Metra and PTC

[artthouwill]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

What does any of this have to do with PTC?

The question at the time was if Metra was including PTC delays using the"mwchanical issues delays?"  Based on the post before my current post, that answer is no.

[artthouwill]

Metra is proposing changes to its ME service as a result of PTC.  Blue Island Express trains will become local trains with transfers to Express trains at Kensington.   Rush hour Expresses will only stop in Hyde Park at 55/56/57th station.  South Chicago branch will get one outbound p.m. rush hour Express train.  The mainline will get one new midday outbound Express train.  Rush hour suburban zones will be Kensington to Homewood and Homewood to University Park.   Schedule changes proposed are on Metra's website. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

20 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Metra is proposing changes to its ME service as a result of PTC.  Blue Island Express trains will become local trains with transfers to Express trains at Kensington.   Rush hour Expresses will only stop in Hyde Park at 55/56/57th station.  South Chicago branch will get one outbound p.m. rush hour Express train.  The mainline will get one new midday outbound Express train.  Rush hour suburban zones will be Kensington to Homewood and Homewood to University Park.   Schedule changes proposed are on Metra's website. 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-metra-electric-schedule-changes-st-0225-20200224-plhfqt2ge5fqtipzhf5qhgliey-story.html

https://hfchronicle.com/article/2020/feb/25/flossmoor-govt-residents-against-proposed-metra-schedule

https://hfchronicle.com/article/2020/feb/18/metra-seeks-public-comment-electric-line-schedule-changes

Doesn't seem like some folks are too happy about that, although I'm not so sure what Metra can do. Also didn't realize how few Blue Island trains ran express (and as a result, I guess I've rode Blue Island branch trains the most since my stop is 75th/GGC). Lastly, I'd rather see 51st/53rd & 59th be the stops instead of 55th/56th/57th, although I will say 2 blocks isn't much of an inconvenience for people with working legs.

For those who don't know exactly how the rush hour zones are being consolidated, its going from:

• Kensington-Harvey (5 stops, 13 mins)
• Hazel Crest-Flossmoor (4 stops, 9 mins)
• Olympia Fields-Univ. Park (5 stops, 14 mins)

to

• Kensington-Homewood (8 stops, 29 mins)
• Homewood-Univ. Park (7 stops, 22 mins)

[artthouwill]

56 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-metra-electric-schedule-changes-st-0225-20200224-plhfqt2ge5fqtipzhf5qhgliey-story.html

https://hfchronicle.com/article/2020/feb/25/flossmoor-govt-residents-against-proposed-metra-schedule

https://hfchronicle.com/article/2020/feb/18/metra-seeks-public-comment-electric-line-schedule-changes

Doesn't seem like some folks are too happy about that, although I'm not so sure what Metra can do. Also didn't realize how few Blue Island trains ran express (and as a result, I guess I've rode Blue Island branch trains the most since my stop is 75th/GGC). Lastly, I'd rather see 51st/53rd & 59th be the stops instead of 55th/56th/57th, although I will say 2 blocks isn't much of an inconvenience for people with working legs.

For those who don't know exactly how the rush hour zones are being consolidated, its going from:

• Kensington-Harvey (5 stops, 13 mins)
• Hazel Crest-Flossmoor (4 stops, 9 mins)
• Olympia Fields-Univ. Park (5 stops, 14 mins)

to

• Kensington-Homewood (8 stops, 29 mins)
• Homewood-Univ. Park (7 stops, 22 mins)

People aren't going to be happy about it.   That's the case on the diesel lines.  Metra did retweak some of those adjustments. 

NICTD doesn't have the frequency of Metra,  but I wondered if NICTD will have to tweak its schedule for PTC or will it have to tweak its schedule based on ME changes.

