by doepack
Metra has already announced its long-term plans to move its SWS trains from Union Station to LaSalle St. It's also possible to move the HC trains there too, but perhaps a better idea would be to send them all the way east to Millenium (Randolph St.) station. Going northward, the CNIC freight mains currently cross over in a tunnel above MED trackage from east to west around McCormick Place, then begins to curve westward about 1/2 mi north, in the vicinity of 16th and Indiana. There is a small parcel of undeveloped land in this area, which could be feasible enough to build a short, one-track flyover going northward toward the two southbound tracks of the MED. The single track would extend to about 14th St. or so, where an interlocking could be built for it to join the MED tracks.
The greatest benefits to both proposals include better downtown distribution of Metra commuters. It's ironic that both LaSalle St. and Millenium station are much more centrally located downtown, and have greater potential to serve more Metra commuters, but only two routes (well, three, if you count the South Shore) currently terminate there. By contrast, CUS/OTC are home to Metra's other nine routes, but many commuters after detraining have to take a bus, train, or taxi to go toward State St., or Michigan Ave. Unless they travel during rush hour, when they can use the CTA link-up sticker, it's still an additional cost to many people, particualrly off-peak riders, but the extra travel time affects everyone. Even though we're only talking about a maximum of 36 trains being diverted, at least those trains will have improved downtown distribution of its commuters, while simultaneously easing the congestion at CUS...
The greatest benefits to both proposals include better downtown distribution of Metra commuters. It's ironic that both LaSalle St. and Millenium station are much more centrally located downtown, and have greater potential to serve more Metra commuters, but only two routes (well, three, if you count the South Shore) currently terminate there. By contrast, CUS/OTC are home to Metra's other nine routes, but many commuters after detraining have to take a bus, train, or taxi to go toward State St., or Michigan Ave. Unless they travel during rush hour, when they can use the CTA link-up sticker, it's still an additional cost to many people, particualrly off-peak riders, but the extra travel time affects everyone. Even though we're only talking about a maximum of 36 trains being diverted, at least those trains will have improved downtown distribution of its commuters, while simultaneously easing the congestion at CUS...
--Dorian--