garmon757 Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 OMG...enough on surveys and people wants. We have goofballs running over poor girls feet with their silly bikes, women who constantly whine that some poor stiff is sleeping too loud, or someone had the gall to ask someone a question in a silly quiet car universal fare cards, even though fare structures are completely different and on and on and on. Metra wused to be regarded as "one of the best commuter railroads in the country". They started taking surveys, got way too political, worried about votes instead good business sense and this is what you get. The new equipment sucks...much relied on passenger input. GPS, a bigger joke, never works and they never track like their supposed to. Now, Metra is a laughing stock. As for PTC...it is far from being a total solution and the feds think it is absolute. Well, its not...see CTA O'Hare. Stuff is still going to happen. There are just way too many people who a) just don't get it, have no clue what they are talking about, but think they do and C) never ask anyone who really knows something about procedure or general knowhow for recommendations or suggestions for fear it won't conform to aomeone's wants, will hurt someone's feelings or won't be politically correct. Sorry about ranting, but all of this just gets my goat. To sum everything up about Metra and the board, there are too many ass kissers for real man. If things doesn't go their way, then we have to suffer. Also, what pisses me off the most is them comparing the fare structure with any other agency like NY LIRR, SEPTA, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 To sum everything up about Metra and the board, there are too many ass kissers for real man. If things doesn't go their way, then we have to suffer. Also, what pisses me off the most is them comparing the fare structure with any other agency like NY LIRR, SEPTA, etc. Metra seems to have a point that other comparable railroads didn't cave to pressure that much and let their capital deficits get to this point. The more interesting question is that with CTA having twice as big a capital deficit as Metra, what is it going to do, other than have the 5 city members again try to block the RTA budget? If one accepts Metra's point that fare increases should have been more aggressively pursued, is Rahm going to be able to run a CTA budget that increases the base fare to $3.50 or much of anything, even if the only opponent appears to be Fioretti? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Metra seems to have a point that other comparable railroads didn't cave to pressure that much and let their capital deficits get to this point. The more interesting question is that with CTA having twice as big a capital deficit as Metra, what is it going to do, other than have the 5 city members again try to block the RTA budget? If one accepts Metra's point that fare increases should have been more aggressively pursued, is Rahm going to be able to run a CTA budget that increases the base fare to $3.50 or much of anything, even if the only opponent appears to be Fioretti? And if all of that were to happen then we can kiss a lot of people goodbye from the city. If this damn state weren't that stupid then I could've accept all of this but you have to think about that every state is not the same when it comes to transportation infrastructures and budgets. The Cta and Metra are in such of a hole because of dumb ass decisions by dumb ass people. As much as this state leads the nation of corruption, it's really biting this city in the ass man..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 And if all of that were to happen then we can kiss a lot of people goodbye from the city. If this damn state weren't that stupid then I could've accept all of this but you have to think about that every state is not the same when it comes to transportation infrastructures and budgets. The Cta and Metra are in such of a hole because of dumb ass decisions by dumb ass people. As much as this state leads the nation of corruption, it's really biting this city in the ass man..... I'll only say that (1) I early voted today, so I can no longer be influenced, (2) I don't have a vote in the city elections, and (3) Rahm has about admitted that Daley left him a real big mess, and the real question, including transit and a whole lot of other areas, such as police and fire pensions, schools, etc. is whether anyone has an answer that isn't going to involve real pain. Then you add in such things as the prior Metra board blew $1.2 million on the Clifford mess,* and one figures out the cost of corruption and how the current governor wasn't serious about doing anything about it (in case you haven't voted yet). I suppose that that $1.2 million could have purchased 375,000 gallons of diesel fuel. ___________ *Yesterday's Sun-Times article on Daley scandals illustrates this mess in a non-transit context; note Emanuel's defense of attorney fees in the Park Grill case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Tribune has a harsh, but apparently accurate editorial on this (once one gets past the headline). