18thalek Posted August 26, 2024 Report Share Posted August 26, 2024 hey everyone curious about something and wondering if anyone has any insight. the MD-N tracks crossing Devon, Caldwell, Lehigh and Central seem to have an issue that causes gates to frequently get stuck, resulting in Metra employees coming out to manually control them. is this a known issue? has this been going on for years? and has there ever been an explicit acknowledgement of this particularly intersection by Metra? I'm curious if there's ever been plans to elevate this section similar to plans to elevate the UP-NW tracks from Gladstone Park to Edison Park. Thanks !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted August 26, 2024 Report Share Posted August 26, 2024 41 minutes ago, 18thalek said: hey everyone curious about something and wondering if anyone has any insight. the MD-N tracks crossing Devon, Caldwell, Lehigh and Central seem to have an issue that causes gates to frequently get stuck, resulting in Metra employees coming out to manually control them. is this a known issue? has this been going on for years? and has there ever been an explicit acknowledgement of this particularly intersection by Metra? I'm curious if there's ever been plans to elevate this section similar to plans to elevate the UP-NW tracks from Gladstone Park to Edison Park. Thanks !! Might be costly to elevate but the arms being stuck down is something that can and needs to be addressed asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 26, 2024 Report Share Posted August 26, 2024 3 hours ago, 18thalek said: hey everyone curious about something and wondering if anyone has any insight. the MD-N tracks crossing Devon, Caldwell, Lehigh and Central seem to have an issue that causes gates to frequently get stuck, resulting in Metra employees coming out to manually control them. is this a known issue? has this been going on for years? and has there ever been an explicit acknowledgement of this particularly intersection by Metra? I'm curious if there's ever been plans to elevate this section similar to plans to elevate the UP-NW tracks from Gladstone Park to Edison Park. Thanks !! Why don't you contact Metra (as if it doesn't already know)? It isn't going to get fixed by posting here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18thalek Posted August 27, 2024 Report Share Posted August 27, 2024 38 minutes ago, Busjack said: Why don't you contact Metra (as if it doesn't already know)? It isn't going to get fixed by posting here. I'm just curious if this is a known issue in the area. I'm not from the Northside and only recently learned of this intersection. I'm also just curious if there was ever an attempt to elevate it similarly to this plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 27, 2024 Report Share Posted August 27, 2024 18 minutes ago, 18thalek said: I'm just curious if this is a known issue in the area. I'm not from the Northside and only recently learned of this intersection. I'm also just curious if there was ever an attempt to elevate it similarly to this plan That was asked and answered before, and it is still no. It certainly isn't in the 2023 Capital Program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardL803 Posted September 6, 2024 Report Share Posted September 6, 2024 The Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) recently posted a whole bunch of Metra timetables from the last 20 years or so on their website. There are PDFs for all of the commuter rail network's lines. http://irm-cta.org/TT/TT.html (scroll all the way down) http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/BNSF/BNSF.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/HC/HC.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/MD-N/MD-N.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/MD-W/MD-W.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/ME/ME.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/NC/NC.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/RI/RI.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/SW/SW.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/UP-N/UP-N.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/UP-NW/UP-NW.html http://irm-cta.org/TT/Metra/UP-W/UP-W.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardL803 Posted September 6, 2024 Report Share Posted September 6, 2024 On 8/26/2024 at 3:16 PM, 18thalek said: hey everyone curious about something and wondering if anyone has any insight. the MD-N tracks crossing Devon, Caldwell, Lehigh and Central seem to have an issue that causes gates to frequently get stuck, resulting in Metra employees coming out to manually control them. is this a known issue? has this been going on for years? and has there ever been an explicit acknowledgement of this particularly intersection by Metra? I'm curious if there's ever been plans to elevate this section similar to plans to elevate the UP-NW tracks from Gladstone Park to Edison Park. Thanks !! I created this map a few months ago. It shows most (if not all) of the cancelled track elevation projects within the city of Chicago. