Metra evaluates station performance and conditions

[richii0909]

https://metrarail.com/node/6609

 

There is a new term in the draft!! States that if a station isn’t doing to good etc... then a fill in station can be added in between the old location and the proposed better location. Sounds like a new name for a flag stop/ station. Should be interesting to see how this goes.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, richii0909 said:

https://metrarail.com/node/6609

 

There is a new term in the draft!! States that if a station isn’t doing to good etc... then a fill in station can be added in between the old location and the proposed better location. Sounds like a new name for a flag stop/ station. Should be interesting to see how this goes.

I read your link.  The infill stations aren't related to low performing stations.

[richii0909]

Will the infill stations be fully developed new stations? Is that what was meant 

[Tcmetro]

New stations like the proposed ones at Peterson-Ridge, Auburn Park, and Niles are considered "infill", because they are on existing lines between existing stations. 

I assume one of the outcomes of this station evaluation is closures where one station is closed and riders are expected to use another, or maybe in some cases two would close and a new one would be placed between, but that might be quite unlikely. 

Most of the lowest performing stations are on the ME in Chicago, Manhattan and New Lenox on the SWS, and Franklin Park, Schiller Park, and Rosemont on the NCS. I think a couple on the Beverly branch also fall into this category. 

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, richii0909 said:

Will the infill stations be fully developed new stations? Is that what was meant 

Infills are stations that will be built between two existing stations.  If it is expected to be a huge draw, it would be fully built, but most of the time that won't be the case. 

[strictures]

The Peterson/Ridge station is a sick joke!   It's not needed, as most of the land around it is either cemetery or high rise senior buildings, who of course don't work or take Metra.  It's not going to lessen the load at Ravenswood.  The worst thing about it, is that Rogers Park, just 10 blocks north is a dump & common sense says you fix up what you have already before spending $10 million on something new.

Plus, the Northwestern closed a station that used to be there around 1960, called Kenmore.

[artthouwill]

I think the ME needs to be seriously evaluated.  I would propose no off peak service on the South Chicago branch and no off peak service between 111th and 63rd ( unless covered by the mainline trains as flag stops). Next I would look at the rush trains on the main line to see if there are any trains that could be combined.  Then I would go back to the rush Blue Island and South Chicago trains and change each line's head ways from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.  With alternating trains, Hyde Park stations would get 15 minute frequencies.   

The ME is the Metra line with the largest loss of ridership even factoring in Metea's claim of increased ridership at the Hyde Park stations, which compete with the CTA express routes. While Metra is obligated to serve the South Suburbs, it is not obligated to serve as many South Side stations as it does.

[NewFlyerMCI]

3 hours ago, artthouwill said:

I think the ME needs to be seriously evaluated.  I would propose no off peak service on the South Chicago branch and no off peak service between 111th and 63rd ( unless covered by the mainline trains as flag stops). Next I would look at the rush trains on the main line to see if there are any trains that could be combined.  Then I would go back to the rush Blue Island and South Chicago trains and change each line's head ways from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.  With alternating trains, Hyde Park stations would get 15 minute frequencies.   

The ME is the Metra line with the largest loss of ridership even factoring in Metea's claim of increased ridership at the Hyde Park stations, which compete with the CTA express routes. While Metra is obligated to serve the South Suburbs, it is not obligated to serve as many South Side stations as it does.

So as I understand it, ME is set up like this:

• South Chicago Branch
• Blue Island Branch
• University Park Branch(es)
  • UP to Millennium Local, then Exp
  • UP to Kensington Local, then Exp
  • UP to Olympia Local, then Exp
  • Kensington Local
  • Flossmoor to Hazel Crest Local, then Exp
  • Harvey to Kensington Local, then Exp

Metra might be suburban-oriented, but the ME has always been different.

• I'd say South Chicago branch keep its peak frequency and increase off-peak and saturday to every 90 mins. Sunday's every 120 min should be kept the same. South Chicago branch only has 20 min frequencies for about an hour, might as well keep it the same.
• Blue Island is good as it is (and honestly, should add 1 extra train, cause they finish early and its more than once I've seen metra mysteriously depart a Blue Island train w/o any people on it although there are people on the platform/station waiting). The Blue Island branch only has 16-19 min frequencies for about an hour, no point in changing it
• Absolutely agree that 111th-63rd should be flag stop only all the time. Definitely seen trains do a rolling stop through the station before.
• Remaining branches should run as this:
  • UP to Kensington Local, then Exp
  • Kensington Local
  • Olympia Fields to Harvey Local, then Exp
• Now all the 700, 730 & 750 series trains have been combined (renumber them 400?) and you have 5 branches of service instead of 8