Dan Ryan Track Renewal Project

[Busjack]

And don't forget it ,either. May I recommend a meet at 59th Street Junction, in the alley below....

Message ignored. Other poster is violating the TOS, and probably has a gun.

We know what usually happens under the L.

[MetroShadow]

The one thing about the project is Emanuel and Claypool take credit to make then self look good is all the jobs its createing.But,can't find money to save some routes from not being cut.

Deviated from the topic, much?

[jajuan]

And don't forget it ,either. May I recommend a meet at 59th Street Junction, in the alley below. We'll discuss the operation of the interlocking plant located there.

Wow. Come on now. We've all had disagreements on here, but none of us have taken them this far. I had my own dispute with BusHunter, but I never left a threat implied at him. In fact I was big enough to call a truce.

[Busjack]

The one thing about the project is Emanuel and Claypool take credit to make then self look good is all the jobs its createing.But,can't find money to save some routes from not being cut.

Deviated from the topic, much?

Personally, I don't think that's a deviation from the topic, at least the first sentence, since I have said all along that Emanuel defused the stink I predicted was going to happen.

What may be the deviation is that mkohut is of the belief (which I was taught in high school economics) that money is fungible. Apparently not in this instance, as the Dan Ryan project is being built with state Build Illinois (or Illinois Jobs Now) bond money.

The point I tried to make before I was rudely interrupted is that the entire project is $425 million, according to the Red Line South page. The press release on the contract for the track work says $220 million, and the one on the station renovations says $43.8 million, which leaves $161 million going to something else, presumably the 400 drivers, the free and reduced fares, plus the stuff I mentioned above that someone took offense about for no reason.

[mkohut]

I'm not trying to be dollar foolish.But,it should be broken down to how much money to hire new Bus drivers,Customers assistance,Project Manager,and expensives like added service,elevators,and whatever other expensives there are.If Claypool has nothing to hide.Thats the only way to find out if there is fat in it.

Plus,the Project Manager is a politcal correction.

[Busjack]

The Tribune has an explanation for another $20 million worth, also that all Green Line stations south of Roosevelt are getting Train Tracker.

[mkohut]

At lease its somthing that is useful after the Red Line trains are gone with the train tracker

[BusHunter]

The Tribune has an explanation for another $20 million worth, also that all Green Line stations south of Roosevelt are getting Train Tracker.

The state street subway has some more new train tracker signs also. The Lake st. stop has them now as well.

[chicagopcclcar]

West platform stairway at Garfield-Green for southbound trains is nearing completion in this view taken April 5, 2013.

The east platform stairway is just in the beginning stages of construction in this view taken April 5, 2013. Also seen is the bus terminal area at Garfield-Green where free shuttle buses will pick up and deposit passengers transferring to the 'L' at Garfield-Green. The transfer between buses and the 'L' will be barrierless, similiar to transfer stations on other transit systems.

A CTA press release dated April 5, 2013, stated that the Garfield work and other projects at various parts of the Green line on the south side are a part of $20 million dollars being spent on railroad track and station improvements related to the five month reconstruction of the Red Line South, a $425 million initiative that will completely rebuild the Red Line between Cermak/Chinatown and 95th Street over a five-month period beginning May 19. The news release does not give the source of the $20 million.

Track work on the subway incline is complete and training trains to familiarize and qualify CTA operators on the Red line reroute to Green line tracks have resumed. A staging area for outside contractors doing track work on the Englewood Green line branch has been set up at 63rd and Stewart Ave. The Englewood branch will close for its third weekend shutdown Friday evening allowing for uninterrupted work sessions by the contractors rebuilding the track structure. Work on the Englewood branch iron structure is also continuing, especially along the north-south alignment next to the Dan Ryan expressway.

There has been much discussion on the Internet about the original Dan Ryan transit line construction. In the opinion of this author there has been too little recognition that the original line was not constructed by the CTA, but was constructed by the City of Chicago. And the bridge that cracked at 18th St. and Federal St. over the CRI&P railroad was also constructed by the City of Chicago and not the CTA. And the status of applying concrete ties to transit lines 40 years ago was highly experimental and untried.

The media of the day did call the ties used on the Ryan "concrete"; they were two pieces joined with a steel bar. I wouldn't call them concrete....to me, concrete ties are one piece. Today they are known as "bi-block ties" and are mostly seen in "direct fixation" track structures.....like in the subway or Fullerton and Belmont. Dallas Dart light rail even used direct fixation on the ground, I guess in flood prone areas or areas of poor ground stability. Hint, hint...if you want to see good track ride the Dart. SEPTA has used direct fixation on Philly's Market-Frankford EL. Anyway, bi-block ties aren't seen on ballasted track usually.

Word in the '70s was that it was a mistake to put concrete ties on limestone ballast anyway, the harder concrete smashed the softer limestone into lime mud. You could see the areas where track "pumped" all up and down the line.