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Tribune has a harsh, but apparently accurate editorial on this (once one gets past the headline).I had to hold my finger (or scroll and hold very quick) on my iphone screen to read this before it directs to the the sign up for digital plus page! I think Metra seriously need to be investigated about the budget because something isn't adding up well about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I had to hold my finger (or scroll and hold very quick) on my iphone screen to read this before it directs to the the sign up for digital plus page! I think Metra seriously need to be investigated about the budget because something isn't adding up well about this. Maybe my comment about 375,000 gallons of diesel fuel has some relevance. I had noted in post #25 that the numbers didn't add up, and I guess the Tribune came to some conclusions regarding that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Maybe my comment about 375,000 gallons of diesel fuel has some relevance. I had noted in post #25 that the numbers didn't add up, and I guess the Tribune came to some conclusions regarding that.Well, all I can say about it is keep it coming Tribune because this is really about to be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west towns Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Anyone going to metra hearings? Should be a fun time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted November 6, 2014 Report Share Posted November 6, 2014 Anyone going to metra hearings? Should be a fun time The way it looks in the Sun-Times, it isn't going to be worth it. However, if the point is that ME riders are going to get nothing because the ME replacement cars have already been paid for, at least we won't hear any more of "Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now Program." In response, this seems similar to when my community association assessed the whole community to fix a street on the other side of it--I wasn't getting anything, but eventually they had to fix my street. Remember, these hearings are only because the RTA Act requires them. Only the Pace board listens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 ,,,The biggest problem with the RTA is there's no mutual agreement and it's really kicking us in our asses, especially well-rotten, piss hole Metra trying to strike another fare hike!!! Knowing damn well it's now becoming too excessive and "out of pocket"! The Metra fare basically gets down to the debate that while it was justified as capital, it was pointed out that most of it was operating and thus whether they can keep operating expenses down. However, there didn't seem to be too much ridership complaining about it, except on the ME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I was bored the other day, so I decided to read issues of On the Bi-Level archived on Metra's website. The December issue says fares go up in February. The part that interested me the most was the mentioning of new cars. Let's see what comes out of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I was bored the other day, so I decided to read issues of On the Bi-Level archived on Metra's website. The December issue says fares go up in February. The part that interested me the most was the mentioning of new cars. Let's see what comes out of this. The issue, as indicated above, is that they were projecting issuing only $400 million of bonds, when they have a $9 billion capital backlog. It took some digging, but the rationale for the Feb fare hike is in this presentation (starting page 25). That also points out that the railcar program is $2.1 billion (new cars and rehabs), but the only $400 million from Metra bonds, and they are short $1.3 billion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railwaymodeler Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 With mention of the PTC system in this thread, I wonder, when PTC becomed manditory, what would that do to the ATS system on the UP-North line? I know the old bridges around Evanston keep newer motive power from being used, but I also have a feeling the ATS system might too. It would be one reason less, perhaps, that the MP36s are not used on the UP-North. Then it would just be a matter of upgrading bridges. Much as I am partial to the F-40-PHs from a railfan standpoint, those units won't go on forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 With mention of the PTC system in this thread, I wonder, when PTC becomed manditory, what would that do to the ATS system on the UP-North line? I know the old bridges around Evanston keep newer motive power from being used, but I also have a feeling the ATS system might too. It would be one reason less, perhaps, that the MP36s are not used on the UP-North. Then it would just be a matter of upgrading bridges. Much as I am partial to the F-40-PHs from a railfan standpoint, those units won't go on forever. They are going to need some sort of signals to the point that PTC is in force, but, theoretically, PTC would use gps to tell where all the trains are. Also, there would need to be reliance on existing systems until UP totally converts (maybe less of an issue on the UPN than the other two lines, which have freight). The question essentially is whether PTC completely supersedes signals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 ATS is considered positive train control, as it will (theoretically) stop a train (ie. the name Automatic Train Stop). It is a cab signal like system in the engine and cab car. It is in use on the BN, the UP and the south end (south of Blue Island) of the Rock Island. The reason the UP does not have MP-36 engines is that they refuse to operate them on their railroad because they are too heavy and their rail is not graded strong enough to support them. It has nothing to do with the bridges. When (or dare I say if) the rest of the lines get the positive train control in the form of GPS, I only hope it works and is maintained better than the GPS system used to track things now. I would say (no exaggeration), they lose about 50-60% of the trains running now. If anything like this is used in PTC, delays will be significant, as I am sure, trains will constantly be stopping because they are not being tracked. