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

 #1086973  by lstone19
 
It looks like passenger demand for Metra to the Ryder Cup at Medinah has been exceeding forecast. Lots of delayed trains on MD-W today due to "passenger loading".
Metra's plan was simple - scheduled service plus an extra express outbound in the morning (2212, the 6:54 Roselle originator, would had its equipment deadhead to CUS, express to Medinah, then to Roselle to turn and become 2212) and have 2205, which normally skips Medinah, stop there.
I normally take 2220 whose equipment and crew pattern is 2204 in, deadhead to Roselle, 2220. What I heard was the deadhead was converted to a second Medinah extra.
Now this afternoon, 2235 (5:05pm) which normally is a bunch of inner stops and then Roselle, National St., and Elgin, will terminate at Roselle. That really can't mean anything other than they'll turn it at Roselle to become an extra inbound.
The plan for Saturday and Sunday calls for two extras outbound in the morning before the normal start of service and two extras inbound in late afternoon / early evening. I'm starting to wonder if that will be enough. I suspect we'll see the longer trains (nine and ten cars) out as well this weekend.
 #1087141  by metraRI
 
No surprise, longer sets will be used all weekend. WX-5, WX-14 will have 9 cars. WX-7, WX-16 will have 10 cars. 2702, 2703, 2708, 2713 will run with 9 cars instead of cutting to 6. Sunday both extras will have 9 cars, regular scheduled trains will have 7.
 #1087195  by lstone19
 
OT a bit but Kyle, you mention that both extras Sunday will have nine cars. The last I "officially" knew, the MD-W has 1 10-car, 1 9-car, 1 8-car, 4 7-car, 2 6-car, and 1 4-car sets. But the last couple of times I've seen 2249 or 2255, which used to use the 8-car, they had nine cars. Do you know if a ninth car has been added to the 8-car set?

What I had observed was the 8-car on 2200, 2201, 2222, 2227, 2248, 2249, 2254, and 2255 while the 9-car ran just 2210 and 2231.

Back to Ryder Cup, 2235 tonight, which normally has six cars, had seven using a set I think normally runs on the MD-N. Of course, we only had the five cars open just like 2235 always has but presumably they wanted the extra car for the Medinah-CUS extra it turned to.
 #1087314  by metraRI
 
2200's 8 car set is now 9. Changed about 3 weeks ago.

2235 did run with 7 cars last night, not sure if they just added a car of if they swapped equipment. This set will run tomorrow starting on 2704.