agreed about the fabric.

Was on the subway yesterday (nYc) and so much prefer the bench seating, with no fabric.

I thought the planning for the Circle Line included some vision of an Orange/Green/Circle transfer station at 18th. The track geometry there looks challenging though.

Can't be as challenging as this:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/4...8252e27486.jpg

.......does anyone have an update on the superstation ? ......are they still digging ?

Good god, is there no way to streamline that thing? It's a metal monster. How do the people living near it feel?

Still digging. As of right now they will not complete the entire station however, instead leaving it at some sort of intermediate stage. There is still a number of months of construction work left as it is - rumblings are the CTA may reverse yet again and actually complete the job. Who knows.

I wouldn't be too shocked to see some sort of public-private partnership to fund and build the Ohare expressline develope in the near future either.

There's a contract out for bid for track renewal for the North Main and Ravenswood branches. Not sure what the estimated cost is and how much of it is being paid for with bonds secured by future capital money (i.e. just spending future money, with interest), but Huberman sure doesn't mess around with slow zones.

Regardless, I think its worth substantial expense to make sure the Brown Line is slow-zone free and operating at peak efficiency for the grand ribbon-cutting ~18 months from now, it would be rather embarassing to have sparkling new stations but crawling trains and plumetting ridership.

Sounds good. The funny thing is, the biggest slow zone is between Clark Junction and Paulina, with a 15 mph restriction.

Last time I rode the Brown Line, that was the FASTEST part of the trip; we flew through Southport at around 45 mph or so. I was really surprised; maybe the motorman was trying to make up time for waiting 5 minutes at Clark Junction?

It's Queens Plaza... there may be a way to streamline it, but it works just fine as-is. The whole area (Long Island City) is not too attractive, and there aren't a ton of people living there compared to other areas of Queens.

That's impressive about the ridership increases on the Green Line. I was actually standing at Clark/Lake today waiting for the Brown Lines and a Green Line pulled up first. It was compeltely jam packed full of people, some couldn't even get on. I sat and thought to myself "....the Green Line!? I never see this thing full".

I must say the southbound Red line has become reasonably pleasant with the elimination of the slow zones. I made it from Addison to Monroe (in the loop) in just 18 minutes this evening. The northbound trip later took a little longer, but still not horrifically bad like it was not too long ago.

-OhioGuy (who happened to get "stuck" on a car heading northbound that someone had decided to take a shit in and it smelled horrible!!!)

Don't you just love brand-new cars?

That "ahhhhh"-inspiring aroma.

The shiny, unscathed exterior.

Springy seats and butter-soft leather, if you're a luxury lover.

The same excitement applies to new cars for the CTA.

It's easy to get fired up about upgrades to the new 5000-series of rail cars, set to arrive in prototype format as early as next year. Adding to the excitement, the CTA board approved some upgrades last week, tacking $27 million onto the existing $577 million contract with manufacturer Bombardier, the Tribune reported. Ten prototypes are due in 2009, and following some testing and assessment, the remainder of the 406-car order is scheduled to arrive in 2010.

http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/new...6035328.column

It was less than 15 minutes from Belmont to Lake this morning for me. The Red line even leapfrogged past Purple and Brown line trains on the way to Fullerton (used to happen the other way around).

^Hey! I had to "go"! OK?!?!!!!

Considering the sheer volume of construction in the Near South Side or whatever the area between Roosevelt and Cermak is called (I'm hesitant to call it all the South Loop), within the next 10 years there should be sufficient volume to justify stops at 16th (for the new residents), Cermak (for McCormick Place and environs), AND maybe 29th (although I'm not convinced that's really such a great place for a stop).

I also think that the Circle Line should have considered a vastly different route from the Pink Line, and turned east along the railroad tracks along 16th street, which would have provided new service to East Pilsen and the Near South Side and all that new construction along Halsted by UIC. Then it could turn north either where the Red Line goes under ground, or onto the Green/Orange tracks at 16th Street and enter the Red Line using the original portal immediately south of Roosevelt. This would provide all sorts of new service and be more useful to more Chicagoans than running over the Orange Line tracks from Ashland. If they still wanted to connect the Pink Line and Orange Line, they could create a shuttle connection, which if timed right could be every bit as fast and efficient.

Eventually, it could go east to the Metra Electric tracks, north through Grant Park and under a subway to Streeterville, west at Chestnut, north along Clark to North Avenue and a subway to Wicker Park as currently planned. THAT should be the long-term goal anyway, in my opinion.

Yeah I know new freeways are evil, but I had to drive down to Champaign this week and took the new stretch of I-355, and it was super sweet.
So great to be able to get to I-57 without taking the tri-state.

guh ...

no way of taking amtrak??

you're right freeways, and freeway expansions are ridiculous, but as you live in palatine, i am not surprised at your thinking of the new (and pointless) i-355 stretch as "sweet."

i guess this region and country still has a ways to go.

Did really save that much time? Looking at a map it appears it might have saved about 4-5 miles...

Personal experience talking here: it saves about 25 minutes on a trip from Orland Park to Schaumburg, two suburbs I'm at practically every weekend. The new extension benefits the SW suburbs the most, obviously. LaGrange Rd and Harlem Ave between 55 and 80 are the only two major N-S thoroughfares between 355 and 57.

I will say though, that the $2 cash toll ($1 I-pass) at Spring Creek is ridiculous, but that's what to expect with a fresh new tollway.

As always, the devil is in the details. I-355 is sweet, by saving 25 minutes typically over driving the Tri-State.
And I've spent an hour sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the tri-state alone making the drive to Champaign. The tri-state doesn't need more traffic.

As for Amtrak, I love the train, but it comes down to cost. I had 2 passengers plus cargo, and in that case it's cheaper to drive than buy 3 roundtrip tickets.
But I have to go down there again in 2 weeks, and since I'll be going alone, I plan to take Amtrak, since one round trip ticket is cheaper than driving.