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 ATS is considered positive train control, as it will (theoretically) stop a train (ie. the name Automatic Train Stop). It is a cab signal like system in the engine and cab car. It is in use on the BN, the UP and the south end (south of Blue Island) of the Rock Island. The reason the UP does not have MP-36 engines is that they refuse to operate them on their railroad because they are too heavy and their rail is not graded strong enough to support them. It has nothing to do with the bridges. When (or dare I say if) the rest of the lines get the positive train control in the form of GPS, I only hope it works and is maintained better than the GPS system used to track things now. I would say (no exaggeration), they lose about 50-60% of the trains running now. If anything like this is used in PTC, delays will be significant, as I am sure, trains will constantly be stopping because they are not being tracked. So 115 lb rail isn't heavy enough, because when I'm on the platform at Rogers Park, I can sometimes read the markings on the web. They are 115 lb. Steelton Metra 1990 & five /////. Maybe in a different order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 ...The reason the UP does not have MP-36 engines is that they refuse to operate them on their railroad because they are too heavy and their rail is not graded strong enough to support them. It has nothing to do with the bridges... Interesting. I've seen UP locomotives much larger than the MP36 on the Metra UP West Line, but they also have more wheels to distribute the weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 So 115 lb rail isn't heavy enough, because when I'm on the platform at Rogers Park, I can sometimes read the markings on the web. They are 115 lb. Steelton Metra 1990 & five /////. Maybe in a different order. I believe part of the issue is that the yard rail is 96lbs, or something to that effect. They are far from the best locomotives out there. Most engineers would have rather had EMD units again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetraUPWest Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 Trainman- The ATS information you posted is incorrect. ATS is simply a way of making the engineer acknowledge the signal. Any time the train passes a signal less favorable than clear, a horn goes off. The engineer must acknowledge the horn by pressing a button within 6 seconds or the train will stop. There are no cab signals involved, unlike the UP West line which uses a 2 aspect ATC cab signal system, and the BNSF and Rock Island which have a 4 aspect Coded Cab Signal (CCS) system. The reason the UP does not have MP36s is because they are too heavy for the UP-N and UP-NW lines. I don't know if it's a bridge or rail issue however. The MP36s are equipped with ATS- as is all diesel Metra equipment- they just don't have the ATS shoes installed. They're wired for it, though. The "Winnebago" F40PHM-2s are also. During the rebuild program Winnebagos 185 and 210 ran on the UP lines. M19A installed an ATS shoe while they were on the UP. The ATS shoes were removed when they were sent back to BNSF after the Progress rebuild program was finished. FYI- The MP36s are FAR more reliable than the Progress F40PH-3s are. I like running them. They're faster and have much stronger dynamic brakes than all the F40s do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 It was reported the bridges were not strong enough to support a MP36 on the UP. BTW. I wonder if a Metra fare increase will just drive those customers to the CTA "L". It most definitely will drive the sw and west bound commuters toward the Stevenson bus on shoulder Pace service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 It was reported the bridges were not strong enough to support a MP36 on the UP. BTW. I wonder if a Metra fare increase will just drive those customers to the CTA "L". It most definitely will drive the sw and west bound commuters toward the Stevenson bus on shoulder Pace service. With the exception of the I-55 corridor, most Metra riders will suck it up. Perhaps the ME might suffer north of Harvey. I think CTA would be the last option considering crime. I didn't realize how badly congested the Stevenson was. It is bad in both directions during rush periods. It is just as bad as the Ike Unfortunately, my work schedule doesn't permit me to ditch the car and take the Pace Expresses plus I would still need to transfer twice, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strictures Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 It was reported the bridges were not strong enough to support a MP36 on the UP. BTW. I wonder if a Metra fare increase will just drive those customers to the CTA "L". It most definitely will drive the sw and west bound commuters toward the Stevenson bus on shoulder Pace service. Metra was the ones that reported that the 1903 bridges weren't strong enough. Several of them are so rusted out, you can see the sky through them. The best example of that is Wrightwood Ave., just east of Clybourn. Only a few will dump Metra for the wretched CTA, especially for the Red, or Green [Lake St] Lines & their miserable seating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Yeah but the UP Nw has had all new bridges working on 20 years now. It's my understanding that they just can't take the load and the error was in ordering locos that were too heavy. Well at least they have back up lines to fall back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2847 Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Yeah but the UP Nw has had all new bridges working on 20 years now. It's my understanding that they just can't take the load and the error was in ordering locos that were too heavy. Well at least they have back up lines to fall back on. The bridges that can't take the MP36 are the old ones on the UP-N line and are being rebuilt at present. The UP schedules have locos working interchangeably on W, NW and N lines so the weight limit is set by the weakest (UP-N) bridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.