CHICAGO: Transit Developments

[ardecila]

No they are replacing the steel viaduct with concrete in the section under the station tube, but they have to somehow swap out the old steel for the new concrete while trains keep running.

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by ardecila

No they are replacing the steel viaduct with concrete in the section under the station tube, but they have to somehow swap out the old steel for the new concrete while trains keep running.

Probably shut it down for a weekend, tear out the old steel - and cast the new structure.

[AMWChicago]

file:///Users/AndrewWuehler/Desktop/...25.31%20PM.png

This was just an idea I had. Check the Link to see the Map

The Blue Line O'hare Branch has continuously been gaining ridership, while the Forest Park Branch ridership has declined significantly over the years. And I think my plan could maximize profit for the CTA, by running more trains on the O'hare Branch and less on the Forest Park Branch. The CTA has already shown its dismay with the West Side Branch by running some trains from O'hare only to UIC-Halsted.

And to terminate the two different routes the Forest Park Branch could go to Clark/Lake to cover the Loop. But as for the O'hare Branch I thought maybe it could go around the LaSalle stop and take a right turn north to Union Station.

This would FINALLY connect Ogilvie and Union stations to the Loop and to the 'L' (at least not where you have to walk two blocks).

Now I know the CTA doesn't have the money for this kind of project, but I would love to see them embrace new ideas.

I would love feedback. Criticism? Compliments?

[wierdaaron]

Upload the image to http://imgur.com and paste the url it provides.

[N830MH]

Please used on Photobucket.com and you have to upload the pictures. You have to do copy & paste from entire website.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by AMWChicago

...
This was just an idea I had. Check the Link to see the Map
...

Since you don't know how to post images, your link doesn't work but based on your description I'm guessing you're proposing some sort of subway loop. Which has been proposed before and would possibly (probably?) be part of a Clinton Street Subway, which has been proposed in a number of forms, most recently as part of the West Loop Transportation Center. I think most people agree it would be a good thing.

Another possibility would be to route some Blue Line trains through the Blue/Red connector under Block 37 to Midway. The number of needed Orange Line trains plus the number of needed Forest Park trains is probably close to the number of needed O'Hare trains, so it would actually be pretty useful at balancing that, plus provide 1-seat rides between the airports at just over an hour of travel time, PLUS free up elevated Loop slots during rush hour. It would somewhat complicate Red Line scheduling, but given that the number of Red Line trains is already limited by the junction at Clark/School in Lakeview, that's probably not really a major issue. And that could be done for just the cost of finishing the Blue/Red connector, which I think would mostly just include breaking up the platforms under Dearborn and State Streets so that trains can cross, much less that creating a new subway.

[Iktomi]

Originally Posted by emathias

Another possibility would be to route some Blue Line trains through the Blue/Red connector under Block 37 to Midway. The number of needed Orange Line trains plus the number of needed Forest Park trains is probably close to the number of needed O'Hare trains, so it would actually be pretty useful at balancing that, plus provide 1-seat rides between the airports at just over an hour of travel time, PLUS free up elevated Loop slots during rush hour. It would somewhat complicate Red Line scheduling, but given that the number of Red Line trains is already limited by the junction at Clark/School in Lakeview, that's probably not really a major issue.

They would might also need to make southbound connecter from the Red line to the Orange line because otherwise theyd have to go through 17th St junction which is near capacity.

[orulz]

Originally Posted by Iktomi

They would might also need to make southbound connecter from the Red line to the Orange line because otherwise theyd have to go through 17th St junction which is near capacity.

There wouldn't be any more trains going through that junction than there are today. Just that Orange line trains would switch to the State St Subway
at the 13th street portal instead of going to the Loop.

Rather than there, the capacity crunch would seem to question would seem to be the State St Subway between Block 37 and Harrison Junction. Can it handle all red line trains plus all orange line trains? If the red line is 20tph peak, while the Orange is what, 8? That makes 28 tph. Which seems like it would be pushing the limits. But if the red line is 15tph peak while the Orange is 8, then that's 23tph which should be possible.

[Iktomi]

Originally Posted by orulz

There wouldn't be any more trains going through that junction than there are today. Just that Orange line trains would switch to the State St Subway at the 13th street portal instead of going to the Loop.

Ok, I assumed in this scenario that the O'hare-Midway line would keep the same frequency as the Blue line.

[ardecila]

The problem is, UIC-Halsted, Racine, Medical Center, and Western really need the same train frequency as the O'Hare Branch. I think it is more logical to just move the holding track a few stops westward. Otherwise you are cutting service to a rapidly developing part of the West Side.

This was the main advantage of the pre-Pink Line arrangement where the Blue Line split.