Milton Pikarsky, city commissioner said the Ryan ties saved money, were European in idea, and showed Chicago was at the forefront. By 1972, the City was reimbursing the CTA for replacement of the ties with wood ties. But the CTA still has strived for experimentation....it's used recycled ties, it's used African wood in ties. It even had an experimental stretch of track on the northside main near Bryn Marw. Those ties didn't last either, LOL. But today it's politically deadly to make mistakes, so no experimentation any more. And be mindful that there are many reasons why concrete ties fail.....drainage, sub soil, ballast material, ballast thickness, composition of the concrete. I think they were all "present and accounted" for on the Ryan. If you want more, talk to Amtrak (355,000 ties failed plus 800,000 due for replacement), Metro North( 50,000 installed, 50,000 removed), New Jersey Transit( 27,000 installed, 100 percent removed). All this in the 1990s. Source: Railway Tie Association.

[chicagopcclcar]

This response was received from the CTA regarding their planned outreach leading up to May 19.

Below is an outline of our outreach plans for Red Line South.

2012 Completed outreach activities:

• Press conference unveiling the Red Line South reconstruction project

• Extensive meetings with elected officials

• Three job fairs for new Part-Time Bus Operators – Chicago State University, Kennedy-King College and the National Teacher Academy (attendance: 4,106 job seekers)

• Three community meetings with President Claypool and Chairman Peterson in attendance

• Seven meet-and-greet sessions held to help build relationships between potential prime contractors and DBE subcontractors (160 businesses attended)

• Government and Community Relations (GCR) representatives attended community meetings, ward nights and other events to discuss the project.

2013 Completed outreach activities:

• Joint press conference with CTA, Metra, Pace, IDOT and RTA

• Launch of www.redlinesouth.com

• Launch of Twitter account

• Release of updated project flier

• Clergy breakfasts along the project footprint (nearly 40 clergy in attendance)

• President Claypool and Chairman Peterson met with the publishers and representatives of the area’s leading African-American newspapers (Chicago Defender, Chicago Crusader, N’Digo) and, also, WVON.

• Press release related to $20M Green Line improvements/investment

• Continued briefings with elected officials and attending/speaking at community meetings

Upcoming outreach activities:

• Release of 12 zone-specific collateral pieces (include specific alternatives suggestions for defined geographic zones). Distribution to include:

o Report card stuffers (zoned pieces delivered to parents in students’ report cards)

o Churches in affected area

o Key community locations (i.e. public institutions, offices of elected officials, etc.)

o Park District locations in affected area

• Zone-specific door hangers to be distributed, door-to-door, throughout the affected areas.

• Launch “Open for Business” campaign for businesses within footprint

• Launch of “Red Line Ambassadors” in-station outreach [staff will set up temporary kiosks at affected stations (nine total)]

• Town hall meetings and pulpit announcements

• CPS robocalls to students’ homes

• Government and Community Relations representative to host “Office Hours” at selected community locations

• Continued community meetings

• Radio and print advertising

• Final press conference

Tammy Chase

Director of Communications and Media Relations

Chicago Transit Authority

(312) 681-2820 office

(312) 515-6970 mobile

www.transitchicago.com

@cta

[chicagopcclcar]

Those interested in seeing new heavy rail built with concrete ties, this photo from a poster on SubChat named Sandbox John shows the Dulles extension under construction in the metro Washington, DC area. The so-called "Silver Line" is being constructed by an independent consortium, but expected to be operated as a part of WMATA's rail system. This marks the area's first major use of monoblock concrete ties which have a specified life cycle of 20 years. MARTA in Atlanta, GA is also known for its use of concrete ties, especially on surface and outdoors facilities. Interesting how technology has changed over the 40 years since Chicago tried the bi-block ties in the Kennedy and Dan Ryan median lines. The Dulles route even uses concrete ties under switches.

[Tcmetro]

Considering the CTA will be closing the Red Line in a month's time, has it been revealed how the 50-cent discount will be applied or which bus routes will be seeing expanded service? I remember when Three-track and the Pink Line opened there were fancy brochures full of maps and information, will similar guides be published for the the Red Line closure?

[Busjack]

Considering the CTA will be closing the Red Line in a month's time, has it been revealed how the 50-cent discount will be applied or which bus routes will be seeing expanded service? I remember when Three-track and the Pink Line opened there were fancy brochures full of maps and information, will similar guides be published for the the Red Line closure?

The only thing on the Red Line South page is this handout stating:

Discount Bus Rides

CTA will offer a 50-cent discount on bus rides along all bus routes south of 63rd Street.

[Tcmetro]

That's an interesting page. So it seems the shuttles will be free, as will the transfer at Garfield; so riders heading into the L system from one of the shuttles will have a completely free ride?

