HarveyK400That leads to another question for the Chicagoland region and elsewhere served by a high-capacity radial suburban rail networks: would circumferential express bus routes connecting with local bus routes and parking at Metra stations enhance travel opportunities?
I suppose this belongs on Transit but I had a thought on the Metra. The MIL West line goes within 2 miles of the terminals at O'Hare. I wonder if a shuttle link (like the automated shuttle between Remote Parking and the terminals) to a station in the Bensenville yard has ever been considered and if not, why not?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
henry6 Those in the transportation "know" that railroads and other transportation companies have to sit down with governments and each other to work out a viable, economical, enviromentally safe, and effecient transportation system for both people and freight.
Those in the transportation "know" that railroads and other transportation companies have to sit down with governments and each other to work out a viable, economical, enviromentally safe, and effecient transportation system for both people and freight.
Absolutely true--and Norfolk Southern has attempted to do that along the I-81 corridor for freight traffic. Studies have been done, and even some of the states have met together to discuss what has to be done to shift trucks off I-81 and onto freight railroads. They are at least beginning to think regionally.
Unfortunately, getting Amtrak, other government agencies, and the states together on anything has been very difficult.
John
Politicians do not care what is good for the country, they care what will get votes in their district.
That is why the Hubble Telescope was built in Connecticut, transported by an oversize truck to Stewart Field in Newburg, NY placed aboard a Pregnant Guppy, a highly modified Boeing 377, which was built in Seattle WA, the only airplane big enough to hold it, flown to California where it was installed in the Space Shuttle which was then mounted on a specially modified Boeing 747, Built in Seattle, the only airplane big enough to carry it, and flown back to Florida for launch. The launch, of course, was controlled by the Johnson Space Center in Texas.
You just have to spread those government dollars around.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
schlimmHarveyK400That leads to another question for the Chicagoland region and elsewhere served by a high-capacity radial suburban rail networks: would circumferential express bus routes connecting with local bus routes and parking at Metra stations enhance travel opportunities? I suppose this belongs on Transit but I had a thought on the Metra. The MIL West line goes within 2 miles of the terminals at O'Hare. I wonder if a shuttle link (like the automated shuttle between Remote Parking and the terminals) to a station in the Bensenville yard has ever been considered and if not, why not?
Wish we could move what started as an example about suburban bus frequency to Transit.
Pace has a bus, #332, from Oakbrook, Elmhurst, and Bensenville within a block of the respective Metra stations; but goes to the Rosemont CTA Blue Line station where a person can transfer to reach the airline terminals or to connecting buses to other destinations in the area.
The Pace #330 goes to a bus terminal at the Airport Parking guideway shuttle train station that has closer stops than the CTA to all four terminals. However, the route goes over the viaduct which returns to grade two blocks from the Mannheim station where few trains stop. The route begins in Chicago at 47th & Harlem and a long walk from the Metra and Amtrak stop at Summit, goes past the BNSF La Grange Rd station, and passes over the UPW Bellwood station on a similarly lengthy overpass as at the MDW. A bus stop on the bridges with a vertical curve limiting sight lines would be a traffic hazard. The #330 has the distinction of being the farthest west regional north-south going past three (or more) radial Metra lines.
Finally, there is a #325 that goes past the Franklin Park station and also goes to the Rosemont terminal. This avoids the various deviations along the #332 to reach intermediate destinations more conveniently. The route also crosses the UPW 3/8 mile west of the existing Melrose Park station which may be consolidated with Maywood and moved east.
The hours of service of these buses are not as long as Metra's.
UP 4-12-2The average American has literally no idea that today's rail movements virtually equal or exceed even the glory years traffic of WWII (and have exceeded in some recent months).
This statement is true, but this is only so due too growth of the country. More people look at as, which mode is hauling more of the nation's overall freight; in which trucks account for 70%. Although I do wonder if that factors in the freight that was transferred from/onto a train. I mean yeah they haul 70% of the freight but what percentage of that was on a train at one point.
I don't think Eisenhower envisioned us to abandon the care and innovation of our rails because we would have interstates; even air travel for that matter. If anyone can give me a link to Eisenhower's views on rail transportation I would greatly appreciate it.