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1kJsRwlQXucygI2rEE4yOQJBrR5lJD0Y In the early part of the 20th century, ordinances were passed by Chicago's City Council to elevate these portions of the rail lines within the city's boundaries. The projects were unfortunately never completed due to various reasons. You can read more about those cancelled projects here. https://www.chicagorailfan.com/elevacxl.html You can actually read the track elevation ordinances from the City Council's proceedings via this resource. http://chsmedia.org/media/fa/fa/LIB/CouncilProcGuide.htm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardL803 Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 Metra has changed its fare zones several times since the agency’s inception. I created these maps to visualize the fare zones for each station under the current and past fare structures. Metra Stations by Fare Zone (Since 2024): https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1DgjdcmNOBkOb2sNkZniUMfchyWrjuu0&usp=sharing Metra Stations by Fare Zone (2018-2024): https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1zXd-nFvTkvzaXByC--_6tqEivrR_TBs&usp=sharing Metra Stations by Fare Zone (Before 2018): https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1hiJQYcwo2loJ2544h634__4_9tH0ziM&usp=sharing Please note that in the final map, stations in zones J, K, and M were combined into a single layer due to Google MyMaps limit of 10 layers per map. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys Pate Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 Metra F40C 614 has been donated to the Illinois Railway Museum for preservation. Metra contacted the Illinois Railway Museum in December about donating 614. 614 will be going to the museum soon. This is your last chance to see 614 at Western Avenue Yard (where it has been in storage since 2012). Afterwards, you will be able to see 614 at the museum. https://www.irm.org/in-the-news/metra-donates-f40c/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys Pate Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 Update: 614 may have already gone to the Illinois Railway Museum (or it could no longer be parked in a place that it is visible from Grand Avenue). 614 is not parked next to 611 anymore (picture taken today (February 22nd, 2025)). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailycommuter62 Posted February 24 Report Share Posted February 24 Believe it went today but was taken out of the deadline and taken inside for work and inspections for the trip weeks earlier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys Pate Posted March 1 Report Share Posted March 1 614 went to the Illinois Railway Museum last Sunday (February 23rd). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhys Pate Posted March 8 Report Share Posted March 8 There are a few F59PHIs sitting in the yard near Orland Park 179th St. station on the SouthWest Service (including #74). Why are these locomotives there? Picture taken yesterday (March 7th, 2025). F40PHM-3 #214 is in the picture on an outbound SouthWest Service train that terminated at Orland Park 179th St. station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2847 Posted March 9 Report Share Posted March 9 16 hours ago, Rhys Pate said: There are a few F59PHIs sitting in the yard near Orland Park 179th St. station on the SouthWest Service (including #74). Why are these locomotives there? Picture taken yesterday (March 7th, 2025). F40PHM-3 #214 is in the picture on an outbound SouthWest Service train that terminated at Orland Park 179th St. station. They are stored out of service, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 9 Report Share Posted March 9 1 hour ago, busfan2847 said: They are stored out of service, It looks as though FP59s were taken off the `UPN; all I see are FP40s. Conversely, the` Milw N looks like anything but (heavy MP, MACH70). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarNWSider773 Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 These web maps visualize the spatial extent of two rail lines that were once proposed by Metra. SouthEast Service https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Olp_nFmrR7RnehvY2P5PwWqUe0zDd5s STAR Line https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1inEl4YdlhbbN2GFu1IeHDQ08W2hvUm0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transit Introvert Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 Anybody ever watched this video? