Busjack Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I usually use Olgilvie & I still wonder why Metra won't buy ticket machines that take cash. LA Metrolink has them everywhere on their property & all their stations. Just why is Metra so hopelessly backwards in ticketing technology? They have them on the Metra Electric (going back to the IC in the 1970s) and the surcharge is assessed at any Metra Electric station, most of which do not have agents. At this point, I guess Metra is waiting for whatever the open fare solution is going to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I'm surprised that they are discouraging paying the extra $3, but with the proposal for $5, maybe the $3 isn't worth that much to Metra. I guess not. I usually use Olgilvie & I still wonder why Metra won't buy ticket machines that take cash. LA Metrolink has them everywhere on their property & all their stations. Just why is Metra so hopelessly backwards in ticketing technology? Personally I'm waiting for them to collect your fare with little handheld Ventra Card readers. Collecting all the different colored 1-ride tickets is cool, but I'm running out of room in my laptop case to hold them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 They have them on the Metra Electric (going back to the IC in the 1970s) and the surcharge is assessed at any Metra Electric station, most of which do not have agents. At this point, I guess Metra is waiting for whatever the open fare solution is going to be. The ME has them, only because the IC bought them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 The ME has them, only because the IC bought them. Not the second generation. The first generation fare controls were beige with squeeze things to admit the passengers, while the second generation were more conventional turnstiles. Maybe the explanation is that only the IC/ME had fare controls. Let's also remember that Metra only collects the surcharge when an agent is not in the station, which is the case, at least in the afternoon, at most suburban stations. So, maybe it didn't find a need for ticket machines. The South Shore seems more advanced in this regard, as it does have ticket machines, and is the lead agency for the phone app. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 You also have to remember all the hubbub with the vending machines/gates and how people hated them and wanted to be like everyone else. This whole fare thing is a joke. Customer service keeps putting up the $5 surcharge all over Randolph Street, even though it has been postponed indefinitely. Someone just refuses to read the mail. Most of us don't charge the $3 outside of downtown because 7 out of 10 machines don't work, either because they don't empty them out and there is too much money, or they just don't accept the bills or there is no ticket stock. In addition, 40% of the time you can't read the zones or ticket type because there is no ink in the machines to properly print.Rumor has it (oh joy) that the phone app crap is suppose to be coming within a month or 2. No Ventra, and not similar to South Shore. I am sure it'll be a failure, just like the test was with scanning all tickets (that was scrapped even before the test was done) and the inept geofocus provided info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 I just got up, and Bruce Levine was on the radio about taking an ice tea to the auto show from the south side. Wayne Randazzo said something about "you carried an ice tea?" to which Levine said, no IC, Illinois Central, something like Metra now. Randazzo then said something about "coming from Memphis" to which Levine said it came from South Bend. Randazzo asked if it was the green and white cars or that was the L and Levine said that was the L, these cars were gray.* The he said it was the South Shore or connected with the South Shore. The next Scoreboard Update was sponsored by the RTA Trip Planner, which is about as confused. _________ *AT first I thought olive green, but maybe he postdates the Highliners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Metra now has a page announcing a 41 locomotive rebuilding program, covering some of the F40PH-2 and F40PH-2M locomotives. One of the major changes is the addition of positive train control equipment. Metra Page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Metra now has a page announcing a 41 locomotive rebuilding program, covering some of the F40PH-2 and F40PH-2M locomotives. One of the major changes is the addition of positive train control equipment. Metra Page I assume that F40PH-2 are locomotives #100-183, #215-16 and F40PHM-2 are locomotives #184-214. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I assume that F40PH-2 are locomotives #100-183, #215-16 and F40PHM-2 are locomotives #184-214. #150-184 for the F40PH-2s and #185-214 for the F40PHM-2s. The rest, and #215 and #216 are F40PH-3s. I could be wrong, as these numbers are from Wikipedia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 #150-184 for the F40PH-2s and #185-214 for the F40PHM-2s. The rest, and #215 and #216 are F40PH-3s. I could be wrong, as these numbers are from Wikipedia. Thanks. I personally think it don't make any logical sense to rehab the F40PH-2s because of them aging. The F40PHM-2's makes more sense to be rehabbed. The only concern I have is which of them are going to be rehabbed and is there any retirements coming up soon since they only rehabbing 41 of them??? It's just an odd number of them to be rehabbed. I'm surprised that they couldn't start any kind of bidding for new locomotives. GE locomotives anybody???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 ...I'm surprised that they couldn't start any kind of bidding for new locomotives. GE locomotives anybody???? As far as I know they haven't been bidding yet, but they have announced interest in new locomotives. The question is whether they can get locomotives that are Union Pacific friendly, or they'll just have to upgrade the infrastructure. Right now the Siemens Charger may be the best option for Metra. In fact, the Illinois Department of Transportation is interested in them. It's not as good looking as a GE Genesis, but it weighs a bit less, according to a Siemens publication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 As far as I know they haven't been bidding yet, but they have announced interest in new locomotives. The question is whether they can get locomotives that are Union Pacific friendly, or they'll just have to upgrade the infrastructure. Right now the Siemens Charger may be the best option for Metra. In fact, the Illinois Department of Transportation is interested in them. It's not as good looking as a GE Genesis, but it weighs a bit less, according to a Siemens publication. Ahhhh, very nice but the only problem is how can Metra budget well if they can get a shot of them??? I didn't know Siemens made locomotives. Hell, this sends me way back 10 years ago when my mother had a Siemens flip phone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 The locomotive work was foreshadowed by the lead up to the fare increase. GE Transportation is still around, and headquartered in Chicago. Most of the rest the two of you cite probably would raise Buy America Act problems. Although Siemens does stuff like light rail here, the question is whether 41 locomotives is enough to be worth setting up shop.