Staion improvements, StCharles Air Line direct access, Michigan 2 main tracking. Several items, one that we have not heard before is Amtrak to acquire property for additional train storage. No statement in article but ---- the map on page 11 shows a certain RR yard. Anyone know more?
Chicago Access - Michigan East Project Narrative FINAL 5-23-2022 | PDF | Amtrak | Rail Transport (scribd.com)
EDIT: good thing the take over of CHI Union Station has more or less died. If that happened then this project would certainly have much more difficulty.
I think this is a start but they need to expand the scope quite a bit more, more changes are needed in my view. Change out some of those old rail bridges, build more flyovers, etc, etc,
The biggest change IMO would be for there to be a concourse above all the tracks, Esculator and elevator service to all platformsFlow from the street more fluid and aybe more thru tracks. Concourse would provide plate H clearances + future CAT.
Agree with above
blue streak 1 The biggest change IMO would be for there to be a concourse above all the tracks, Esculator and elevator service to all platformsFlow from the street more fluid and aybe more thru tracks. Concourse would provide plate H clearances + future CAT.
CSSHEGEWISCHconcourse above the tracks at CUS would basically be at street level (which is above grade level) and probably isn't possible due to the existing Gateway Center structure at that location.
Agreed. Those of us familiar with Union Station know the limits of remodeling.
blue streak 1 Staion improvements, StCharles Air Line direct access, Michigan 2 main tracking. Several items, one that we have not heard before is Amtrak to acquire property for additional train storage. No statement in article but ---- the map on page 11 shows a certain RR yard. Anyone know more? Chicago Access - Michigan East Project Narrative FINAL 5-23-2022 | PDF | Amtrak | Rail Transport (scribd.com) EDIT: good thing the take over of CHI Union Station has more or less died. If that happened then this project would certainly have much more difficulty.
The thing I find most interesting is the track other projects they are proposing in Illinois. Three of these projects are specifically intended to take advantage of the CREATE "P" corridor projects that separate the Metra Rock Island line from freight interference. They are proposing a connection from Union Station to SCAL, a better connection just across the river from SCAL to the Rock, and a platform at Joliet for trains going from the Rock to the UP. These projects would basically complete the Chicago end of the St. Louis higher-speed-rail project.
In an alternate universe, where the Chicago administration at the time had not been hell-bent on tearing down SCAL, one could even imagine that the the SCAl projects could have been part of CREATE.
Also interesting that they offhandedly suggest that, with a better SCAL connection at Union Station, they could run eastbound Amtrak trains via the CN and South Shore to Michigan City.
On a related note - the other thing I didn't see was any statement of them having coordinated with the affected freight railroads. SCAL is not actually a company, just a set of assets owned jointly by three railroads (CN, UP, and BNSF), and all three have to agree to any changes. I don't see offhand why they would object, but it is customary to put a statement into these grant applications to the effect that "we have discussed this project with the affected track owner and they didn't immediately tell us to go to hell." If that was in there I missed it. Same with NICTD.
Dan
A direct connection from the St Charles Air Line into CUS would also be difficult to impossible. It would require new construction over Amtrak's coach yard and a steep grade to get down to the level of the approach tracks before getting to the Roosevelt Road overpass.
Why would Amtrak want to run on the South Shore to get to Michigan City? It offers no real advantage over the existing Amtrak routings in that area.
CSSHEGEWISCH A direct connection from the St Charles Air Line into CUS would also be difficult to impossible. It would require new construction over Amtrak's coach yard and a steep grade to get down to the level of the approach tracks before getting to the Roosevelt Road overpass.
They did a feasibility study and concluded that it could be done. You can see a plan view sketch in the document that the OP linked to.
Presumably, so the Michigan trains can avoid freight-train related delays on the Norfolk Southern. This would ceate a "low freight traffic" passenger corridor extending all the way from CUS into Michigan (CUS - SCAL - CN or Metra Electric - CSSB - Amtrak). Makes a certain kind of sense to me, but there's no indication at all that CN and NICTD are.open to the idea.
I'm a little hazy on what they think they would do for the LSL and the Capitol.
On the one hand, I think it's perfectly fair to show that these projects open up some new strategic possibilities in addition to giving immediate operational improvements. On the other hand, they probably could have done a better job distinguishing between the two.
dpeltier CSSHEGEWISCH Why would Amtrak want to run on the South Shore to get to Michigan City? It offers no real advantage over the existing Amtrak routings in that area. Presumably, so the Michigan trains can avoid freight-train related delays on the Norfolk Southern. This would ceate a "low freight traffic" passenger corridor extending all the way from CUS into Michigan (CUS - SCAL - CN or Metra Electric - CSSB - Amtrak). Makes a certain kind of sense to me, but there's no indication at all that CN and NICTD are.open to the idea. I'm a little hazy on what they think they would do for the LSL and the Capitol.
CSSHEGEWISCH
The LSL and CL could continue on the CSS&SB to South Bend where their tracks run alongside NS's Chicago-Elkhart route, thus almost completely avoiding the congested NS line. They are getting rid of the street running in Michigan City, otherwise it would have been interesting to see Amtrak's LSL doing street running.
MidlandMike dpeltier I'm a little hazy on what they think they would do for the LSL and the Capitol. The LSL and CL could continue on the CSS&SB to South Bend where their tracks run alongside NS's Chicago-Elkhart route, thus almost completely avoiding the congested NS line. They are getting rid of the street running in Michigan City, otherwise it would have been interesting to see Amtrak's LSL doing street running.
dpeltier I'm a little hazy on what they think they would do for the LSL and the Capitol.
I agree they could, possibly, but that's not mentioned anywhere in the grant package.
MidlandMike dpeltier CSSHEGEWISCH Why would Amtrak want to run on the South Shore to get to Michigan City? It offers no real advantage over the existing Amtrak routings in that area. Presumably, so the Michigan trains can avoid freight-train related delays on the Norfolk Southern. This would ceate a "low freight traffic" passenger corridor extending all the way from CUS into Michigan (CUS - SCAL - CN or Metra Electric - CSSB - Amtrak). Makes a certain kind of sense to me, but there's no indication at all that CN and NICTD are.open to the idea. I'm a little hazy on what they think they would do for the LSL and the Capitol. The LSL and CL could continue on the CSS&SB to South Bend where their tracks run alongside NS's Chicago-Elkhart route, thus almost completely avoiding the congested NS line. They are getting rid of the street running in Michigan City, otherwise it would have been interesting to see Amtrak's LSL doing street running.
That would be ideal.
They speak of purchasing yard space near CUS. I can only think of Canal Street. Which is currently being used for storage by UP. Unless someone knows of more open real estate nearby.
SD60MAC9500 They speak of purchasing yard space near CUS. I can only think of Canal Street. Which is currently being used for storage by UP. Unless someone knows of more open real estate nearby.
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