Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
Even without through-running, an electrified UPN has a lot of independent utility. Chicago (West) Loop and Evanston are both big, walkable hubs with significant anchors, and the corridor in between (at least south of Howard) probably has a lot of untapped potential for rail ridership.
But I do agree that it might make sense to choose a compatible DC electrification so that an eventual connection doesn't require MED to be reconstructed. You can punt on the actual connection, or find a way to use the SCAL on the cheap while waiting for a proper underground connection that actually serves part of the CBD.
There's also a whole debate about platform heights that turns into a huge chicken-and-egg problem. Good regional rail service requires high platforms and level boarding, but then Metra's bilevel trains can't use those platforms. How do you build a regional rail overlay on top of a Metra line? Caltrain's solution is to order a whole fleet of EMUs with two different sets of doors for use during the transition, which adds millions to the price of those cars.
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I don't disagree that there are a lot of benefits. Communities along the route will have to buy in though with the transit TIF to come up with the money to accomplish it.
SCAL seems like the most likely option to though run even though it will require a somewhat costly bridge over the yard south of CUS to connect to the throat tracks. Still better than a tunnel and a crazy expensive deep station.
I'm trying not to ruin my morning thinking about the platform height issue.