New CTA President

[NewFlyerMCI]

Sorry for absence, been moving lately, but I find it slightly funny that someone from Washington (technically) is coming to CTA instead of WMATA.

[briman94]

Sorry for absence, been moving lately, but I find it slightly funny that someone from Washington (technically) is coming to CTA instead of WMATA.

​Is he from Washington DC or Washington State? I couldn't gather that from the article(s).

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

​Is he from Washington DC or Washington State? I couldn't gather that from the article(s).

​He's coming from Washington DC. Aside from Seattle, Washington State doesn't have much rail transit going for it. And Seattleites still complain about their nice light rail line. 

Don't get me started on the Seattle Trolley.

[juelzkellz]

This is a historical moment for the agency. First African American that has the experience. Emmanuel was not going to pick just anybody to run the agency. Claypool has accomplished a lot during his first term, just look at all the initiatives that were launched during his term  http://www.transitchicago.com/news_initiatives/projects/default.aspx

Congratulations to Mr. Carter on becoming the new president at the CTA and thank you Mr. Claypool for your term. 

Claypool inherited the majority of those accomplishments. He just just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The changes he did make made things worse (eliminating the #11, the X routes, etc.)

[Busjack]

Claypool inherited the majority of those accomplishments. He just just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The changes he did make made things worse (eliminating the #11, the X routes, etc.)

​Canning the X routes was done by Rodriguez.

[Busjack]

Sorry for absence, been moving lately, but I find it slightly funny that someone from Washington (technically) is coming to CTA instead of WMATA.

​

​Is he from Washington DC or Washington State? I couldn't gather that from the article(s).

​The articles indicated that he was in Washington DC only as a functionary at the US DOT. It wasn't like he was running WMATA or King County Metro. The guy is from Chicago.

Of course, Kruesi had a similar background.

[Juniorz]

 

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Why look at the negative of someone's accomplishments? If every time someone focused on the negative instead of the positive, nothing would get accomplished. Instead of focusing on the politics focus on the results. 

​Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Not sure how successful that will be with the CTA though...

[BusHunter]

Well Rahm I think just got a few more votes from the south side. Got to plan ahead!! That has to be a picture that would please a south sider and it represents what CTA is all about. Now remember there's one more garage out south that doesn't have new buses!!

[andrethebusman]

​Kruesi was a great leader of the CTA, too, then. Wasting $100 million on NABIs was just a hiccup, and certainly what he wasted on rotten wood for the Brown Line was only pennies on the dollar compared to that.

 

​

Now, the NABI artics were a strange situation that basically got swept under the rug. The story always was that CTA did "unauthorized alterations" that effectively voided the warranty. the articulation joints were not custom to this one order. As I understand, the NFIL artics have the same type. However, note something odd. North Park had a large batch and many were used on the old 145-Wilson/Michigan Express. Now the 145 had a many-year old problem, known as a very low bridge on Wilson at Ravenswood. A regular bus barely cleared, and the story goes that a 7500 was an inch or so too high, and quietly the suspensions were slightly altered (without telling NABI) to get them down a couple of inches. However, this apparently increased the stresses on the body and resulted in cracking. When the first 4000's showed up at NP, it was discovered when the first one went down Wilson that they were even a couple of inches higher, and a quick, middle-of the day detour via East Ravenswood-Lawrence-Ashland was arranged. This matter with NABI was in the courts for several years, and I'll bet the testimony would make interesting reading, as in the end nobody admitted anything and basically everybody just quietly agreed to to pursue the matter, with NABI not getting what it was apparently still owed (probably a rather small sum) while not admitting there was anything wrong with the design, while CTA was relieved of keeping the series around for 12 years while not repaying the government anything. This in contrast with the New York situation with the Grumman 870's where in the end Grumman took the buses back (and resold most to NJ Transit where they served admirably for over 20 years) while NYCTA had 350 fishbowls rebuilt and had to run them for 12 years until some were close to 30 years old.

[andrethebusman]

​Canning the X routes was done by Rodriguez.

​The X routes were paid for by JARTS grants, The money had run out, and so they were first on the kill list. Other cities did the same thing. If a specially-funded route's funding ends, so soon does the route. Milwaukee had a few of those if I remember correctly that fell victim to "rationalizations".

[Guest]

This is a historical moment for the agency. First African American that has the experience. Emmanuel was not going to pick just anybody to run the agency. Claypool has accomplished a lot during his first term, just look at all the initiatives that were launched during his term  http://www.transitchicago.com/news_initiatives/projects/default.aspx

Congratulations to Mr. Carter on becoming the new president at the CTA and thank you Mr. Claypool for your term.

