UP North Line schedule SNAFU

[west towns]

Metra just announced a revised schedule change for the UP North Line to accomodate passenger complaints due to the new bridge replacement work.

This is the third schedule change within the past month.

Did Metra mess up with scheduling and accomodating passenger markets or did they not anticipate the passenger complaints and backlash and hoped to have any issues just slide on by?

Is this a new Metra or are they trying to be more customer focused? To put in another way, if this happened a year ago or prior to May 2010 would Metra even care about the passengers or is this something new from a more caring (or one that doesn't want to call any more attention to themselves) organization?

[twyztdmynd]

Metra just announced a revised schedule change for the UP North Line to accomodate passenger complaints due to the new bridge replacement work.

In TRIBUNE notes Metra will funnel trains on a section of single track and do more train 'bunching'. So, if one train is late....THEY'RE ALL LATE !

[trainman8119]

Metra just announced a revised schedule change for the UP North Line to accomodate passenger complaints due to the new bridge replacement work.

This is the third schedule change within the past month.

Did Metra mess up with scheduling and accomodating passenger markets or did they not anticipate the passenger complaints and backlash and hoped to have any issues just slide on by?

Is this a new Metra or are they trying to be more customer focused? To put in another way, if this happened a year ago or prior to May 2010 would Metra even care about the passengers or is this something new from a more caring (or one that doesn't want to call any more attention to themselves) organization?

I though long and hard about how I wanted to reply to this without sounding too, um, sour grapes or if I should even say anything, but I decided what the heck.

I think the problem here is that the person who is now doing the schedules is one who doesn't know what he is doing. He is a college boy who came in through the apprentice program and became the pet of the CTO. He got a couple of titles and through it all really doesn't know anything when it comes to railroad. Even though this is all done through computer, I think this guy's lack of knowledge is a factor.

I think there are ways this could have been attacked with less fanfare. Part of the problem with overcrowding is too many ADA cars which reduce seating by 20 per car. If they were to load up on the Budd cars it would help a little bit..and that is just a start. I am also wondering if all 26 bridges are being done at the same time...if they are, I wonder on why it is taking 8 years. If they are not all being done at once, the single track area should be shortened with manual switches being put in and switch tenders put in place with the cost being part of the project cost. It would create a slow crossover, but it beats waiting for trains to clear a long single track.

As for this being a "new Metra", I don't think so...just a brass who can't handle criticism. Why else would their be a 3rd, or even 2nd schedule put in place ?

[Busjack]

... I am also wondering if all 26 bridges are being done at the same time...if they are, I wonder on why it is taking 8 years. If they are not all being done at once, the single track area should be shortened with manual switches being put in and switch tenders put in place with the cost being part of the project cost. It would create a slow crossover, but it beats waiting for trains to clear a long single track.

Metra said that there were two phases, one between Grace and Balmoral, and another between Cornelia and Fullerton. While there is no indication whether there is a crossover between Grace and Cornelia, that announcement does indicate that the meets are scheduled for Rogers Park and Clybourn, so one would guess not.

At least the last Service Alert has a better apologia for the latest change. Given the prior thread on how Metra attempts to count passengers, I suppose the argument could have been made that the bunching couldn't be anticipated until it happened.

[Busjack]

According to Chicago Breaking News, apparently the Sept. change is on hold, as qualifying under the title of this thread.

[jacksone44]

Can someone help me understand why this project is taking 8 years? Really? What are they doing it by hand?

[Busjack]

Can someone help me understand why this project is taking 8 years? Really? What are they doing it by hand?

Again, the Metra explanation is that they have to take out one side for half way, then the other, then repeat on the other half.

Of course, if anyone is a civil engineer out there, they could explain why Metra can't do what CTA did on a couple of overpasses in Evanston and at Wacker and Wells, or for that matter Metra on the UP NW line, which basically is to build the bridge on the side and then slide it over in a weekend.

[busfan2847]

Again, the Metra explanation is that they have to take out one side for half way, then the other, then repeat on the other half.

Of course, if anyone is a civil engineer out there, they could explain why Metra can't do what CTA did on a couple of overpasses in Evanston and at Wacker and Wells, or for that matter Metra on the UP NW line, which basically is to build the bridge on the side and then slide it over in a weekend.

Because the bridges are not a direct replacement. The clearence under the bridge is being increased to the current state/city? minimum which will also mean that the trackbed between the bridges will have to be raised. This is why the tracks are being moved over and why there will no longer be room for reinstatement of the third track, if needed, in future.

They did the same on the UPNW line. The bridges go in over a weekend, building the trackbed up to the level of the bridges and also rebuilding any stations in the area takes time.

[trainman8119]

I personally think the 8 year thing is a Metra trademark...job preservation. Why does it take 18 months to rebuild a shack and lay down some ashphalt ??

I will disagree with Busjack on the NW line reconstruction, though. That project took eons...3-5 years at least. Nothing was moved over, they took out one track at a time between Clybourn and Mayfair and rebuilt everything in between. Trains operated on 2 tracks in that area during that time. I rode though that for most of the time that project was being done...it was during my time working at the

C&NW.

[Busjack]

I personally think the 8 year thing is a Metra trademark...job preservation. Why does it take 18 months to rebuild a shack and lay down some ashphalt ??

I will disagree with Busjack on the NW line reconstruction, though. That project took eons...3-5 years at least. Nothing was moved over, they took out one track at a time between Clybourn and Mayfair and rebuilt everything in between. Trains operated on 2 tracks in that area during that time. I rode though that for most of the time that project was being done...it was during my time working at the

C&NW.

I'll accept with regard to the time. I do remember seeing the new bridges ready to be slid into position (such as at Addison near the Kennedy Expressway).

I guess there was less stink about the NW line, in that it was down from 3 tracks to 2, not the N line being down from 2 to 1.

With regard to making work, I remember it being said that even if the village owned the station, Metra said that they had to use Metra contractors, which some villages said were too expensive. So, I guess there is some of that there.

[ibebobo]

Maybe Metra can buy back more of the Pullman cars to add capacity at this point.

[Busjack]

Maybe Metra can buy back more of the Pullman cars to add capacity at this point.

From what Metra says, the problem is how many trains it can force through the chokepoint. Also, given platform lengths and the like, I doubt that they can run a 20 car train, if that would take care of the number of trains problem.

A better question would be whether they reallocated cars because they can't run as many on the N line?

[twyztdmynd]

Appears Evanston is having real problems. Five trains during a rush period cut to two causing wait periods of 45+ minutes. Metra promises to fix with new upcoming schedule fix. See story here...

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Metra.service.2.1929015.html

[ibebobo]

Does anyone have any further info about this? They said they will postpone the new schedule until the beginning of October, which is in 3 days! Should one assume that they will in fact use the proposed schedule starting on Friday? You would think they would be a little more diligent about the updates.

[Busjack]

Does anyone have any further info about this?

Your answer appears here. Apparently the project has been suspended until Spring.