Eisenhower's Highway Program was foisted on him by the Oil and Highway as being needed in case of war. But, he,however, did leave a parting shot by warning us about the evils of the Military-Industrial Complex in the future.
American freight movements today are such as much because of our growth but also the growth of international trade with some coast to coast container traffic along with imported manufactured goods from Asia and Europe. The buying part of our economy has grown, the export of raw materials has grown in some area both affecting rail transportation. But culture: movies, TV shows, music, etc, has been our main exports while services have been our domestic growth.
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
Speaking of the gov't, those foreign countries happily bulldozed tens of thousands of homes and factories to build those lines. Those people didn't like it but were stomped for the sake of national pride.
That plan doesn't work here anymore even if you have the money. It's not 1906 anymore.
aegrotatioSpeaking of the gov't, those foreign countries happily bulldozed tens of thousands of homes and factories to build those lines. Those people didn't like it but were stomped for the sake of national pride.That plan doesn't work here anymore even if you have the money. It's not 1906 anymore.
It was hardly pride that motivated HSR development in China; rather it serves a greater society and national need than the interests of comparatively few individuals. We have eminent domain in the USA too. One difference being the politically-connected in Chicago can confiscate property through eminent domain for personal gain, not public need.
henry6 Eisenhower's Highway Program was foisted on him by the Oil and Highway as being needed in case of war. But, he,however, did leave a parting shot by warning us about the evils of the Military-Industrial Complex in the future. American freight movements today are such as much because of our growth but also the growth of international trade with some coast to coast container traffic along with imported manufactured goods from Asia and Europe. The buying part of our economy has grown, the export of raw materials has grown in some area both affecting rail transportation. But culture: movies, TV shows, music, etc, has been our main exports while services have been our domestic growth.
We also export plenty of computer equipment,earthmoving machinery, airliners...I live in the Northeast and am not fond of the gridlock but the contention that,post WWII, the American public wanted private automobiles because they were "brainwashed" by the automotive industry is a bit ridiculous..
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
I don't know how old you are, Carenj1 but as I was growing up in the 40's and 50's the political and social climate was pushing the automobile above all other means of transportation for the common man: more roads and highways, need for two cars in every driveway; you'll have the freedom to cheaply move anywhere around the country you want without having to rely on schedules and connections...more direct, take the whole family if you wish, pull your Winebago if you need. Air travel was a boon to the businessman who could go from NYC to Chi and back in one day or go to two or three cities in a day and still have dinner and drinks by the pool with the wife. Vacationers could now go to the Carribean or California instead of the cottege in the Catskills (which was givenover to the common man who now could drive up there from the City in under two hours). No, we weren't brainwashed, it was the way of life that as it was being presented to us. No need for the train no more!
henry6 Eisenhower's Highway Program was foisted on him by the Oil and Highway as being needed in case of war. But, he,however, did leave a parting shot by warning us about the evils of the Military-Industrial Complex in the future.
I was taught that Eisenhower's idea for the Defense Highway System was fostered by his very favorable impression of the Autobahn during his recent "visit" to Germany.
Phoebe VetI was taught that Eisenhower's idea for the Defense Highway System was fostered by his very favorable impression of the Autobahn during his recent "visit" to Germany.
He was first influenced by his experience as a young Army officer crossing the country in the 1919 Army convoy on the Lincoln Highway, along with lobbying by the automobile industry.
I don't like this idea, because so much stuff that has come out of China lately has been tainted. Dog food, other types of food products etc. Do we really want them building our rail systems? I know CP used them "back in the day", but things were different then. They came here to live and work, not come here to take our money and run back to a country with a terrible history of civil rights for their citizens.We should have enough qualified people in this country to do the job, it's a shame the way we let go of technology and do all this "outsourcing" just so that some executives already making huge salaries can get richer.
When I'm reading over my post, by CP I meant Central Pacific for the Transcon, not Canadian Pacific.
It is a shame we don't do the work domestically. That said, I doubt if we can. Recent rides on various Metra lines give me doubts about our ability to construct a proper ROW, let alone build the right rolling stock.