[chicagopcclcar]

Considering the CTA will be closing the Red Line in a month's time, has it been revealed how the 50-cent discount will be applied or which bus routes will be seeing expanded service? I remember when Three-track and the Pink Line opened there were fancy brochures full of maps and information, will similar guides be published for the the Red Line closure?

I would go to the CTA Facebook page and post your question there. You would stand a better chance of getting an answer from the CTA on this matter. That's what I did for a question on another subject and it worked.

[BusHunter]

The only thing on the Red Line South page is this handout stating:

One thing that is somewhat shocking is according to this handout, the shuttles are only running from 4AM to 1AM. What are riders going to do in the middle of the night? The Red line is a 24 hr operation. The riders don't even have the #29 as an alternate as that stops running around 11:30PM-12:00 midnight. I propose they make the #29 run all night this way riders could at least travel to/from Roosevelt/Red line to 95th so riders have something to fall back on.

[ChicagoNova]

One thing that is somewhat shocking is according to this handout, the shuttles are only running from 4AM to 1AM. What are riders going to do in the middle of the night? The Red line is a 24 hr operation. The riders don't even have the #29 as an alternate as that stops running around 11:30PM-12:00 midnight. I propose they make the #29 run all night this way riders could at least travel to/from Roosevelt/Red line to 95th so riders have something to fall back on.

It also says from 1am to 4am, it will extend to Garfield Green Line station.

[BusHunter]

It also says from 1am to 4am, it will extend to Garfield Green Line station.

Where does it say that? The red line south website says the shuttle service will run 24 hrs, so hopefully the handout was just a typo. Someone must've got it confused with the hrs of Green line service. (CTA's first blunder)

[ChicagoNova]

Where does it say that? The red line south website says the shuttle service will run 24 hrs, so hopefully the handout was just a typo. Someone must've got it confused with the hrs of Green line service. (CTA's first blunder)

Look at the handout again. Page 2, Local Bus Shuttle paragraph. It says "From approximately 1am to 4am, it will extend to the Garfield elevated station as the #R55 Dan Ryan Owl Shuttle to connect to Red Line trains."

[chicagopcclcar]

Where does it say that? The red line south website says the shuttle service will run 24 hrs, so hopefully the handout was just a typo. Someone must've got it confused with the hrs of Green line service. (CTA's first blunder)

Local Bus Shuttle: From approximately 4am until 1am, a local bus

shuttle – the #R63 Dan Ryan Local Shuttle – will operate between

63rd and 95th streets, with stops at 69th, 79th and 87th streets.

From approximately 1am to 4am, it will extend to the Garfield

elevated station as the #R55 Dan Ryan Owl Shuttle to connect to

Red Line trains.

Local shuttle extended

to Garfield during Owl

hours (1am-4am) only

Garfield Garfield

North

to Howard via

State Street Subway

via Loop ‘L’

R55

[BusHunter]

Local Bus Shuttle: From approximately 4am until 1am, a local bus

shuttle – the #R63 Dan Ryan Local Shuttle – will operate between

63rd and 95th streets, with stops at 69th, 79th and 87th streets.

From approximately 1am to 4am, it will extend to the Garfield

elevated station as the #R55 Dan Ryan Owl Shuttle to connect to

Red Line trains.

Local shuttle extended

to Garfield during Owl

hours (1am-4am) only

Garfield Garfield

North

to Howard via

State Street Subway

via Loop ‘L’

R55

Now I see it.

[ChicagoNova]

Local shuttle extended

to Garfield during Owl

hours (1am-4am) only

Garfield Garfield

North

to Howard via

State Street Subway

via Loop ‘L’

R55

Where does it say that?

[renardo870]

I guess the R63 local shuttle couldn't be extended to 63rd/Halsted station during the day or Garfield at all times, huh?

[Busjack]

I guess the R63 local shuttle couldn't be extended to 63rd/Halsted station during the day or Garfield at all times, huh?

It looks as though the assumption is that anyone going directly to Garfield would use an express between 69 79 87 or 95 directly to Garfield, and the only purpose of the R63 is to handle local traffic between those stations and 63rd.

There basically is no need to provide a shuttle between 63rd and Garfield, because there are 4 Green Line stations on 63rd. Unfortunately not at 63-Harvard any more, but those on 63rd have a way to get downtown.

[jajuan]

There basically is no need to provide a shuttle between 63rd and Garfield, because there are 4 Green Line stations on 63rd. Unfortunately not at 63-Harvard any more, but those on 63rd have a way to get downtown.

As far as an express shuttle only between those points you're right it's not needed. But when those other shuttles aren't running that extension of the R63 in the overnight hours when that shuttle route becomes R55 will be needed because the Red Line is a 24 hour operation and still will be during the Dan Ryan shutdown.