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It may be running behind schedule at this point. I remember reading somewhere that closures on the Dan Ryan were supposed to be coordinated during the Red Line reconstruction, so crews from both projects could get things done during the same window and minimize expressway delays. As it turned out, t...

Nope. The Heritage runs 79mph, which is the highest max speed of anything on the Metra system. Anything 80mph or above requires some form of PTC. I believe the current regulations actually specify that you simply need cab signals if you want to go 80 or above. 80 mph is also the top passenger speed...

Top speed Metra can run per FRA regs with current equipment is 90 mph. Beyond that and you'd need to add disc brakes to all the bilevels.

Such a jump in speed would also necessitate upgrading track to FRA class 5 standards, which seems unlikely given the agency's conservative nature.

The "issue" of failing MP36s will never be totally clear to people who don't specifically work for Metra unless Metra decides to release statistical data indicating the average availability rate of each type of unit they roster. Until then it's all rumors or speculation. For what it's wort...

Call me biased but I don't see that changing BNSF and UP will continue to run there respective services for the foreseeable future. Yes UP only runs commuter service on the UP service carry over from CNW days. BNSF actually uses their employees for the service in Minnesota, and if I recall Seattle ...

Anyone here ride the Rock Island regularly? There has been little to no progress on the Englewood flyover visible from the Dan Ryan, which I've been driving on pretty much every day as of late. I think the steel went up during a series of lifts in October and it really doesn't look like much has bee...

As if the weather on its own wasn't problematic enough: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news%2Flocal%2Fchicago_news&id=9383137 A Metra train struck a bumping post while pulling into the LaSalle Street station Monday morning. Five people were taken to the hospital. Four are in good condi...

Those were the cars used on the *actual* last train of 2200s, a private charter that ran several weeks after the final public trip. The charter began and ended there; I guess the cars have just not yet been removed.

Fully dynamic down to single digit speeds, then an electrically-actuated disc brake to bring the train to a full stop.

The mileage with lit signals on the Ryan branch has been increasing rather rapidly, and yesterday I saw that set of 2400s which had been marooned down at 98th yard sitting in the station at 95th. Apparently it was indeed brought out to start testing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ctaweb/9825492423/

New signals on the Dan Ryan branch are lit (showing red) from about 83rd south to 95th.

The possibility exists that the organizational structure of what we know as "Metra" could change very drastically as a result of the recent happenings with the board: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/22344519-418/world-class-transit-system-could-mean-oversight-shift-fare-tax-hike-brown.h...

I think the MED might have some kind of cycle by which cars get broken up and moved around in a certain pattern, so that they get assigned to Blue Island trains at set intervals. This would be so they lay over there overnight, during which they'll get dragged over to a shop in Metra's yard there and...

The incentive will be for Amtrak to be run in a way that minimizes losses... I don't want to be rude or anything, but don't you think this is already being done ? I'm pretty sure Amtrak wants to operate in a manner which minimizes losses. Calls for Amtrak to be operated "more efficiently"...

The fourth fourth resignation just happened (Larry Huggins). Story is on the front page of the Tribune's website. Cue "Another One Bites the Dust" in the background.