The EJ&E will be getting METRA soon!!!

[Poppa_Zit]

The "J" is starting to get busy. I don't think it could have been more than 10-15 years ago that the "J" only ran a few trains on the Western Sub through mostly open farmland. Now you've got the UP running coal, hopper and auto trains from W Chicago, the BNSF running coal and stack trains from Eola to Joliet, throw in a couple of CP coal trains going south from Munger and a few manifest freights running from Munger to Leithon (sp). Don't forget about the "J"'s own train, or two, plus light power moves. The open farmland? Dissapearing fast as the suburbs crawl west.

I have to agree that one day there will be Metra service on the "J". It's not on top of the priorty list and I think the I-90 corridor part is just a dream. Joliet to Barrington might be more realistic. Service in twenty years might be a good goal (it took 13 just to extend the UP West Line from Geneva to Elburn).

CC

It's unfortunate the CTA and ICC ran the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin out of business before all of the suburbs along its entire right-of-way could fill out.

And I now wonder if UP wishes CNW had not abandoned so much former CGW right-of-way in northern Illinois (now trails). It would given UP an alternative to moving trains in and out of Chicago. UP could have used it when the bridge at Galt got wiped out last year and the Overland Route was shut down both directions for a few days, backing everything up.    

The same could be said for most cities, for one line or another. Los Angeles once had a subway system. Then it was all destroyed. Now we have one again. Of course this one cost about 1000 times more then the first one. Whoops.

Personally I liked the EJ&E the way it was in the old days... All the foreign run-throughs are fine, but it was nice when it was just the EJ&E.

Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -

Yeah. It gets downright exciting when we see J power anywhere west of Plainfield these days.

[DPD1]

The "J" is starting to get busy. I don't think it could have been more than 10-15 years ago that the "J" only ran a few trains on the Western Sub through mostly open farmland. Now you've got the UP running coal, hopper and auto trains from W Chicago, the BNSF running coal and stack trains from Eola to Joliet, throw in a couple of CP coal trains going south from Munger and a few manifest freights running from Munger to Leithon (sp). Don't forget about the "J"'s own train, or two, plus light power moves. The open farmland? Dissapearing fast as the suburbs crawl west.

I have to agree that one day there will be Metra service on the "J". It's not on top of the priorty list and I think the I-90 corridor part is just a dream. Joliet to Barrington might be more realistic. Service in twenty years might be a good goal (it took 13 just to extend the UP West Line from Geneva to Elburn).

CC

It's unfortunate the CTA and ICC ran the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin out of business before all of the suburbs along its entire right-of-way could fill out.

And I now wonder if UP wishes CNW had not abandoned so much former CGW right-of-way in northern Illinois (now trails). It would given UP an alternative to moving trains in and out of Chicago. UP could have used it when the bridge at Galt got wiped out last year and the Overland Route was shut down both directions for a few days, backing everything up.    

The same could be said for most cities, for one line or another. Los Angeles once had a subway system. Then it was all destroyed. Now we have one again. Of course this one cost about 1000 times more then the first one. Whoops.

Personally I liked the EJ&E the way it was in the old days... All the foreign run-throughs are fine, but it was nice when it was just the EJ&E.

Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -

[Poppa_Zit]

The construction of the Congress Expressway was one of the prime reasons that the CA&E lost its direct service to Wells Street in 1953.  The CTA detour operation alongside Van Buren Street was pretty dicey in the safety area and wouldn't have passed muster if the Illinois Commerce Commission had jurisdiction over the CTA.  Through service is nice but not an absolute necessity if the connections are good, ask any LIRR rider or riders on SEPTA's Norristown line.  And the connections with CTA at Forest Park were good.

As far as leaving the Great Western main in place to provide an alternate Chicago-Omaha route, one would have needed a very good crystal ball and deeper pockets than C&NW to justify the luxury of a mothballed surplus main line, eating money and generating no return.

Yes -- hindsight is always 20/20, ain't it?

What hurt the CA&E at the time of the Eisenhower construction was the competition of the parallel one-seat, one-ride CNW route, which ostensibly was quicker. Add the fact that CA&E trains temporarily at street level to get the rest of the way downtown would have to stop for stoplights -- with auto traffic -- on all of the cross streets between DesPlaines and the Loop. And the CTA built its subway tunnels with roofs that would not accommodate the height of the older CA&E cars, which further kept them from reaching the heart of the business district.

The CTA built a run-around at DesPlaines for the CA&E but it was never used. Now it holds CTA cars at the west end of the car barn along the Eisenhower.

