In The News

That's a really nice touch. Looks like quite a few people went out of their way to make this a cool event.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:(why it ever became known as the Racetrack, I know not; it's 70mph max)

Earlier in this topic was a discussion of the hand-thrown switches, diamonds, and 10mph speed limits which have been de rigeur in Chicago railroading for most of its history, and which CREATE is trying to deal with Do you need further explanation for why the CB&Q was thought to have a "racetrack" ?

You do make a point, Mr. Neroden - one that was never explained to me while I was an active railfan some forty years ago.

Departing CUS on the "Q" is quite like departing a major European terminal where it is a case of clear the Yard Limits and start scorching the ballast. Quite unlike departing Chicago on any other present or former routing.

My first rail trip to Chicago was during April 1961 for a college interview. Arriving on the Capitol Limited (B&O varietal), I was astounded at the painfully slow running over the B&OCT, the abundance of "diamonds" (I don't think I had ever been over one until coming out here), Grade X ings, constant whistles......hey; Isn't this the Railroad Capital???

To a kid who grew up along the New Haven RR, and who had come to "take for granted" flyover interchanges like Woodlawn and an electrified Grade X-ing free ROW, this was some kind of "third world" out here.

The Belmont underpass project is almost complete, Downers Grove to host dedication ceremony...

here in NY yesterday I heard a report about that midwest high speed rail project there in Chicagoland - I am sure wasin this part of the country

the news report was about portion of the HSR corridor having been just upgraded to 110 MPH svc. and there was an inaugural ceremony with all the politicos including - I think - Ray LaHood of the fed DOT

of course I imediately went to this site and had expected to see not the week + old story about Amtrak employee drug use but a story about the above but still there was that Amtrak story - I went to the general passenger rail/HSR forum and nothing there

I also clicked on that midwest high speed rail site link on the'front page' and nothing there either

was I dreaming having heard a news report about this HSR related story?

since I think was there in Chicagoland and this is the "in the news" thread there would have been something here

A test train ran at 111 MPH on a section of upgraded track in Illinois:

Illinois Amtrak train hits 111 mph in test run
[PHOTO]
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, left, U.S. Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood, center, and US Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., celebrate after the Amtrak train they are riding reached 110 mph during a test run between Dwight and Pontiac, Ill., on Friday, Oct. 19, 2012, in Pontiac, Ill.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/national/i ... b5416.html
(Although the photo shows 110 MPH. The photos in the main article below show 111.)

For the first time on a key Midwestern route between Chicago and St. Louis, an Amtrak passenger train topped 110 mph Friday, ripping through fog-shrouded farm fields and blowing past cars on a parallel highway.

The silver five-car, two-engine train held the high speeds for about five minutes along a 15-mile stretch of track between the central Illinois cities of Dwight and Pontiac before braking back below its usual top speed of 79 mph. Paying passengers on the route will start experiencing the faster speed on that short segment by Thanksgiving. Most of the route will get the higher speed by 2015.

The goal was to hit 110 mph, and for a moment the speedometer that officials were watching ticked up to 111. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn pumped his fist in the air and gave a thumbs-up. He and the other dignitaries cheered, shook hands and congratulated one another.

Full Story:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/national/i ... 9113e.html

The HSR efforts are all concentrated on Amtrak routes to STL and Detroit, ergo they're in the Amtrak forum. No Metra or South Shore operations exceed 79 mph, and CTA is governed to 55, so there's barely any HSR chatter in this forum. Our big expenditures are on reducing bottlenecks and acquiring new EMU rolling stock.