​Really??? He's accomplished a lot??? Maybe service is first rate where you live. Come to the NW side and you will see a run down CTA bus garage with run down buses and a run down rapid transit line with decrepit stations operating run down rail cars!!! Sorry but I dont share that same sentiment!!! IMO Claypool has done absolutely nothing for CTA riders on the NW side and I dont expect residents who ride CTA this part of town will see much improvements from Carter. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

​Really??? He's accomplished a lot??? Maybe service is first rate where you live. Come to the NW side and you will see a run down CTA bus garage with run down buses and a run down rapid transit line with decrepit stations operating run down rail cars!!! Sorry but I dont share that same sentiment!!! IMO Claypool has done absolutely nothing for CTA riders on the NW side and I dont expect residents who ride CTA this part of town will see much improvements from Carter. 

​While I agree with your point, there IS another rest of Chicago that might have (doubtfully) gained something from CTA under Claypool's decisions.

[Busjack]

 

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​

Now, the NABI artics were a strange situation that basically got swept under the rug. The story always was that CTA did "unauthorized alterations" that effectively voided the warranty. the articulation joints were not custom to this one order.....

​Even NABI admitted that your theory is totally erroneous. You can look at the NHTSA docket; http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?searchType=ID&targetCategory=R&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=09V133000&refurl=rss. I'm not going to do your research for you, but it is documented under that docket number that NABI recalled the LA buses first, and then said that CTA was included in the recall because they presumed it was the same problem. If the warranty were voided, there certainly wouldn't have been any legal reason for NABI to settle, eventually. The only basis was the 12-year structural warranty.

Similarly, there is no such thing as JARTS. There is JARC, but the X buses getting canned was clearly part of the 2010 20% bus cutback. If the money ran out, how did Rodriguez get the funds to "put the resources" back into the locals, which previously had their intervals reduced because passengers preferred the Xs? Again, you can look it up. It also doesn't negate that Rodriguez did it.

 

Man, you had a real bad night last night.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Busjack

[Busjack]

​While I agree with your point, there IS another rest of Chicago that might have (doubtfully) gained something from CTA under Claypool's decisions.

​I conceded that someone was able to sell rebuilding the Red Line South by shutting it down for 5 months without getting flack from a volatile community. That's the only "CTA accomplishment" on which Emanuel ran leading up to the February first round election.

Another issue with regard to this is that stuff like the Cermak-Green Line and Washington-Madison projects are CDOT. One of the problems is that Emanuel treats his fiefdoms as fungible.

Another thing Claypool might have accomplished is getting the 95th St. bus terminal started, on primarily borrowed money. But, as I noted above, he seemed real unsuccessful in getting construction grant money, while, in the meantime, letting his staff alienate the neighborhoods with regard to the Ashland BRT and Clark Jct. flyover condemnation threats, without any source of funds to build either.

I don't know if you count the Crowd Reduction Plan and a plus or minus, but clearly one of the effects was to turn much of the northwest side of the city over to Pace, which is what I think 5750 is getting at with reference to posts that Pace buses are the only new ones seen there. Of course, the way it was implemented ("we are listening, but we don't care what you say") turned out to be pure Emanuel.

So, I suppose it can be said that the south side did better than some other parts of the city.

 

[jajuan]

I think we have to put the "south side gets treated better" idea into some perspective here. 77th lost its 4300s to North Park. What used and worn artics it got in return it then lost to Kedzie and 103rd just a few months later -because garage management at 77th seems to be allergic to that garage having artics. Most east-west routes on the south side have either already ended service or on final trips by 10:30 to 11 PM. As I've said before, shiny new buses don't mean squat when they like the other buses stop running at a relatively early hour. After about 25 years, the 111 was finally split into two routes that are more direct than the nutty routing it had after absorbing much of the former 104 when that route was reduced to rush only service. Ashland BRT is on a path to nowhere after the consultants came up with a design that was guaranteed to piss off everyone from Irving Park to 95th especially with CTA insisting there is no way to get around axing left turns along that entire stretch even though Cleveland's TA appears to have successfully incorporated vehicular left turns in its BRT's center lane design. And as Busjack noted in the "New CTA President" thread, it's 45 years and counting and they still haven't figured out how to get extending the Red Line past 95th beyond the consultant stages.

[Busjack]

I think we have to put the "south side gets treated better" idea into some perspective here. 77th lost its 4300s to North Park. What used and worn artics it got in return it then lost to Kedzie and 103rd just a few months later -because garage management at 77th seems to be allergic to that garage having artics. Most east-west routes on the south side have either already ended service or on final trips by 10:30 to 11 PM. As I've said before, shiny new buses don't mean squat when they like the other buses stop running at a relatively early hour. After about 25 years, the 111 was finally split into two routes that are more direct than the nutty routing it had after absorbing much of the former 104 when that route was reduced to rush only service. Ashland BRT is on a path to nowhere after the consultants came up with a design that was guaranteed to piss off everyone from Irving Park to 95th especially with CTA insisting there is no way to get around axing left turns along that entire stretch even though Cleveland's TA appears to have successfully incorporated vehicular left turns in its BRT's center lane design. And as Busjack noted in the "New CTA President" thread, it's 45 years and counting and they still haven't figured out how to get extending the Red Line past 95th beyond the consultant stages.

