suggestion from you? Because I work for them would be reason enough for them not to take any suggestion from me. I agree that the MED is perhaps the most difficult schedule to read. In fact, I use that timetable as little as possible and make my own notes based on time of day and job I am working. I am sure adding 2 pages to an already thick schedule book would make it bulkier than it is as well as increase the cost of creating it. When I started in train service 8 years ago, I found a number of station platform signs incorrectly printed and notified "proper" people. The only reason any of them got changed is becsuse they redid the South Chicago platforms and changed some station names (eg. 75th Street was printed 75st St..and is now Windsor Park). To this day, one of the platform signs at West Pullman continues to read West Pulman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted September 13, 2009 Report Share Posted September 13, 2009 I hadn't seen this, since at least the MD-N had pulldowns for Weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.* But you are right that this is a problem with the MED. For what it is worth, I told one of the Customer Service Supervisors about this on Friday (9-11). She said she knows someone in the know, so we'll see if she follows through and if it makes any difference. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 For what it is worth, I told one of the Customer Service Supervisors about this on Friday (9-11). She said she knows someone in the know, so we'll see if she follows through and if it makes any difference. Looking for the Metra budget, I thought about checking the Metra Electric schedule, and now there is a separate pulldown for Saturday. So, maybe you did some good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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