i think they were going for semi-permeable but it just looks like cigarette grout...the whole street looks even dingier than before and that's saying something

what a letdown

Yeah. I'm hoping they're going to do some sort of deep-cleaning once it's officially done and the landscaping is all in, but that's probably wishful thinking.

I walked down Argyle over the weekend. Shitty Unilock pavers fail again.

Permeability has nothing to do with it, there is an asphalt layer underneath which, even if it is "permeable asphalt", will still clog up in short order.

I don't understand why they insisted on setting all the pavers at weird angles to the curb line. It looks awful. Plus, the detailing for this sucks so nothing is properly flush where it should be. This will get destroyed the first time a snowplow goes by.

I think the cigarette comment is premature, they haven't put in trash cans or other street furniture yet so smokers are forced to drop their butts on the sidewalk.

jesus christ, it's even worse than I imagined

Did someone post a picture or something of Argyle I'm not seeing? I haven't been over there in ages and would love to see the damage.

I went there at night and they still don't have decent lighting installed, so I couldn't take photos.

Basically a janky execution of a crap design. Even functionally, it's not the "wall-to-wall carpet" of pavers I hoped it would be... functions much closer to a regular street. The one in Batavia is much better IMO.

You know it's bad when Batavia left you in the dust...

Metra to paint station in Pullman rail-car colors
 

From Progressive Railroading-

Metra to paint station in Pullman rail-car colors

Progressive Railroading Magazine
August 24, 2016

http://i.imgur.com/SNSB43n.jpg
Rendering Source - Metra

Metra will do this for all nineteen patrons daily?
METRA ELECTRIC MAIN
Kensington...............1,081
111 St......................... 19
107 St......................... 31
103 Rosemoor................43
95 St. CSU.................... 43
91 St. Chesterfield......... 26
87 St. Woodruff..............56
83 St. Avalon Park..........50
79 St. Chatham..............57
75 St. Grand Crossing.....15
63 St...........................154

CTA RED LINE
95th St...... 10,863
87th St........ 4,236
79th St........ 7,091
69th St........ 5,403
63rd St........ 3,200

DH

The Sandy Johnston Interview
 

http://www.thechidispatch.com/sandy-johnston-interview

Metra Electric is special, and it doesn't fit into the paradigm tha RTA and
Metra have tried to fit it into for the last 35 years......


He describes this much better than I could!

Hey, welcome back?

Not a "development" exactly, but WBEZ just did a feature on the original construction of the Eisenhower back in the 50s. Very interesting story with great photos.

http://interactive.wbez.org/curiouscity/eisenhower/

I am not nearly old enough to remember the city before the expressways were built. But it's always struck me as tragic that the Eisenhower was built along the path of the West Side L, which must have been a nexus for dense housing and shopping districts. Imagine building an expressway along the path of the Brown Line and destroying almost every commercial street in Lakeview to do it, that's the kind of destruction that the Eisenhower wrought upon the West Side. No wonder those neighborhoods took such a turn for the worse.

At least all future expressways followed freight railroads, where they sorta ran along pre-existing seams between different neighborhoods, instead of ripping out the heart of neighborhoods. This was probably for cost reasons rather than good planning, though - homes and buildings next to the smoky railroad tracks were simply cheaper to buy up en masse.

Mayor Emanuel, CTA to Provide Improved, More Frequent Bus Service....
 

Got some bullshit in the mail, informing property owners along the Red Line of this RPM project. Some bullshit about modernizing track.

Public meeting is September 13th. I'll be there in full opposition to this heinous waste of money and resources.

God I hate the CTA. :hell:

Is this a parody post?

No I'm 100% serious.

The CTA is the most wasteful and corrupt organization in the entire state. There is NOTHING wrong with the existing tracks. Their scam is bullshit.

Yes

I got the same mail and I read it.

From their map, my building lies about two properties east of the TIF boundaries. I own in Lake View and I'm in.

Is it important to keep the Howard in good shape? Absolutely. I'm not satisfied with the demolition involved in the flyover at Roscoe but if done properly, it would benefit riders farther north and not gore central Lake View.

The costs are insane and I don't think that $2.3 billion is well spent on a 5.3 mile, 4 station extension beyond 95th, but I'll need to read up on the expected benefits to Roseland and Pullman before I form an opinion.