​Again, unless Carter's mandate is getting rid of the VP for bus operations, I don't think bus allocations are a subject of upper management control. I also don't think that, about 18 years after the Boos-Allen cutbacks, there is any political will for increasing Owl service.

The Crowd Reduction Plan was an upper management initiative, and, surprisingly, fixing 111/115 is the one place where they improved CTA service.

Ashland, you noted, was the length of the city, but it seems like the neighborhoods really offended were north of, say, Lake Street. Maybe north of Archer, but anyway.... South of Archer seemed too abandoned (as far as property use) to make much difference.

[jajuan]

​Again, unless Carter's mandate is getting rid of the VP for bus operations, I don't think bus allocations are a subject of upper management control. I also don't think that, about 18 years after the Boos-Allen cutbacks, there is any political will for increasing Owl service.

The Crowd Reduction Plan was an upper management initiative, and, surprisingly, fixing 111/115 is the one place where they improved CTA service.

Ashland, you noted, was the length of the city, but it seems like the neighborhoods really offended were north of, say, Lake Street. Maybe north of Archer, but anyway.... South of Archer seemed too abandoned (as far as property use) to make much difference.

​And I wasn't advocating an increase in owl service actually. In fact my post wasn't even a wishlist sir. I was making a larger point that the grass isn't necessarily greener on the south side when it comes to transit evolution in the city under Rahm.

[Busjack]

​And I wasn't advocating an increase in owl service actually. In fact my post wasn't even a wishlist sir. I was making a larger point that the grass isn't necessarily greener on the south side when it comes to transit evolution in the city under Rahm.

​It is south of 95th (as typified by 111/115), unless someone there is chagrined that the 130th extension has not been started as promised 4 years ago. Still not sure why Rahm has his hand shaking tours at 95th, including after the most recent runoff.

[jajuan]

​It is south of 95th (as typified by 111/115), unless someone there is chagrined that the 130th extension has not been started as promised 4 years ago. Still not sure why Rahm has his hand shaking tours at 95th, including after the most recent runoff.

​Right the FAR south side. South side overall? Not necessarily.

[BusHunter]

What new service have they accomplished either. Increasingly other american cities have made their transit systems more modern with new construction light rail transit lines, BRT and even retro PCC car lines. The last new rail transit we have seen is the Orange line, which was 22 years ago. They even can't seem to build the 130th extension or anything else. Mostly just repairing the system over and over. Have they ever thought maybe the reason for the ridership increasing on the rails is due to cut bus service and a higher population base. How long before they simply run out of room?

[Busjack]

.... Have they ever thought maybe the reason for the ridership increasing on the rails is due to cut bus service and a higher population base. How long before they simply run out of room?

​That's essentially the structural deficit quandary. For instance, Emanuel was making a big deal of luring headquarters downtown (often at the expense of the suburbs) but there was announcement in connection with the WARN Act that some company was moving from Chicago to Schaumburg. Even if more people are riding rapid transit, the experience becomes more distasteful.

If there were actual regional planning, planners would be thinking about business moving to vacated areas of the city, and providing adequate transit to serve that development. For instance, one would suppose that the Green Line would spur better development than just a Whole Foods at Halsted and 63rd. However, planning and the Chicago region is an oxymoron.

However, to get it back to the CTA President, ether one can be like Kreusi and propose all sorts of New Starts that get nowhere, or react to conditions as they exist, hence explaining the current band-aid approach.

[Busjack]

Hilevitch has his wish list. One thing that some of our members wanted was better coordination between CTA and Metra, although I thought they mentioned more Pace and Metra.

Also, was the T signal with Metra trains or CTA L trains?

[Juniorz]

I put it like this on Wednesday November 11th, 2015, we can give the new president a 6 month review on his performance at that point. Right now, we are all suggesting and leading to conclusions before the man even gets in office. Give it time and on that magical date, we can discuss what has been accomplished, what needs to be worked on and what suggestions can be voiced.

Until then, digress..............................

[strictures]

Hilevitch has his wish list. One thing that some of our members wanted was better coordination between CTA and Metra, although I thought they mentioned more Pace and Metra.

Also, was the T signal with Metra trains or CTA L trains?

​The T signal was for L trains. I remember them at several stations around the city.

The one thing Hilkevitch didn't mention was changing the wretched seat arrangement on the 5000 series cars. It's caused enormous crowding on the trains in rush hours as no one wants to be crushed between a wide person & a stanchion, so numerous seats are empty!