[AMWChicago]

Thanks wierdaaron for the link.

Here the new link for my drawing of the "Split Blue Line"

http://imgur.com/toRoc1q

P.S.
Notice the Dark blue for the West Side Branch and the Light Blue for O'hare.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Iktomi

Ok, I assumed in this scenario that the O'hare-Midway line would keep the same frequency as the Blue line.

No, it would get some fraction of the O'Hare branch, with Forest Park branch receiving the other fraction.

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by emathias

No, it would get some fraction of the O'Hare branch, with Forest Park branch receiving the other fraction.

Are you sure? I don't think gonna changes. I think they will kept the blue lines and they won't split the blue lines.

[LaSalle.St.Station]

I know new elevated structures downtown are probably non starters given the emerging demographics of the area, but I always thought the van Buren El should run all the way west to Paulina and junction with the connector and blue line.


Also a new El would be constructed on Canal between Lake and Van Buren, essentially creating a larger Loop for circulating passengers between the west loop train stations and the growing west loop office population .

[CTA Gray Line]

Originally Posted by orulz

Reg the Gray Line proposal. Have you figured out how much additional rolling stock would be needed in order to run the headways you propose and support the ridership you expect? Is that included in the cost? (I see $200 million and $300 million on your website).

Another comment/question. Seems it would be a cinch to add fare gates for the stations on the IC mainline embankment or along the lakefront, but more difficult for the surface stations on the Blue Island and South Chicago branches, particularly the stations in the median of a road. Los Angeles is in the process of adding turnstiles to many of their stations, but basically skipped the surface stations, for now at least.

I suppose something similar to the outer ends of the Brown and Pink lines is possible-but how much do you figure this would cost per station? There are quite a few. Would this even be possible without being "Grandfathered" like the legacy CTA lines?

orulz, recently you asked me these questions -- and I posted this response: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=11705

Do you (or anybody/everybody) have any comments on my statements there?

btw: Now the probable new Pullman District National Park adds to the locations that could be diectly served by the Gray Line: http://chicagodefender.com/2014/08/2...porter-museum/

[paytonc]

Originally Posted by AMWChicago

Notice the Dark blue for the West Side Branch and the Light Blue for O'hare.

Seems to me that two new three-track stub-end subway terminals wouldn't be much cheaper than a full Clinton Street subway (WLTC). The WLTC accomplishes the same thing, puts Ogilvie station on the line, and gives Metra commuters a one-seat ride to Dearborn Street.

[ardecila]

What the hell? The Circle name was iconic and descriptive - the ramps literally form a circle in a "Catherine wheel" configuration. Circle connotes a single center point, the navel of the Burnham Plan and the heart of the expressway system.

I do not understand why we need this renaming when other things around town have already been named for Byrne (the Water Tower Plaza)... As usual, renamings are just a way to score free political points. Quinn's remarks at the press conference show that he is trying to appeal to women and LGBT voters...

Circle Interchange renamed in honor of former Mayor Jane Byrne
By John Byrne, ()
Tribune reporter

Former Mayor Jane Byrne made a rare public appearance Friday as Chicago’s main confluence of major highways was renamed in her honor, a nod to her status as the only female ever elected to the city’s top political post.

The Circle Interchange where the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Dan Ryan expressways meet Congress Parkway just west of downtown is now the Jane Byrne Interchange, a title Gov. Pat Quinn said is appropriate because of her inclusive style.

“We decided the Jane Byrne Interchange would be the right name for coming together, a bridge that brought people together,” Quinn said as Byrne looked on from a wheelchair at the sign unveiling ceremony.

[le_brew]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I do not understand why we need this renaming when other things around town have already been named for Byrne (the Water Tower Plaza)... As usual, renamings are just a way to score free political points

Byrne, along with J.Thompson, killed the Crosstown exp. this is very appropriate to name the resulting gridlock after Byrne.

They got it right, for once!

[emathias]

Originally Posted by N830MH

Are you sure? I don't think gonna changes. I think they will kept the blue lines and they won't split the blue lines.

"Am I sure?"

What kind of dumb question is that, since we're all talking about imaginary plans anyway, so if I'm talking about my own imaginary plan in that post of course I'm sure.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by ardecila

What the hell? The Circle name was iconic and descriptive - the ramps literally form a circle in a "Catherine wheel" configuration. Circle connotes a single center point, the navel of the Burnham Plan and the heart of the expressway system.

You beat me to it. Plus, who the heck would want to put their name on a traffic jam? By some measures this is the most congestion-causing interchange in the country. If you're going to name something that's a universal source of anger, maybe John Dillinger Interchange would have been a better place to start.