[artthouwill]

On 2/27/2020 at 12:01 PM, NewFlyerMCI said:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-metra-electric-schedule-changes-st-0225-20200224-plhfqt2ge5fqtipzhf5qhgliey-story.html

https://hfchronicle.com/article/2020/feb/25/flossmoor-govt-residents-against-proposed-metra-schedule

https://hfchronicle.com/article/2020/feb/18/metra-seeks-public-comment-electric-line-schedule-changes

Doesn't seem like some folks are too happy about that, although I'm not so sure what Metra can do. Also didn't realize how few Blue Island trains ran express (and as a result, I guess I've rode Blue Island branch trains the most since my stop is 75th/GGC). Lastly, I'd rather see 51st/53rd & 59th be the stops instead of 55th/56th/57th, although I will say 2 blocks isn't much of an inconvenience for people with working legs.

For those who don't know exactly how the rush hour zones are being consolidated, its going from:

• Kensington-Harvey (5 stops, 13 mins)
• Hazel Crest-Flossmoor (4 stops, 9 mins)
• Olympia Fields-Univ. Park (5 stops, 14 mins)

to

• Kensington-Homewood (8 stops, 29 mins)
• Homewood-Univ. Park (7 stops, 22 mins)

Another schedule change that has people upset concerns the number of inbound trains stopping at 59th.  I heard on the radio that the number of trains stopping there inbound was reduced from 14 to 3.  That does seem drastic,  but how many trains are stopping at 57th?  People would rather drive instead of walking two extra blocks?   

[strictures]

6 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Another schedule change that has people upset concerns the number of inbound trains stopping at 59th.  I heard on the radio that the number of trains stopping there inbound was reduced from 14 to 3.  That does seem drastic,  but how many trains are stopping at 57th?  People would rather drive instead of walking two extra blocks?   

The reason they're complaining about the lack of trains at 59th, is that the CTA buses that U of Chicago contracts for, use 59th, as the transfer point.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, strictures said:

The reason they're complaining about the lack of trains at 59th, is that the CTA buses that U of Chicago contracts for, use 59th, as the transfer point.

At one time,  59th was the transfer point for Metra Electric trains.  All of the Hyde Park stations were rebuilt except for 59th.  I suppose that the transfer point was moved to 57th , in part,  to attempt to attract Museum of Science and Industry visitors.

I believe Metra will restore the 59th stop for rush hour trains, even if they restore half of the trains stopping there.  The station is too dilapidated to make it a transfer point again, though I think it serves like a secondary transfer point now.

[NewFlyerMCI]

17 hours ago, strictures said:

The reason they're complaining about the lack of trains at 59th, is that the CTA buses that U of Chicago contracts for, use 59th, as the transfer point.

This part seems off to me, since you can easily reach the 171 at 55/56/57 and the 172 at 51/53 and also be closer to the buses. I could maybe see having to take a slightly earlier train, but this actually seems like the better option to me?

[trainman8119]

First of all, when 55/56/57 was rebuilt it was done with the idea of making that stop the main Hyde Park transfer point.

This was because Jesse Jackson and all the local activists wanted it that way. The U of C was not happy about it,

but it happened anyway. As for the current schedule mess, Metra is blaming PTC, as they are with everything. They

are using PTC as a cover for all the schedule changes they want to make but were afraid to. All that was needed on

the PTC front was have 15 minutes at the end to make a turn instead of the unrealistic 7 they kept doing. The push

for added Hyde Park service is all Toni Preckwinkle and no one else. For some reason she thinks that there should 

be 100 trains a minute there and the hell with everyone else. She was the impetus behind that last schedule change

2 or so years ago that added more trains Hyde Park. It left trains, especially the added South Chicago trains, running 1/2 empty,

especially at night, where 3 out of 4 cars were closed !

[MetroShadow]

On 3/7/2020 at 8:46 AM, NewFlyerMCI said:

This part seems off to me, since you can easily reach the 171 at 55/56/57 and the 172 at 51/53 and also be closer to the buses. I could maybe see having to take a slightly earlier train, but this actually seems like the better option to me?

From a University TDM perspective, this makes sense, and would move the Transfer Center up to 55/56/57. At first, I would go as close to 59th as possible as a last mile option, but for the sake of everything being closer to everything (transit, nightlife, etc.) , I'd pick 57th.

Of course the counter argument would be "UC should pay for the upgrades to the station," and they'll laugh at Metra as a result.

 

[artthouwill]

On 3/7/2020 at 11:41 AM, trainman8119 said:

First of all, when 55/56/57 was rebuilt it was done with the idea of making that stop the main Hyde Park transfer point.

