I'm cautious, but this could be huge.

Given the quick timeline, I'm betting that they will issue conductors a handheld card reader that prints a ticket receipt, rather than the tap-in tap-out system used on Caltrain. Hopefully we can move toward that system over time, as it saves valuable conductor time, but it will require extensive equipment installation across all 241 stations, including (eventually) TVMs like those at CTA stations.

^ That alone would encourage me to visit the city by Metra instead of automobile.

And I don't work downtown, I only visit for leisure.

How about off-train fare collection, and more frequent headways on the in-city routes of the Electric District? Utilizing the same Turnstyles and TVM's as on the 'L'.

Turnstiles and fare control will require huge investments and a radical change in how Metra operates, and how Metra stations fit into communities. The only solution Metra can bring online by next summer is a handheld reader system.

However, I expect Metra to gradually add TVMs at busy stations so that riders can add money to Ventra cards. I expect them to focus on busy, unmanned stations like Ravenswood and Clybourn first. They may eventually install the tap-in, tap-out kiosks like Caltrain or GO Train uses, but they need the handheld readers so they can accept Ventra in the meantime.

I meant turnstyles (and more frequent service) ONLY for the in-city Electric District services (i.e.: the Gray Line); MED University Park, and ALL the Diesel lines would have the card reader - tap in/tap out systems currently being discussed.

Another ATA Member gave me a great idea, in the near future I am going to be running Radio Ads for the Gray Line (cheap @ $75 per month) -- that will reach a huge audience, and hopefully gain it some public support and momentum.

This doesn't make me optimistic...

I imagine his unwillingness to publicly kill the Red Line extension yet is political rather than practical. With the $240M rebuild/expansion of the 95th St. terminal following the total line rebuild I can't see the extension getting built. Other major CTA projects like RPM or a Forrest Park line rebuild will move up the list.

Hopefully he will at least get on board for interim and related improvements for Union Station. Ripping out most of the crap in the concourse, redoing some of the access points, moving everything humanly possible to the great hall, and doing the 75th st CIP to shift Southwest Service to LaSalle would at least by some time.

Yeah, I definitely think Rahm revealed his intentions when CTA unveiled the 95th St plan. The stated rationale for the extension was bus congestion at 95th, but you don't need a rail extension to fix that. Rahm could even spend a few hundred million on BRT lines feeding into 95th and still come out way ahead of the Red Line extension.

I think Emanuel needs to build some more goodwill in the black community before he drops the bomb about the Red Line extension, though. He's not faring well after the school closure debacle.

Anyone who uses CTA frequently do you know if you can currently use a contactless credit card such as a Chase card to pay for the train? So, if I had one I wouldn't need the ventra card?

Yes, but you are charged the normal $2.25 per ride. A $100 monthly unlimited Ventra card is worth it if you ride the CTA on a daily basis.

If there's one thing I do like about the new Ventra card (and there's definitely not many) is that you can go negative on your balance if you have insufficient funds to cover fare for that trip.

Is that all-day pass? I think they still have it or not. I am not quite sure about that.

That was also true of the Chicago Card.

It is $2.25 per trip. Or you can buy weekly or monthly unlimited passes ($100). I am not sure if Ventra sells unlimited daily passes.

Yes. For the best price, stop by a Ventra vending machine to add fare value or a pass to your card. (You can pay for the value or pass using cash, the same contactless card, or another credit card.)

If you don't first add value or a pass, you will be charged a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) fare of $2.25 per ride with no transfers.

1-day and 3-day passes are also available. You can add any pass to a Ventra card or contactless credit card. For 1-day passes, you can also purchase a 1-day disposable Ventra ticket.

I only ride the CTA about 20 times a year, so I was hoping to save space in my wallet. Is the only difference if you are using pay-as-you-go is you can't get credited for transfers with a credit card? Even after reading the ventra website it's still confusing, and the ventra website says using a credit card is coming soon.

With pay-as-you-go, there are no transfers and you pay a fare of $2.25 for each tap on rail and buses (with fare value, buses are only $2).

The ability to add value and passes to your contactless bank card is not yet available online, but you can still do this today at vending machines. Adding value or a pass will give you regular fares with transfers.

Which contactless bank card do you mean? Because Ventra is a contactless bank card as well. What do they mean add value to your own bank card? Who stores that information, the bank? Or CTA? I'd just like to get charged on my Chase credit card for when I use the CTA, and not have to worry about adding value every so often.

Good news for the Red Line!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,7074567.story

Wow, great news!