Officials to CN: Allow Metra to Add Service on the Heritage Corridor Passenger Train Line

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski was joined by more than 20 local officials Monday in urging CN to allow Metra to expand service on the Heritage Corridor Line and accommodate at least two additional trains a day. Adding two trains would boost commuter rail service to four round-trips a day in a growing area underserved by public transportation.

http://lemont.patch.com/articles/offici ... e-corridor

Chicago's RTA Accuses United Airlines, American Airlines of Running 'Sham Offices'-
United Airlines, American Airlines Accused of Running 'Sham Offices' to Dodge Taxes:

The RTA said both airlines buy and use millions of gallons of jet fuel in Chicago. But the RTA says United Airlines has claimed to "accept" jet fuel at its small office in a strip mall in Sycamore since 2001. American has done the same practice at its small office inside Sycamore's town hall since 2004.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/chicagos ... d=18213557

I had a hard time not typing a sarcastic headline. That money doesn't belong to RTA, and I would do the same thing. The problem is complexity in the tax law and the notorious rates in Cook County, not the companies trying to save money.

On the front page of the Trib Local West Cook Feb 21-27 edition:

"I-290 widening, expanding Blue Line considered"

Those of us in the western suburbs know that driving on I-290 (Eisenhower Expy) can be a nightmare. Fortunately, through Forest Park there is the Blue Line providing a mass-transit altenative to the car. This was once known as the Congress Line. What many don't know is that about 60 years ago the Congress Line continued west (sharing rails for a way with the CA&E) before terminating at 22nd Street (Cermak Rd) and Mannheim Road. That section was torn up around 1953 because the area was too sparsely populated.

Fast forward to 2013. These days the area is hardly UNDERpopulated! But public transportation is limited to METRA and PACE buses. Its good, but not enough. People have come to rely on the car to go anywhere.

This story suggests CTA is expressing serious interest in extending the Blue Line from Forest Park to ... Mannheim Road, but only as part of a broader I-290 initiative.

There was once a movie called "Back to the Future". This would seem to be a case of "Forward to the Past"!

This would make a lot of sense. That median is also wide enough to support passing tracks for express service as well. Perhaps also a large park/ride lot for I-294 travelers.

tytrain wrote:Officials to CN: Allow Metra to Add Service on the Heritage Corridor Passenger Train Line

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski was joined by more than 20 local officials Monday in urging CN to allow Metra to expand service on the Heritage Corridor Line and accommodate at least two additional trains a day. Adding two trains would boost commuter rail service to four round-trips a day in a growing area underserved by public transportation.

http://lemont.patch.com/articles/offici ... e-corridor

Now, Congressman Lipinski takes it to the STB. CN doesn't show up.

Lipinski met recently with Metra officials and lawyers from the Surface Transportation Board to discuss options for putting more pressure on CN, the release said. Lipinski requested that CN CEO Claude Mongeau attend the meeting, but CN said no one was available, according to Lipinski.

http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/ ... -line.html

Metra wants a delay in the implementation deadline for PTC.

"Most of our riders would rather see us upgrading our stations, (but) every time there's some (available) money, we're putting it into" the safety system, board member Larry Huggins recently complained. "I think we should reverse that."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... 0438.story

I actually came here looking for additional information on an item I saw in a non-rail forum. Since I didn't find anything I went to the Midwestern Forum. Nothing there either. So I'm back!

Anyway, back in March a UP West Line commuter had a nuclear stress test done during the workday. When he arrived at Ogilvie to catch his train home he apparently set off a nuclear sensor! (I believe he entered through the Clinton Street corridor.)

TSA agents then were able to track this gentleman not only to Metra Train 47, dpt Olgivie at 5 04 PM for Elburn, but to the coach he was sitting in and right to where he was seated.

The gentleman said at first he was not aware that he was the cause of the activity until he heard one of the agents mention "isotope." Here's a real time video of the search taking place: Link to news story with video embedded.

(Btw, surprisingly since the link is to the CBS local news site in Chicago, I have run this video a couple times and it does not run well. Sorry.)

I had no idea Metra or any other commuter agency had this capability. A friend who works for NY MTA has told me, "Oh you'd be surprised at some of the things that go on."

Yes I am!

Me too, it's very unobtrusive. You walk through the downtown stations, and other than the usual railroad cops and their dogs, it's like the grocery store.