Commuter Rail Proposals For Wisconsin. Did someone say RDC's?

[wallyworld]

The irony of this is that there already is service to both Milwaukee and Kenosha by Metra (UP) and Amtrak respectively. This seems to be a reinvention of the wheel. The line most often talked to death about in this endless speculative discussion requires a major - read expensive- rehabilitation. My brother works in Chicago and takes the Southbound Kenosha line at Winthrop Harbor. He likes taking the train with the exception of it having a gazillion stops in the tightly packed stations that are spaced only afew miles apart in Chicago's northern suburbs so much so-that it takes quite awhile to get from A to B. I think electrifying this corridor into a high speed line is long overdue and that more express trains could be run. Rather than use the UP , the former Milwaukee line which used to host some ballast scorching trains, is a better candidate.
I think in it's present form, this sidestep is doomed to be in commitee for eternity ,much like the studied to death proposal of extending the former 80MPH Skokie Valley Route of the CNSM to Lake Cook Road.

[jeaton]

Dave Gunn had suggested RDC for the Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawathas. No doubt he saw the potential for increased service frequence and more efficient operation. Of course they were down the list. The only new equipment he was able to squeeze out of the budget were yard engines and rack cars for the Auto Train. Those replaced equipment that was about two days from a pile of rust.

[zardoz]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Poppa_Zit

All of this just proves my point that Milwaukee is about to become another Chicago suburb, just like Kenosha and Racine. [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D]

Because of the large number of people moving to Kenosha from Illinois recently, it is beginning to feel like a suburb of Chicago (and this is NOT a good thing). Racine is still mostly influenced by Milwaukee, although I suppose that will change someday as well. A market research firm reported a few years ago that there are over 10,000,000 people within 75 miles of Kenosha.

[daveklepper]

Some RDC's often re-engined with Caterpillar diesels, seem to just soldier on forever. Stainless steel carbodies don't rust out. Possibly some of the Boise-Budds, converted into coaches and coach-cab cars, can become self-propelled again.

But the Colorado Railcar has two advantages: (1) double deck, higher seating capacity, and (2) more powerful, can haul one or two trailers with ease, something the RDC cannot do except on level track.

[METRO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by coborn35

Im guessing your not talking about BUDD RDC cars, because they are ancient!

Tell that to the Canadians haha.

Milwaukee has been kicking this idea around for ages, I doubt anything at all will come of it. My bet is that they will extend the bus system again.

As for DMUs my money is on the Colorado Rail Car design, however GO Transit is redesigning their equipment again and whenever thay do that, everyone from Vancouver to Miami seems to jump on their designs so we'll see.

Cheers!
~METRO

[coborn35]

Im guessing your not talking about BUDD RDC cars, because they are ancient!

[David_Telesha]

Somebody needs to make those new DMU look like real trains and not that ugly crap they are...

The Budd RDC and SPV had style. The CCC and Danish DMU is pure ugly.

[Poppa_Zit]

All of this just proves my point that Milwaukee is about to become another Chicago suburb, just like Kenosha and Racine. [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D] [(-D]

[DPD1]

I think they were talking about using RDC type units on the proposed EJE beltline Metra addition as well.

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

[martin.knoepfel]

The Danish "rubbernose" trainsets (DMUs) would be a solution to this problem. They once operated testwise to and from Las Vegas (to L.A.?) The consists can be lenghtened and shortened quite efficiently, because they had been designed for lines which includes railferries. What you definitely need is a fully automatic coupler, and m.u., of course.

[sd452]

I think as gas prices continue to rise more and more people will be looking for alternative means of transportation. I know the if Green Bay Wis had a better public transportation system I would defenatly considerit more strongly, as it costs me close to $400 a month just to keep my car parked in the garage right now before i even put gas in the tank.

[zardoz]

Although commuter rail plans for southeastern Wisconsin are often described as a proposal to extend Chicago's Metra trains from Kenosha to Racine and downtown Milwaukee, planners say they're considering options for a more distinctively Badger brand of service.

One possibility is that Wisconsin commuter trains could serve Wisconsin stops and connect with Metra trains at Kenosha or just south of the border. Another idea is to use self-propelled train cars that could link up or disconnect to form trains of different sizes on different parts of the route at different times of day, with some cars staying in Illinois and others continuing into Wisconsin.

Either option would be aimed at creating a leaner, more efficient and more flexible operation with as few empty seats as possible, said Fred Patrie, chairman of the regional committee studying the commuter rail line. Boosting the rail line's efficiency - as measured by passengers carried per mile - could not only reduce costs but also improve the chances of winning federal aid, said Patrie, the Kenosha County director of public works.

Finances are a key consideration for the commuter rail service. A previous Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission study estimated the cost of buying train cars and upgrading existing freight rail tracks at $152 million and projected operating costs at $18.6 million a year. Congress has authorized $80 million for construction, and the earlier study predicted fares would bring in $3.2 million a year.

But the line won't move forward without local funding for the remaining costs, says Ken Yunker, deputy director of the planning commission. The new Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority is studying how to fund the rail line. Last month, at a Milwaukee Press Club Newsmaker Luncheon, commuter rail advocates Robert Mariano and Rosemary Potter said private-sector financing should be explored before taxes.

Metra itself will not provide any money for operations in Wisconsin. While the commuter rail agency is cooperating with the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee study, it is supported by northeastern Illinois taxpayers and must focus on its own area, Metra spokesman Patrick Waldron said.

The operations could remain totally separate if Wisconsin-only trains met the Metra trains at Kenosha; Waukegan, Ill.; or Winthrop Harbor, Ill., Patrie noted. That would require passengers to change trains to get from Chicago's northern suburbs to Racine or Milwaukee's southern suburbs, for example.

Another option would be to use diesel multiple units along the whole line, from downtown Chicago to downtown Milwaukee, Patrie said. Cars at the front of the train could continue into Wisconsin while those at the end of the train could turn back toward Chicago.

Using diesel multiple units would give the rail line the flexibility to run longer trains on the busiest parts of the route at the busiest times of day and shorter trains, even a single car, at times and places with less demand, Patrie said. With shorter trains, the line might be able to run more than the recommended seven weekday round trips, he said.

But Wisconsin would have to pay its share. Indiana taxpayers formed a transportation district to support the South Shore line from South Bend, Ind., to downtown Chicago.

Similar arrangements would be needed for other extensions outside Metra's primary service area, Waldron said. South-central Wisconsin communities are studying an extension from Harvard, Ill., to Beloit or Janesville; Rockford, Ill., is studying an extension from Elgin, Ill.; and previous studies rejected extensions from Antioch, Ill., to Burlington and Silver Lake, and from Fox Lake, Ill., into Walworth County.

Madison, Dane County and the University of Wisconsin-Madison are studying a Madison-area commuter rail line that wouldn't connect to Metra. Madison is also studying a streetcar system.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=417896
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Riding the rails: February ridership jumped almost 12% on Amtrak's Milwaukee-to-Chicago Hiawatha line, to 40,503 from 36,317 in February 2005, DOT rail chief Ron Adams said. In the first two months of this year, ridership rose 13%, to 83,227 from 73,762, Adams said.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=412836