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 5 minutes ago, Transit Introvert said: Anybody ever watched this video? No, but I've seen others with similar concepts, such as a Trains Are Awsome one with Thom touring Philadelphia, noting that Philly dug a tunnel linking the east and west side refional rail tracks, and wouldn't it be neat to have the same linking the ME and Clybourn station on the N and NW lines, about the same as this guy asking why not go directly from Hyde Park to Highland Park. Of course, besides the $4 billion (my estimate) cost of building the tunnel, there's the problem that the equipment is incompatible. I can see bypassing Union Station, and while there at least were some commuters from Naperville to Deerfield, I don't know how much is gained linking the BNSF to the Milw N or the [former] UP lines. I agree it is a pain to explain how to go from Ogilvie to Millenium. One time, someone asked me at Ogilvie how to get to the Museum of Science and Industry, and I said "go to Washington St., take any Eastbound bus to Michigan, then take the electric train to 57th, or go to State and take the #6 bus." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted September 27 Report Share Posted September 27 3 hours ago, Busjack said: No, but I've seen others with similar concepts, such as a Trains Are Awsome one with Thom touring Philadelphia, noting that Philly dug a tunnel linking the east and west side refional rail tracks, and wouldn't it be neat to have the same linking the ME and Clybourn station on the N and NW lines, about the same as this guy asking why not go directly from Hyde Park to Highland Park. Of course, besides the $4 billion (my estimate) cost of building the tunnel, there's the problem that the equipment is incompatible. I can see bypassing Union Station, and while there at least were some commuters from Naperville to Deerfield, I don't know how much is gained linking the BNSF to the Milw N or the [former] UP lines. I agree it is a pain to explain how to go from Ogilvie to Millenium. One time, someone asked me at Ogilvie how to get to the Museum of Science and Industry, and I said "go to Washington St., take any Eastbound bus to Michigan, then take the electric train to 57th, or go to State and take the #6 bus." A few things: I was not aware that the St. Charles Airline Bridge was out of service. Only the B&O Chicago Terminal bridge next to it is not used. Metra has plans to grade separate the UP West Line from the Milwaukee Road Lines at A-2, to eliminate the crossovers & the need for the flame beds in sub-zero weather. There used to be a connection between Union Station's north berth & the UP-N & NW lines, a single track that runs through the former C&NW long distance train yard, where the Trib printing plant was & they're building that new casino in the wrong place., one apartment building has even left a big hole in it for the trains to pass through, but the development on the north side of Kinzie St, doesn't seem to have any connection possibilities, unless I just can't see it. I remember it was used decades ago when the Flying Scotsman locomotive from Britain made a tour of the USA, it was shown at Union Station, but I got to see it pass by Rogers Park with a couple of hundred others when it went by us. I have always wondered why the city council forced the IC to electrify its commuter trains & not the Burlington, Milwaukee Road, Rock Island or C & NW in the 1920s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted Saturday at 11:36 PM Report Share Posted Saturday at 11:36 PM 42 minutes ago, strictures said: I have always wondered why the city council forced the IC to electrify its commuter trains & not the Burlington, Milwaukee Road, Rock Island or C & NW in the 1920s? That seems pretty simple: they didn't want the IC smoking up Grant Park.IDK if it was still hauling freight to the south bank of the Chicago River. The IC also seems more subject to regulation because it was on landfill on navigable waters (same thing Friends of the Park used vto block stuff like the Lucas Museum), and Aaron Montgomery Ward's easement for public benefit east of Michigan Ave. The other railroads are primarily freight and unless there was something similar to the whole east coast east of Harrisburg, PA being forced to electrify, it wouldn't happen here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarNWSider773 Posted Wednesday at 12:20 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 12:20 PM In 2019, Metra published its "Systemwide Cost Benefit Analysis of Major Capital Improvements" report. https://assets.metra.com/s3fs-public/2024-11/Systemwide_Cost_Benefit_Analysis_2019.pdf The document evaluated proposed projects, which included improvements to existing lines as well as new extensions in the Chicagoland area. It specifically conducted a cost-benefit analysis of these projects, using metrics such as ridership, costs, and reliability. The report featured a map displaying all the projects under evaluation. A link to that map is provided below. https://imgur.com/a/evaluation-map-of-metra-improvement-expansion-projects-2019-jjWZ6ZP Using Metra's spatial data, I recreated the map as an interactive web version that visualizes the project locations from the 2019 report. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1DRcHSvcu0pUEG2774phe5MF3YxRPdBs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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