Pop Z 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The construction of the Congress Expressway was one of the prime reasons that the CA&E lost its direct service to Wells Street in 1953.  The CTA detour operation alongside Van Buren Street was pretty dicey in the safety area and wouldn't have passed muster if the Illinois Commerce Commission had jurisdiction over the CTA.  Through service is nice but not an absolute necessity if the connections are good, ask any LIRR rider or riders on SEPTA's Norristown line.  And the connections with CTA at Forest Park were good.

As far as leaving the Great Western main in place to provide an alternate Chicago-Omaha route, one would have needed a very good crystal ball and deeper pockets than C&NW to justify the luxury of a mothballed surplus main line, eating money and generating no return.

[Poppa_Zit]

The "J" is starting to get busy. I don't think it could have been more than 10-15 years ago that the "J" only ran a few trains on the Western Sub through mostly open farmland. Now you've got the UP running coal, hopper and auto trains from W Chicago, the BNSF running coal and stack trains from Eola to Joliet, throw in a couple of CP coal trains going south from Munger and a few manifest freights running from Munger to Leithon (sp). Don't forget about the "J"'s own train, or two, plus light power moves. The open farmland? Dissapearing fast as the suburbs crawl west.

I have to agree that one day there will be Metra service on the "J". It's not on top of the priorty list and I think the I-90 corridor part is just a dream. Joliet to Barrington might be more realistic. Service in twenty years might be a good goal (it took 13 just to extend the UP West Line from Geneva to Elburn).

CC

It's unfortunate the CTA and ICC ran the Chicago, Aurora & Elgin out of business before all of the suburbs along its entire right-of-way could fill out.

And I now wonder if UP wishes CNW had not abandoned so much former CGW right-of-way in northern Illinois (now trails). It would given UP an alternative to moving trains in and out of Chicago. UP could have used it when the bridge at Galt got wiped out last year and the Overland Route was shut down both directions for a few days, backing everything up.    

[Chris30]

The "J" is starting to get busy. I don't think it could have been more than 10-15 years ago that the "J" only ran a few trains on the Western Sub through mostly open farmland. Now you've got the UP running coal, hopper and auto trains from W Chicago, the BNSF running coal and stack trains from Eola to Joliet, throw in a couple of CP coal trains going south from Munger and a few manifest freights running from Munger to Leithon (sp). Don't forget about the "J"'s own train, or two, plus light power moves. The open farmland? Dissapearing fast as the suburbs crawl west.

I have to agree that one day there will be Metra service on the "J". It's not on top of the priorty list and I think the I-90 corridor part is just a dream. Joliet to Barrington might be more realistic. Service in twenty years might be a good goal (it took 13 just to extend the UP West Line from Geneva to Elburn).

CC

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Metra has been kicking around the idea of circumferential service on the EJ&E in various forms for several years now.  An earlier concept which was raised in the late 1990's ran into heavy opposition from Barrington and neighboring suburbs.

[ndbprr]

The window probably has been blocked to prevent extraneous light from getting to the camera lens filming the trip. It would be great if they would extend east from Joliet.  Here in New Lenox, Illinois we might then be the only location where three different Metra lines would meet and provide service.  We have the Rock Island line and the newly opened Wabash line to Manhattan.  The EJ&E would be the third one.  Unfortunately there is no location where they are all in close proximity with the E being several miles south of the RI.

[zardoz]

What's up with the fireman's side front window?

[DPD1]

Yeah, they test, and consult, and study, and debate... Then they start the whole thing all over again. I recommend to any young person that wants great income and a bright future... Go into government consulting. They can never get enough of it, and the fees are never too high.

The Metra thing will happen someday though... It's inevitable.

Dave
http://www.dpdproductions.com
- Featuring the TrainTenna Railroad Radio Antennas -

[eolafan]

Check this out!

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=157398

 

WOW! Does anyone have more info on when they will be doing more tests?

I suggest you not hold your breath as you might turn blue as you wait for this...I think it is still about ten years off.

[senshi]

I think its still at least a few years off.  Their plan is to eventually start on the J in Joliet and head up to Hoffman Estates and then run down the median of I-90 to possible the western O'Hare terminal in the O'Hare expansion plan.  You might want to look at this Metra website, they have a good bit of info and plans up in there about the STAR line as well as other expansion/rehab plans.

http://metraconnects.metrarail.com/index.php

Hope this helps

[Glen Ellyn]

Check this out!

 

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=157398

 

WOW! Does anyone have more info on when they will be doing more tests?