I would have preferred a little love for the Circle Line but that was just not in the cards this time.

The train literally crawls in certain sections, we should have collective shame at how slow the red line can be sometimes. BTW I got the invite and am a renter.

We've got to find a way to P R O V E that Tom.....

How's the construction of the new Washington/Wabash station going?

Looks like it will be finished several months before the Larrabee-Clinton Subway starts running.

The Red Line support structure is literally crumbling. Walk in the alley on the northern section and there are pieces of concrete falling down everywhere. It needs to be done. The stations also need to be made ADA compliant. I support the project despite the complete headache its going to be.

My main concern is, does anyone know if construction will be permitted 24 hours a day? The L goes through my alley and Im terrified about 4 years of round the clock construction work. They would be jack hammering and dumping concrete into trucks at 3AM last year when the Purple Line project was underway, and it was impossible to get any sleep.

Construction noise outside of 8am-9pm is generally not permitted by City ordinance, but CTA projects and other public works are exempt from this restriction. Night work is sometimes needed to keep people moving during the day and avoid total shutdowns, although it may cause inconveniences for a few people who live near the jobsite.

It's really too early to talk about the staging and sequencing of the work, which would include things like working hours. That sort of thing is usually decided on before the project goes out to bid. They haven't even decided on what kind of structure will be used to support the tracks.

I thought, in spite of CTA's various shortcomings and miseries, that we have a record that once projects are actually undertaken they usually progress on schedule and budget. Is there some major issue going on with this station?

I live near a station under construction and I can attest that, yes, they will work though the night well into 3AM. Backing up, dumping, shining bright lights etc., they aren't very considerate.

It's primarily a CDOT project, not CTA. I'm not sure what is making it so slow, except that it became a big $75 million showpiece project (rather than just building an L station), and that required utility relocation and massive new foundations and even new track support beams. They've already had several weekend reroutes and haven't even begun putting a canopy or platforms up. Based on this CDOT website, it looks like they've fallen at least six months behind.

[IMG]http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...f/P1140838.jpg[/IMG]

Current photo I took from the cab of a CTA charter on Sept. 10, 2016.

David Harrison

Good news because i remmember chichago as mess when it comes to traffic...

The new track support beams are needed to allow for a proper-height mezzanine level that doesn't restrict vehicle clearance too much on Wabash. (Washington/Wells has a similar design). The unified mezzanine level, in turn, allows the station to operate with one attendant instead of two.

The station canopy is admittedly kinda flashy, but most of the design choices were done for pretty valid reasons IMO. The canopy is even sorta understandable given that this is the closest L stop to Millennium Park. It's a showpiece location in a way that, say, Quincy or LaSalle/Van Buren are not.

I wonder if part of the project budget includes compensation to the businesses along Wabash... that could balloon costs quickly.

I wonder why they decided to move the site a block further away from Randolph St., the closest entrance to Millennium Station, and the Pedway!
They could have placed it between Washington and Randolph, and directly connected it to the Pedway.

O'Hare express route
 

Im thinking about the potential routes to serve as the OHare Express line.
Could the Forest Park blue line branch be useful with ite wide ROW?
There is a rail ramp immediately west of the Harlem station which raises up to meet the CN line which is rarely used and CN may apply to abandon it. There are alot of road level crossings north of here, but it goes directly up to the CN line at Rosemont and OHare Station.

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/s...%20Express.jpg

Yes, that's one option. This line is generally called the "Altenheim Sub" from Western Ave to Forest Park.

The expressway routing has some advantages over continuing on the Altenheim Sub between Central Ave and Western... you avoid a bunch of crumbling viaducts and don't have to build a flyover at the busy crossing at Rockwell. However, you have to find a place to terminate the trains, which means expensive tunnelling in the West Loop... I doubt O'Hare travelers want to be dumped at Halsted.

On the other hand, if you're investing hundreds of millions to build flyovers and extra tracks, I'd rather spend that money on turning the MD-W into a proper regional rail line to provide rapid transit to the northwest side. Finish grade-separating through Elmwood Park and Galewood, build a fourth track, and ease the curve at Pacific Junction by the end of the 606.

what if it stays in the Blue Line tunnel into the Loop and terminates at ...dunt dun da....Block 37

I did originally intend on this being a CTA service. So elevation would or street level like the brown line would be required north of Forest Park.
But would building on elevated line segment be cost competitve with other option.
ons?

