A2 Flyover and West Loop Station Discussion

[artthouwill]

I wonder if Metra would ever consider tweaking the departure times from downtown on the MD-W and the UP-w lines.  They leave nearly at the same time and usually one of the trains has to wait for the other to pass through near Western.   In most cases it's the MD -W train that gas to wait, even though most of the time it's in front of the UP train.  There have been a handful of times that the UP train had to wait for the MD train to cross.  I think running one of those trains five minutes earlier or later can possibly solve that issue.    The only question would be if that would impact any inbound trains and cause any conflicts with inbound and outbound trains..  I hadn't really noticed but I think the inbound trains may have similar conflicts too, though my inbound UP trains aren't ever having to wait for an MD train.  But I noticed those trains are close when I am riding outbound.

Unfortunately sending MD trains to Oglivie Station and UP-W trains to Union Station would overcrowd OTC and underutilized Union I Station.   Either conflicts would continue with NCS trains to a lesser degree or OtC would be jammed with the addition of NCS and MD trains.

I suppose this has been working for years and seems like no one is Really complaining.

[Busjack]

On 4/7/2023 at 1:31 PM, artthouwill said:

I wonder if Metra would ever consider tweaking the departure times from downtown on the MD-W and the UP-w lines. 

They say they are going to build a flyover there (similar to the Englewood one).

Union Pacific North ]Tower A-2 flyover to grade separate Milwaukee District lines from Union Pacific West

 

[artthouwill]

38 minutes ago, Busjack said:

The say they are going to build a flyover there (similar to the Englewood one).

Union Pacific North ]Tower A-2 flyover to grade separate Milwaukee District lines from Union Pacific West

 

That is a great idea.  The question is which line(s) will be the flyover?  I would pick the UP-W to fly over the MD tracks since NCS and Amtrak also use the MD tracks.

[strictures]

37 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

That is a great idea.  The question is which line(s) will be the flyover?  I would pick the UP-W to fly over the MD tracks since NCS and Amtrak also use the MD tracks.

It has to be that way because the Milwaukee Road Western Ave. station would become unusable in its current configuration if it was the flyover line.

[Busjack]

16 hours ago, strictures said:

It has to be that way because the Milwaukee Road Western Ave. station would become unusable in its current configuration if it was the flyover line.

Most sources indicate that. However, the location of the Western station might not be sacrosanct, as YIMBY notes a proposal to build a new station at Ashland, although the indication is that it would be in addition.

[artthouwill]

11 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Most sources indicate that. However, the location of the Western station might not be sacrosanct, as YIMBY notes a proposal to build a new station at Ashland, although the indication is that it would be in addition.

Would Ashland be a station or two for all four lines? I'm guessing that it would serve as a United Center statiin

[Tcmetro]

The new station would serve Union & OTC lines.

Here's a slide deck about the flyover and the station from a meeting a year and a half ago:

My guess on timeline is that if it's strongly pursued, it's at least a decade away.

[Busjack]

21 hours ago, Tcmetro said:

Here's a slide deck about the flyover and the station from a meeting a year and a half ago:

Obvious where YIMBY got it. ?

21 hours ago, Tcmetro said:

My guess on timeline is that if it's strongly pursued, it's at least a decade away.

The slide show said 2031, but I suppose that depends on getting the money in a timely manner.