As long as American manufacturing and business is controlled by investors wanting to earn 80% of $100 rather than 50% of $200 or want 100% return on investment within 12 months, CEO's and other top managment earning monies measured in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars, the US will be buying from the likes of China.
As for railroads, the business shunned the passenger and the attending equipment putting such domestic manufacutrers out of business. So, where else can we go but to the countries where passenger trains have been running and equipment manufactured? We got freight cars and its manufacturers OK. Just there has not been a big call for passenger cars to make it worth the investiment that American investors want to get what they want to earn..
As an investor, I, for some strange reason, appreciate a little ROI. 100% return in one year? Get serious! Only Bernie would offer that! As long as we have a "Tax-and-Spend" administration, nothing will happen, for the good, in this country. Just look what New York State, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Illinois did to the passenger rail car builders there!
Hays
BNSFwatcher As an investor, I, for some strange reason, appreciate a little ROI. 100% return in one year? Get serious! Only Bernie would offer that! As long as we have a "Tax-and-Spend" administration, nothing will happen, for the good, in this country. Just look what New York State, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Illinois did to the passenger rail car builders there! Hays
That's funny. My investments are doing just fine since we recovered from the multiple unfunded tax cuts, borrow and spend administration.
BNSFwatcher As an investor, I, for some strange reason, appreciate a little ROI. 100% return in one year? Get serious! Only Bernie would offer that! Hays
As an investor, I, for some strange reason, appreciate a little ROI. 100% return in one year? Get serious! Only Bernie would offer that!
I've been in an industry that has asked for, demanded, and gotten just what I said...broadcasting. I've also seen it in retail where investors were not satisfied with the 12% annual return so closed their stores and put there money elsewhere...didn't even sell the stores or the busness! So, what is a fair return and what is a fair time for that return? Six months? A year? Five years? But contrary to your feelings, things are getting better. Hell, the Dow is back over 11,000 for three days now! Something must be being done right...er, not right, that' s the other guys..
Sunnyland I don't like this idea, because so much stuff that has come out of China lately has been tainted. Dog food, other types of food products etc. Do we really want them building our rail systems? I know CP used them "back in the day", but things were different then. They came here to live and work, not come here to take our money and run back to a country with a terrible history of civil rights for their citizens.We should have enough qualified people in this country to do the job, it's a shame the way we let go of technology and do all this "outsourcing" just so that some executives already making huge salaries can get richer.
China makes TVs, computers, cell phones, and a gazillion other things we use beside fireworks. They launched their own satellites; and even build conventional as well as high speed trains. Need I say more?
HarveyK400Seems to me you complained about BNSF recently. I was out along the BNSF today - Riverside, Hollywood, and Western Springs - and the track was a little rougher than the UPN; but still much better than the CTA. Don't forget, the railroad fixes track so it takes as long as possible to degrade to the Class IV level in the case of the BNSF Chicago-Aurora line.
Again, we should have a thread going on Metra on Transit.. I've ridden several Metra lines lately and a few in the distant past. UPN past and present seems to have the best roadbed. BNSF is rough but they run some expresses pretty fast. UPW has always been rough riding, even in the 1960's. MIL W is almost as bad. Haven't ridden the IC in years, but it used to seem pretty smooth. Probably b/c it mostly doesn't share tracks with freight.
Back to the original topic, if the the Chinese can do things like this, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=318982, how bad could it be? What was the last, major station built in the US? 30th St in 1928? Does Albany-Rensselaer count as "major"?
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmanndBack to the original topic, if the the Chinese can do things like this, http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=318982, how bad could it be? What was the last, major station built in the US? 30th St in 1928? Does Albany-Rensselaer count as "major"?
The rehabs at Chicago Union Station and Washington Union Station probably cost more each. Albany-Rensselear may be on the same scale as the Minneaplis-Saint Paul Midway station.
oltmanndMaybe that's the last big, new one.
The 1911 headhouse of North Western Terminal was torn down and replaced with the Ogilvie Transportation Center in 1984, with a 1991-96 rehab of the platforms and tracks serving 200 Metra trains and 45,000 commuters daily.
Milwaukee got a new station in 1964, which became a Union Station when C&NW moved off of the lakefront.
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