Quote:
Originally Posted by ardecila
Well, Biden was elected, and Congress does seem like they will authorize proper rail funding again.
I had a chance to ask about the latest on South Side reroutes at a lunch presentation last week. It seems like the planners are looking at the Rock Island corridor even more intently for all Amtrak service to points south and east, including St Louis trains, Carbondale/New Orleans trains, Michigan trains and East Coast trains. St Louis trains would be routed onto Rock Island at Joliet, the other trains at 63rd St. New Orleans and Carbondale trains would need the south half of the Grand Crossing project built, but not the north half that destroys Englewood.
The original plan for St Louis trains was to send them up Rock Island and over to Metra's SWS tracks at 40th St into Union Station, but they confirmed they are looking into a connection at 16th St, either on or next to the St Charles Air Line (I assume using the abandoned north bridge). Unfortunately it seems that continuing to use and improve CN's lakefront corridor along Metra Electric is a non-starter with CN, even though they just rebuilt the bridges through the South Loop.
Metra's also been whispering about electrifying Rock Island - I wonder if they need to do that to make the schedules work once all the intercity trains are added? The sloooow acceleration of the diesel trains in local service doesn't mesh well with Amtrak trains that are flying through.
Not much word on South of the Lake, though. I think Michigan took the lead on that under Gov. Snyder, but I dunno if Gov. Whitmer is a rail supporter.
|
Marc Magliari does allude to South of the Lake without mentioning it by name. He describes how the Englewood Flyover (P1) was constructed to allow for a dedicated passenger line into Union Station, and also talked about one day utilizing the abandoned right-of-way (which parallels the Chicago Skyway) that the NY Central and Pennsy once used to "race into Chicago". This may be one project that Amtrak eventually takes the lead on if Michigan continues to falter.
Regarding the 16th Street Connector, I wonder if the problem with running Metra Electric trains onto the connector would have more to do with potential conflicts with Rock Island and Southwest Service trains at 16th Street Interlocking. I recall, at one point, the High Speed Rail Alliance, the host of the presentation, suggesting a flyover solution at 16th Street Interlocking, which would make a connector serving the Electric and Rock Island lines simultaneously a lot more difficult and expensive.
Also mentioned in the presentation-
The Fred Harvey lunch room has been "roughed in" but COVID had temporarily put the brakes on seeking a food hall operator.
The new Clinton Street entrance into the head house is nearly ready, and once CDOT finishes re-configuring Clinton Street (including providing a mid-block crosswalk) the new entrance will be opened.
The reconstruction of the Canal Street viaduct is, according to the CDOT rep, supposed to commence late this year, lasting 3 to 4 years, which makes opening the new entrance along Clinton far more important.
Here's the presentation, by the way-
• Video Link