* And, of course, everything now will mention positive train control, since it looks like the railroads are not going to get out of the mandate or have the deadline extended, and that was the main justification for the immediate fare increase ("the feds mandated it but didn't provide the funds"). ___________ *It looks from their site that they do mostly Europe, Asia and Africa, and electric locomotives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 ...I didn't know Siemens made locomotives. Hell, this sends me way back 10 years ago when my mother had a Siemens flip phone! I first heard about Siemens Mobility when they made traction motors for some of the R160s in New York City. Then they made the 0700s for the Boston Blue Line. But as Busjack pointed out, they have a whole locomotive operation going for them on the other side of the Atlantic. ...GE Transportation is still around, and headquartered in Chicago. Most of the rest the two of you cite probably would raise Buy America Act problems. Although Siemens does stuff like light rail here, the question is whether 41 locomotives is enough to be worth setting up shop.*... *It looks from their site that they do mostly Europe, Asia and Africa, and electric locomotives. If GE could get their Genesis to shed a few pounds, I'd welcome it with open arms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 This might've been linked awhile back, but someone put it up on peopleoftheCTA's Facebook, so I figured, what the heck.... view and enjoy(if you haven't already).... Who's the crazy one.... the rule enforcer, or the crazy, cell phone caller??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=kupTj6yC65U&app=desktop That was sickening to watch! Regardless even if the guy was breaking the rules, that guy had no right to putting his hands on the smaller guy. I would have pressed charges! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I found an article in Metro-Magazine which was reprinted from the Detroit Free Press concerning some former Metra carshttp://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/25/official-warned-mdot-railcar-leases/23970713/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I found an article in Metro-Magazine which was reprinted from the Detroit Free Press concerning some former Metra carshttp://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/25/official-warned-mdot-railcar-leases/23970713/ The freaky thing is that Ann Arbor Mich wants commuter rail. Maybe they think that University of Michigan needs something on the cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juelzkellz Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I first heard about Siemens Mobility when they made traction motors for some of the R160s in New York City. Then they made the 0700s for the Boston Blue Line. But as Busjack pointed out, they have a whole locomotive operation going for them on the other side of the Atlantic. If GE could get their Genesis to shed a few pounds, I'd welcome it with open arms. The Genesis locomotives are actually lighter than the MP36's and only 8,000 lbs heavier than the F40PH's. Me personally, I'd rather go with a new design like the EMD F125 or the Siemens Charger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 The freaky thing is that Ann Arbor Mich wants commuter rail. Maybe they think that University of Michigan needs something on the cheap. There was a commuter line from Detroit to Ann Arbor in the 1960s & maybe even later into the 70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 There was a commuter line from Detroit to Ann Arbor in the 1960s & maybe even later into the 70s. There were also jobs and population in Detroit in those days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 ...and only 8,000 lbs heavier than the F40PH's. Me personally, I'd rather go with a new design like the EMD F125 or the Siemens Charger. Add 6,000 lbs to that in addition for the P32AC version, though Metra doesn't need the third rail equipment. Apparently the F125 will weigh as much as the MP36s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 I found an article in Metro-Magazine which was reprinted from the Detroit Free Press concerning some former Metra carshttp://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/02/25/official-warned-mdot-railcar-leases/23970713/Looks like the cars they got were old BN cars. They did some nice work inside.http://www.semcog.org/A2D2_September2011.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Looks like the cars they got were old BN cars. They did some nice work inside.http://www.semcog.org/A2D2_September2011.aspx Yes, from the letterboard. Around here, all we hear is about old CN&W cars. That one mentions the Detroit service,while others mention the WALLY (Ann Arbor-Howell) service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 I'm guessing that they're about to start phase 3 of the 25th Avenue Grade Separation Project between Lake Street and St. Charles Road. This project is part of the CREATE Program and expect to be completed by Fall 2016. I found some links about this project but there aren't up to date though. http://createprogram.org/tiger5_files/2013-01_Final_PDR_25th.pdf (795 pages) http://www3.illinois.gov/pressreleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=2&RecNum=10383 http://www.createprogram.org/factsheets/GS6.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 ... I found some links about this project but there aren't up to date though. ... As indicated by the IDOT report stating that 325 would be affected, but that became 303 which runs on 19th Ave. I wonder if the detour will cause any congestion and what purports to be downtown Melrose Park (19th Ave. south of Lake). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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