O’Hare Express

[BusHunter]

On 12/2/2017 at 3:31 PM, artthouwill said:

Meet the Jetsons?

Yeah you might think that this is science fiction but Dubai actually has started up a drone service. They claim to actually have manufactured a car that can fly and drive automonously. So it's coming, when is anyone's guess. It's all on youtube. As far as automonous cars, Tesla claims to have the capability to drive automonous on the highway now. It plans on installing full automonous capability through a software update in its cars.

[Pace831]

Sun-Times: RFP for O'Hare Express to be issued Friday.

[Busjack]

18 minutes ago, Pace831 said:

Sun-Times: RFP for O'Hare Express to be issued Friday.

What's interesting is that it isn't an RFP in the sense CTA and Pace uses the term (i.e., here are the specs and we'll ask for a best and final offer), but that 2 groups were already eliminated due to "questions about their ability to deliver the critical project with no public subsidy.” The "narrow path" seems purely economic--and remember what I said before about having a business case. If both proposers have equally credible business cases, I wonder how the city chooses between the hyperloop and more traditional form.

[artthouwill]

20 hours ago, Busjack said:

What's interesting is that it isn't an RFP in the sense CTA and Pace uses the term (i.e., here are the specs and we'll ask for a best and final offer), but that 2 groups were already eliminated due to "questions about their ability to deliver the critical project with no public subsidy.” The "narrow path" seems purely economic--and remember what I said before about having a business case. If both proposers have equally credible business cases, I wonder how the city chooses between the hyperloop and more traditional form.

I suppose  two thingswill come into play.

1.  Speed of availability.   If one project will take 2 years to build and the other 3 or 4 years, the quicker project could have an edge.

2.  Integration. If the Block 37 hole is included, perhaps a traditional system integrating that station and connecting to existing CTA service and infrastructure could weigh in its favor.

To the last point, Rahm wants no public taxpayer subsidies to go into this project.  But taxpayers already funded the Block 37 shell.  I know that was Daley and not Emmanuel.

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

2.  Integration. If the Block 37 hole is included, perhaps a traditional system integrating that station and connecting to existing CTA service and infrastructure could weigh in its favor.

That might weigh the other way, as at least the former objection (at least by Carole Brown) was that heavy rail would interfere with normal Blue Line operations. The argument could be made that The Boring Company should punch a new hole into it.

There has also always been a question whether Dearborn and Washington is a desirable destination, as opposed to North Michigan or West Loop, and I'm sure there is now even less demand to go there than previously.

If someone is contemplating the NCS route, there would be the issue of condemning air or subsurface rights from CN, while digging under the Kennedy Expressway would only require permission from the state.

[Busjack]

Daily Herald has a strange twist on this: "Suburbanites who work in Chicago may be able to grab an express train from downtown to O'Hare International Airport in the future." I suppose if they want to pay $30/trip ($60/day).

[BusHunter]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

Daily Herald has a strange twist on this: "Suburbanites who work in Chicago may be able to grab an express train from downtown to O'Hare International Airport in the future." I suppose if they want to pay $30/trip ($60/day).

The train needs to make one stop at Rosemont all the nw connections are there. Maybe Pace and CTA could work out a joint fare between both services like 5 or 10 dollars. I don't know how CTA will police a 30 dollar fare jumper anyway it almost needs it's own station. A lone operator can't watch the train that good.

I hate to say this but the way the nw tollway access ramp to cumberland is working out it makes better sense to run all the highway buses there as the entrance and exit ramps are all outside the station and not up to 3/4 of a mile away. It would be awesome if they could I pass. You lose A lot of time at the cash only plazas.

 

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

The train needs to make one stop at Rosemont all the nw connections are there. Maybe Pace and CTA could work out a joint fare between both services like 5 or 10 dollars.

That does not seem to be the plan, as Emanuel wants an Airport Express. If any suburbanite wants this convoluted route, they'll have to be dropped off at the People Mover.

And, as far as joint fares, the express, if ever built, is a private enterprise, constrained only by that the fare should not exceed a Uber. CTA has nothing to do with setting fares.

I think all Pyke was trying to do was attempt to say something relevant to the Daily Herald's Arlington Heights base.

[BusHunter]

On 3/26/2018 at 4:44 PM, Busjack said:

That does not seem to be the plan, as Emanuel wants an Airport Express. If any suburbanite wants this convoluted route, they'll have to be dropped off at the People Mover.

And, as far as joint fares, the express, if ever built, is a private enterprise, constrained only by that the fare should not exceed a Uber. CTA has nothing to do with setting fares.

I think all Pyke was trying to do was attempt to say something relevant to the Daily Herald's Arlington Heights base.

Uber if it gets autonomous cars will control the market however. I see it offering even cheaper rides to put the competition out of business. Only way to compete will get auto Only a cars yourself. Hopefully they can offer this service for 15 dollars cause that may eventually be the target.

