I disagree. For reasons A and B you mention above, I think the South Lakefront to West Loop corridor should be prioritized as a local transit line since that almost invariably carries far higher ridership and is better at attracting development than intercity/high speed rail. It's true that the former IC and SCAL would be a fine route for HSR and intercity rail, but IMO, having a well-located intercity rail route next to these valuable, high density neighborhoods is an order of magnitude less imporant than having a local transit route.

The route paralleling the NS has the potential to be as good and possibly even faster since for high speed and intercity, since it doesn't involve a slow sharp curve to come down from the SCAL to the Union Station approaches.

Having good, direct, local rapid transit from South Chicago, Hyde Park, and McCormick Place to the west loop and north side is far, far more important than having intercity/HSR stations at McCormick and Hyde Park which are the main tangible benefits of using the SCAL as an intercity-focused line. (The Metra Electric/South Shore/Gray Line already covers access to the loop proper for these locations, and its four tracks are plenty to handle any suburban express trains.)

You can still provide local transit using the SCAL, but it would be more of a regional rail operation than a metro. Stops every mile or so, using DMUs or eventually EMUs with overhead wire.

The NS route into Union Station is fatally flawed because Amtrak trains will still have at-grade crossings with NS trains, even after they build Grand Crossing flyover. If a 2-mile long freight train is blocking a ladder track, you're back to having 20 minute delays on Amtrak. Even Amtrak's promotional video shows the conflicts, although it doesn't call attention to them.

The other problem with the NS route is that NS has used Amtrak improvements like Grand Crossing as a wedge to gain city, state and federal support for their plan to demolish half of Englewood to expand the railyard. I can't support such a huge injustice in the name of speedier Amtrak service when a far simpler alternative exists using the SCAL. Even IDOT recognized the huge limitations of sending intercity trains through complex yards and junctions controlled by the freight railroads, which is why they want to send St. Louis trains to Union Station along Metra's Rock Island.

Nerdy video:
• Video Link

Since an implemented Gray Line would use modified ClassI Metra Highliner II's, there would be no need for CTA tracks

Yes and the gray line covers access to the loop via Millennium Station, but for direct access to the west loop and a link into the (hypothetical) clinton-larrabee subway to the north side, it would have to be augmented by CTA Rail on the St Charles Air Line and the conversion of the two freight tracks alongside the IC/ME right of way.

Anybody think that it would be a good idea to build a direct ramp from LSD to a McCormick Pl busway extension at 31st St and a new ramp up to street level from the busway so that South LSD expresses would be able to avoid congestion near the Museum Campus?

Seems like a cheap way to improve transit, but probably will result in further death of any kind of frequent Metra Electric service.

Which is why the CTA isn't allowed to run regular buses in the busway.

F

The MED ROW is wholly owned by Metra, and part of the agreement allowing the busway to be constructed is NO CTA buses using it.

Random rant. I wish that Block 37 could install some revolving doors as you pass from the retail areas into the Red and Blue line stations. For whatever reason those doors drive me insane every morning and afternoon. The way they open, they're a bit heavy, the way they over-swing into the paths of the other doors and then whip back and shut right behind you (in front of other people).

I had hoped they would keep them open at times when the temp is ok...but it seems they never do.

Revolving would at least let normal people without bags zip through. Right now unless you're there to grab the door from the person in front of you it always causes you to stop and haul the doors open.

I feel bad for tourists with bags. I saw some Asian tourists having a hell of a time yesterday with their massive bags trying to go from the Blue Line over to State Street.

Crains says Union Station improvements are back from the dead.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...GS02/151019878

http://i.imgur.com/vUHm0jj.png

Presentation slides: http://www.scribd.com/doc/285286186/...-Copy-10-15-15

Click thumb for original size:

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Kinda uninspired...

All of the subway tunnels will have 4G access by the end of the year:
http://chicagoist.com/2015/10/16/aft...r_years_to.php

Soooo, I did't know transit agencies could make bets with each other

CTA Bets on NLCS With New York's MTA, While Mayor's Bet Awaits Response
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151...waits-response

It'd be more fun if the bet was lopsided - if the Mets win, the CTA has to run some Mets cars, if the Cubs win the MTA has to build the Clinton Street subway for Chicago ...

I wouldn't have the MTA build me anything. It's likely you won't live long enough to see it finished.

Yeah, but barring some sort of magical federal program to fund and build a bunch of transit in the US, I don't think I'll live long enough to see a Clinton Street subway anyway and at least it'd get built eventually, lol.

Speaking of Union Station, anybody go to the Open House event there?

They just renovated the former Men's Waiting Room into, well, a premium traveler lounge called the Legacy Club. With the exception of the fabulously ornate ceiling the decor is kind of like a watered down Marriott. It's good to see the space back in use though. There is an old barber shop off to the side that was also preserved.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bOUtwKvK9i...erior-nice.jpghttps://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8830/1...a50d4f5b_z.jpg

The former Ladies' Waiting Room is almost entirely intact, and Amtrak plans to renovate it for event rental space starting next Spring.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ExB1FzSDE...finstegink.jpg

Unfortunately, the much larger cafeteria/Fred Harvey space burned completely. It may become a food emporium.

Previous:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bbNfDtSuph...hroomphoto.jpg

Today:
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Cool update on Wilson Reconstruction...

Looks like the steel structure is largely in place for Tracks 1 and 2.

• Video Link

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Metra gets a share of Tiger VII
 

RTS

Well its not much but Elgin will get a new double track rail bridge.

$14 million to the Chicago area's Metra to replace an existing rail bridge over the Fox River. A new double track bridge is expected to eliminate the bottleneck between freight rail and Metra’s Milwaukee District – West Line while upgrading technology that will allow for Positive Train Control (PTC) compliance.

Meanwhile our friends up north get some seed money for their streetcar.

$14.2 million to the city of Milwaukee, Wis., to build the Milwaukee Streetcar's Lakefront Line to connect Cathedral Square to the lakefront. The funds will build the line and purchase a single streetcar vehicle, as well as build a second track on St. Paul Avenue between North 2nd and 5th Streets.

Union Station Transit Center
 

October 26, 2015

Illinois Medical District Station: Ogden Stationhouse Renovation

Found these in a CTA presentation... I know CTA had a semi-competition for this station, I believe this is the winning scheme to renovate and provide an elevator down to the platform.

They're keeping the existing steel canopy on the platform to save money, but putting transparent materials on the roof and installing new architectural lighting. Looks like they also might put in some kind of trees and hedges on the far side of the tracks to buffer the platform from traffic.

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