I don't think a CTA service is a good idea. At least, not using 'L' rolling stock.

CTA could certainly operate the service and offer transfers at Forest Park and downtown, but 30 minutes of jerky, swaying ride in an cramped L car doesn't exactly suggest a premium service to me. Not the best first impression for well-heeled travelers. And you can't make the cars any wider, taller or longer, or they won't fit in the Dearborn subway.

Besides, if you're just gonna use typical L rolling stock, why build a whole new line for only a few minutes of time savings? Why not just spend the money to increase headways on the Blue Line? Put in platform doors to speed up boarding, upgrade the signals, etc. That would actually reduce crowding, maybe to the point where CTA could install luggage racks and more seating in each car.

Union Station Transit Center
 

September 19, 2016

How strong would local opposition likely be to the idea of a flyover/viaduct through Galewood and Elmwood Park?

Probably pretty strong. Fortunately you've only got crossings every 1/2 mile, so it's not like a viaduct would cut off access any more than what's there already.

Personally I'd like to see a Winnetka-style trench...

Hell no, they'd probably throw you a parade.

That's an active freight line and snarls up traffic all the time.
I think the problem would be one of engineering.

It crosses the DesPlaines river in River grove. You'd probably have to lower the tracks 50 feet to be deep enough to let the river flow over.
Any solution that raises or lowers the streets would likely only be feasible on the main streets which would still leave a slow zone because of the side streets and the close proximity of pedestrians.

I'm assuming the river bridge would remain at grade and the trench east of there, I guess River Road would need to be raised or lowered.

Unfortunately, the Blue Line probably won't be getting new cars until the 7000-series arrive, and even when they arrive CTA can change their minds about line assignments.

Wait. How would platform doors speed up boarding?

As for luggage racks, those were a spectacular failure last time they were tried.

Because it helps waiting customers self-organize. Think about a vertical L car better known as the elevator.
If you know with certainty where the doors open, you are less likely to introduce chaos into the system.
Or to keep things similar, which is easier, boarding a Jubilee Line or a District Line train? All other London distractions kept similar.

I ride a lot of metros around the world with platform doors, and I've never noticed that dwell times were reduced in any meaningful way. The delay due to OPTO seems more significant—but even that only seems to add about 3-5% to running times.

^ Not dwell times but reliability. You virtually eliminate people falling onto the tracks.

Also, platform doors would act as a continuous windblock for elevated or expressway stations, so people wouldn't cluster near heatlamps or shelters (maybe CTA could even remove them) and they would spread out along the platform better.

Would platform doors require control automation, or would CTA Operators be able to berth trains within a few inches to line up with the platform doors?

Although I would love to see full automation, I'm sure that in the 21st century we can find a way to make train doors align with platform doors. Maybe a partial automation that only kicks in when the train is approaching a station...

I suspect the problems with stopping these trains accurately is much more complicated then we realize.

A lifetime of standing on L platforms and some google measuring led me to the somewhat anecdotal conclusion that our platforms are long enough to fit a 9 car train, but we only run 8s.

Maybe there are mechanical limitations or union rules that I don't know about, but I think the problem is that in order for both the front and rear doors to open to the platform, the train would have to stop within a tolerance of a few feet.

I think that they could increase capacity 12.5% this easily, they would.

I worked on the old C&NW in the 70's as a Switchman, Brakeman, Locomotive Hostler, and Fireman; the Fireman position at that time was effectively Apprentice Engineer, and I drove many trains around the yard, and transfers of more than 100 cars on the IHB from Proviso to the big yard (I think it was the B&O at the time) at approximately 135th & Ashland. You had to learn their Operating Rules also, to drive trains on foreign rails.

It would be almost impossible to berth a train with all the operational variables involved (loaded or empty train, new or old equipment, rookie or veteran driver) within inches without some type major automation.

Stopping an MU metro consist with dynamic braking on every axle is a lot different from stopping a freight train.

I didn't think platform doors without automation was practical, but I saw them recently in Japan (on the private Aoyama Railway, serving Nagoya). Seoul also seems to be retrofitting all lines with them, and I'm not sure all those lines are automated.