[Busjack]

22 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Uber if it gets autonomous cars will control the market however. I

You still would have a bunch of autonomous cars stuck in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway, even if they have peer to peer communications to try to move them along. The Boring Company avoids that. The only question is as what cost. Either way, the question is in Elon Musk's lap.

[BusHunter]

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

You still would have a bunch of autonomous cars stuck in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway, even if they have peer to peer communications to try to move them along. The Boring Company avoids that. The only question is as what cost. Either way, the question is in Elon Musk's lap.

In a perfect autonomous road environment, Maybe years from now there won't be gapers delays and there may not be even much car seperations. The road would be programmed to run at a certain speeds and car lengths could be lessoned. Think of it as a road ballet with each car running in a group each doing the same choreographed direction running seamlessly like a computer. At least that's where we are heading.

[Busjack]

4 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

In a perfect autonomous road environment, Maybe years from now there won't be gapers delays and there may not be even much car seperations. The road would be programmed to run at a certain speeds and car lengths could be lessoned. Think of it as a road ballet with each car running in a group each doing the same choreographed direction running seamlessly like a computer. At least that's where we are heading.

True, but I wonder how long it will take to retrofit or crush current cars. Reminds me that it took ARRA to get some smoke emitting junkers off the road.

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

True, but I wonder how long it will take to retrofit or crush current cars. Reminds me that it took ARRA to get some smoke emitting junkers off the road.

Probably they can do retrofits. Basically all you need is the bumper sensors and and upgraded cpu, but it's years away anyway.

This opens all new cans of worms why buy a new mustang or ferrari if you can't drive it. Thats the whole joy of a muscle car.

[Busjack]

Just now, BusHunter said:

Probably they can do retrofits. Basically all you need is the bumper sensors and and upgraded cpu, but it's years away anyway.

This opens all new cans of worms why buy a new mustang or ferrari if you can't drive it. Thats the whole joy of a muscle car.

Well, I don't believe that anywhere has a 180 mph speed limit, but aside from that, it brings up the real question why buy instead of lease, when the technology is advancing so rapidly.

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

Well, I don't believe that anywhere has a 180 mph speed limit, but aside from that, it brings up the real question why buy instead of lease, when the technology is advancing so rapidly.

Well leasing doesnt make sense to me only if you want a brand new car. It's like renting an apartment your basically supporting someone else and get nothing in the end. Buying you have the equity but the key is to buy a year old car with low miles. They are all out there you just need to look. I bought a car out of state with 4k miles that was about 9 months old and got it half off the sticker price saving nearly 20k. In fact my cars price has gone up but that's a dealer price probably not a trade in price

 

[Busjack]

7 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Well leasing doesnt make sense to me only if you want a brand new car. It's like renting an apartment your basically supporting someone else and get nothing in the end. Buying you have the equity but the key is to buy a year old car with low miles.

Actually it works the other way. The monthly payment assumes residual value at the end of the lease.

An advertised $299/mo 3 year lease would be something like $450/month car payment, and while you paid off your car in 3 years, you would have to sell it yourself to get the money out of it, or hope for a good trade in allowance.

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

Actually it works the other way. The monthly payment assumes residual value at the end of the lease.

An advertised $299/mo 3 year lease would be something like $450/month car payment, and while you paid off your car in 3 years, you would have to sell it yourself to get the money out of it, or hope for a good trade in allowance.

Leasing requires up front money you'll never see but it works if a new car is what you want. Putting a good down payment and working up your credit works wonders with the interest with the not so new. I guess it can work if you exercise a buy clause in the lease contract but you get into things like you get lease car colors. Grey, brown white. The reds blues and yellows are all the purchased cars.

Technology does cost extra money until it is main stream the cheapest autonomous car I know of you can buy is 40k used and fluctuates to over 90k for brand new. 5 years from now I bet it will be 1/2 to 1/4 that price.

[Busjack]

4 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Grey, brown white. The reds blues and yellows are all the purchased cars.

We're getting way off topic, but any car on the lot can be leased. It is solely a financial transaction.

[BusHunter]

Some guy was telling me yesterday that the ubers in Montreal are all Teslas. Don't know how accurate that is. 

[artthouwill]

Looks like  Elon Musk has won the right to build the high speed O'Hare Express.

[Tcmetro]

Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-ohare-high-speed-transit-elon-musk-boring-company-20180613-story.html

Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-14/elon-musk-s-boring-co-wins-chicago-airport-high-speed-train-bid

Looks like the concept is autonomous 16-passenger "pods" that would stop at Terminal 2 and Block 37. Supposedly a 12 minute trip. 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, Tcmetro said:

Looks like the concept is autonomous 16-passenger "pods" that would stop at Terminal 2 and Block 37. Supposedly a 12 minute trip

We'll have to see if Musk can pull it off, but the concept of pods seems to make more sense than the consultants' proposal of 12 years ago to mess with the Blue Line and use 2 car trains to convey maybe 12 passengers per trip.