New Start Project - SWS

Between 143rd & 173rd, Metra currently observes a max authorized speed of 50mph. Upgrades to the track between 173rd and Manhattan will allow speeds of 60mph when service along the new extension comes online...

The limit from Palos Park and south is currently 50mph. The limit between Palos Park and 143rd might have been up'ed to 60mph, however engineers take advantage of the 6 minute scheduled time and go less. Like doepack said, the limit is 50mph in Orland Park. Even with an upgrade to 60mph, I would not expect shorter times between stations. Because trains have a restricting signal going into 179th Street Yard, trains will still have to go 40mph at MP27.8...the exception would be trains going to Manhattan.

Today I finally found better information on Orland Park's plan for the 143rd Street station.





Parking for 143rd Street will be around the station site itself, with additional parking between Southwest Highway and Metra's tracks. That is going to be one heck of a project as the road and tracks are not on the same level...at the moment anyway.

A new Metra bridge over LaGrange Road (US 45) has also been designed which will be built at the same time US 45 is widened. The Metra tracks are planned to be moved eastward to allow room for substantial commuter parking to be placed between Southwest Highway and the relocated tracks.

Here is a map of the 143rd Street Area:

The speed limit on the SWS is now 79mph.
Between 143rd and 153rd it is 60 due to curves. West of 179th there was no change.

Wow, I did not see 79mph going to SWS. I wonder how much time will actually be saved with the higher speed.

bones - Has there been any changes with limits between CUS and Wrightwood?

Does Metra post visible speed limit signs? If they do I must be blind, because I do not see any limits on SWS or RI.

The new track between Palos and 143 went into service yesterday(9-21). Tonight I was on the #19, On that (the new) stretch of track, My guess was that we were running at 75 MPH. Next week I'll bring a laptop and tell you for sure.

MetraRy wrote:i wonder why Rock counts drop so much on weekends.

Although other reasons have been explored, one hasn't been mentioned: the long, slow slog through Blue Island/Morgan Park/Beverly Hills. That adds 20 minutes to the trip. In general, I'd rather drive than put up with it, although $3/gallon gas, even with an economy car, puts the situation in a different light.

Would SWS be a quicker trip downtown?

spRocket wrote:Would SWS be a quicker trip downtown?

While RI branch trains can take 15-20 minutes longer, running times to downtown via the main line compares favorably to SWS. Plus, RI's LaSalle Street station is more centrally located than CUS, especially for those headed to State St. or the south loop area...

SWS takes about an hour to go from 179th to CUS. The station to compare that time on RI would be Mokena...which takes just a little over an hour on the Weekend schedule. The area that hurts SWS is between Wrightwood and CUS, if Metra found ways to increase speed limits in those area's, time would be saved.

I see... so a Saturday SWS run, if it could get off the ground, would probably be better than the typical off-peak RI run - except for the possibility of freight interference.

For me, though, travel time to the station would have to be considered, as I live about a block away from the downtown Mokena stop. I used to take the train into work, until my employer moved the office to Mokena - now it's a 15-minute bike ride from home. It's been about a year and a half now since I've been on a Metra train...

spRocket wrote:I see... so a Saturday SWS run, if it could get off the ground, would probably be better than the typical off-peak RI run - except for the possibility of freight interference.

I wonder how many freights goes through the Belt/Metra crossings on weekends, and how many freights can go through when SWS starts running on weekends, but we will have to see how many riders use the weekday service before saturday service starts, eventhou to my view it can support.

Also on the pace website there is a hearing comming up on Oct. 26 to discuss the discontuinance of pace rt. 835(which acts as metra sws off peak service).

link to the site: http://www.pacebus.com/sub/schedules/ro ... ice_ID=679

This is what it says:

On Wednesday, October 26th a public hearing is being held to address the proposed discontinuance of Route 835 Southwest Suburban Chicago Express service between Orland Park and Chicago. Route 835 supplements Metra SouthWest Service rail service.

However, in January 2006 Metra will expand weekday SouthWest Service operations from 16 to 30 trains. They also plan to stop their partial subsidy of Route 835 operations at that time. Therefore, Pace proposes to discontinue Route 835 service when expanded rail service takes effect.

Pace will address the proposed discontinuation of Route 835 as part of the 2006 budget hearing in southwestern Cook County. Anyone interested in discussing Route 835 should attend the hearing which will take place on:

Wednesday, October 26, at 4:30 p.m.
at the City of Palos Heights (Council Chambers)
7607 West College Drive, Palos Heights

Pace staff will be available until 6:30 p.m.

If you would like to comment on Route 835’s proposed discontinuation, you may attend the hearing, fill out a public hearing comment form at Public Hearing Comment Form, or call Pace Customer Services at (847) 364-7223.

After reading Metra's information on SWS's New Start page, I noticed something I didn't before about the Laraway Road station. They are now saying it won't open until Summer. Which might explain why construction has not started yet. Manhattan has come a long way, and looks almost complete, with the exception of the parking lot.

"...new stations along the line extension will provide better and more convenient options for Will County commuters. Locations include Laraway Road in New Lenox (summer 2006) and a station in Manhattan. "

Manhattan looks like it is just about ready to have the 1st train roll into town. The station is just about complete, with a few minor details still under construction. These pictures were taken tonight, about 45 minutes ago.

They were saying that service is supposed to start the first of January. Is this still the case? If not, when is service supposed to start? Also have schedules been released yet? Correct me if Im wrong, but Mannhattin is the only stop south of 179th when service starts up? Last time I was in Mannhattin there were 3 yard tracks. (Kyle, I assume you know) I assume that is still the case?

No offical start date has been set for any of the New Start Projects, all that has been released to the public is "Schedules for each of the New Start projects will be posted in early January."

Manhattan will be the only stop after 179th for the first few months of service, until Laraway Road opens sometime this summer. It looks like construction has started on the warming shelter, but no platform or parking lot work yet. I'm not exactly sure how many yard tracks are in Manhattan, I always thought there were two.