Railroad Forums 

Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.

Moderators: metraRI, JamesT4

 #24173  by orangeline
 
At least one year ago the Harrison "S" curve was replaced by a much gentler curve which was supposed to speed up L trains from about 10 mph to 30-35 mph. Today I took the Orange Line downtown and heading northbound (to the loop) we slowed down to about 10 mph at the curve. Heading back a couple of hpours later, the train was doing maybe 15 mph southbound at the curve. I didn't notice any rail work going on anywhere in the vicinity of Harrison/Wabash. The speeds were like the curve hadn't been straightened out at all. Does anyone know why trains still go so slow on that stretch of track?

 #24467  by MikeF
 
Northbound trains still have to move slowly through Harrison Curve because of the Tower 12 interlocking almost immediately north of the curve. As for your southbound train, perhaps there was another train a short distance in front of it, which would have caused the cab signal to restrict your train's speed. Most southbound trains do take Harrison Curve considerably faster than they did before the realignment.

 #25046  by JamesT4
 
I know that they had redid the Harrison Curve, and I had been on northbound and southbound trains that was going through the curve at about 25 to 30mph. I notice on some of the orange and green line trains that they been going 10 to 15 on the curve. The curvee is much better then it was before they rebuild it.

I really think that they go slow is because of reasons of signals at tower 12, to construction on the tracks, or just for different reasons.