This was because Jesse Jackson and all the local activists wanted it that way. The U of C was not happy about it,

but it happened anyway. As for the current schedule mess, Metra is blaming PTC, as they are with everything. They

are using PTC as a cover for all the schedule changes they want to make but were afraid to. All that was needed on

the PTC front was have 15 minutes at the end to make a turn instead of the unrealistic 7 they kept doing. The push

for added Hyde Park service is all Toni Preckwinkle and no one else. For some reason she thinks that there should 

be 100 trains a minute there and the hell with everyone else. She was the impetus behind that last schedule change

2 or so years ago that added more trains Hyde Park. It left trains, especially the added South Chicago trains, running 1/2 empty,

especially at night, where 3 out of 4 cars were closed !

I thought maybe the Museum was the impetus behind the change from 59th to 55/56/57th. 

On one hand,  57th makes sense as it is the center of Hyde Park.   Attracting Museum visitors is a plus.

I can also see why 59th was a transfer point to begin with.   It is at the center of the UC campus and with direct Express suburban service,  it was an attractive selling point for students and faculty.  

I suppose it's too much to have peak direction trains stop at both stations.   I think the more modern station at 57th and its central Hyde Park location justifies its position as a transfer point,  but because the UC is a major traffic generator for Metra,  it makes sense to have as many trains as possible stop at 59th.  

59th needs to be rebuilt,  especially since the Obama Presidential Library will be built nearby. 

If we really want to have fun, let's make little used 63rd as the transfer point with locals meeting Expresses there.  The locals can handle all Hyde Park and UC traffic.   Make 27th, McCormick,  and 18th flag or request stops only.  63rd St. Can handle local and Express trains.   That probably was the plan when CTA wanted to build a new Jackson Park station at Dorchester to connect with the ME.  The station would have been a transfer point for buses and trains.  Of course 63rd station needs to be rebuilt since the Obama Presidential Library will be built nearby. 

 

[Sam92]

31 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I thought maybe the Museum was the impetus behind the change from 59th to 55/56/57th. 

On one hand,  57th makes sense as it is the center of Hyde Park.   Attracting Museum visitors is a plus.

I can also see why 59th was a transfer point to begin with.   It is at the center of the UC campus and with direct Express suburban service,  it was an attractive selling point for students and faculty.  

I suppose it's too much to have peak direction trains stop at both stations.   I think the more modern station at 57th and its central Hyde Park location justifies its position as a transfer point,  but because the UC is a major traffic generator for Metra,  it makes sense to have as many trains as possible stop at 59th.  

59th needs to be rebuilt,  especially since the Obama Presidential Library will be built nearby. 

If we really want to have fun, let's make little used 63rd as the transfer point with locals meeting Expresses there.  The locals can handle all Hyde Park and UC traffic.   Make 27th, McCormick,  and 17th flag or request stops only.  63rd St. Can handle local and Express trains.   That probably was the plan when CTA wanted to build a new Jackson Park station at Dorchester to connect with the ME.  The station would have been a transfer point for buses and trains.  Of course 63rd station needs to be rebuilt since the Obama Presidential Library will be built nearby. 

 

If 63rd green line were to get hypothetically rebuilt I think that people would go for that over the metra at this point. It's been a lot of University and reverse peak activity lately on that branch so metra is probably better off left alone if that were to happen 

[Pace831]

Metra Electric schedule changes are finalized, to be implemented when normal service resumes.

[MetroShadow]

1 hour ago, Pace831 said:

Metra Electric schedule changes are finalized, to be implemented when normal service resumes.

I guess UC got a compromise out of it. And 20 minute waits at Homewood for the Flossmoor zone. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

1 hour ago, Pace831 said:

Metra Electric schedule changes are finalized, to be implemented when normal service resumes.

I guess the pandemic gave them the opportunity to test the schedule out. Seems mostly identical to the "alternative" schedule currently in place.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, Pace831 said:

Metra Electric schedule changes are finalized, to be implemented when normal service resumes.

Floosmoor zone got back most of its rush trains stopping at 59th again.