Yesterday (5/9), I decided to take a closer look at the NCS line, my first ride on this route since the service expansions began. Of particular interest to me was the overall progress of the four new stations that had recently opened, as well as the interesting routing of train 118, the last inbound train of the day that runs express from Grayslake to CUS via the Fox Lake and C&M subdivisions...
My trip began on train 113, departing CUS at 1731. Upon departure, I fully expected us to be inching behind MDN 2141, which left a minute earlier. But, much to my pleasant surprise, such was not the case. The dispatcher at Lake St. tower just north of the depot and A-2 lined us onto track 3 (from CUS to B12, tracks are numbered north to south, which puts track 3 as the southernmost track, normally used for EB moves), meaning that we ran left-handed from CUS to Western Ave. The dispatcher at Tower A-2 kept us on track 3 as well, all the way through A-5 and onto MDW trackage. Altough conditions were obviously favorable enough to put additional westbound traffic on a second main, I wondered why track 3 was selected instead of the center track. Between CUS and A-2, tracks 1 and 3 were signalled for westward movements, while the center track was signalled eastward. Seemed pretty strange, but I guess that's just Metra being Metra. Anyway, we went from 3 to 2 at Galewood, then ran center track to B12, where we curved onto CN's Waukesha subdivision.
First stop was Belmont Ave, Franklin Park. The waiting room appears to be coming along, but certain sections of the platform have yet to be filled in, particularly toward the south end along MT2. As we left the station, a rather long freight train was parked on track 3, the yard lead to Schiller Park yard, otherwise known as "CP lead". This train had to be a good 9000 feet or so, it stretched within 1/4 mile of the CN yard office at Lawrence Ave, about a block N of the new Schiller Park depot. This station looks pretty much done, shelter, platforms, lighting both trackside and in the parking lot have been installed and are working. Next stop was Rosemont, which is quite non-descript and isolated. You're basically along I-294 here, but it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There are stairs leading from the platform up to Bryn Mawr Ave, and I'm guessing that's where the shelter was, because I didn't see one trackside. Except for the yellow tactile edging, the platform is finished, but, like many other stations on this line, it is strictly a parking lot station.
Meanwhile, on all two track sections of the railroad, the left-handed running theme of the journey remained constant. Note that although a second (and in some areas a third) main track has been installed along a good portion of this line, there are still some areas that remain single track totalling approximately six miles. Due to logisitical and geographical issues, a second main cannot be added in these locations. Areas of remaining single trackage are located:
--From MP 22.8 to MP 24.7, between the O'hare transfer and Prospect Heights stations, this segment also includes the UP crossings at Deval.
--From MP 40.5 to MP 44.0, between the Mundelein station and Metra's MDN crossing at Grayslake.
--From MP 46.0 to MP 48.5, between the new Grayslake station and Round Lake Beach.
I got off the train at Grayslake, and of the four new stations, it is by far the most attractive one. Stylishly landscaped with a small, but comfortable waiting room, and when viewed from the parking lot, it projects a very cool, polished feel. It is evident that you've hit rural suburbia by now, but it still blends in very well with the relaxed, quiet surroundings.
For my non-stop return trip downtown, I boarded train 118. Including myself, there were four other people on the train: Two conductors, the engineer, and another passenger. That was it. With the train pretty much to ourselves, this was a perfect oppurtunity for me to view the scene from the front window of the cab car. Shortly after leaving the depot, we went onto the connecting track toward the Fox Lake sub, and waited there for about 5 min. until WB 2147 cleared. Once we got the highball, off we went, winding through Libertyville on the single track as we closed in on the C&M mains at Rondout. After slowing for the 25mph limit through Rondout as we joined the C&M southbound, the engineer began to open the throttle shortly after crossing the EJE. And that throttle stayed pretty open the rest of the way, indeed, by the time we hit Lake Forest, we were crusing at track speed, in excess of 70mph, in other words, WE WERE FLYING!! Man, what a ride! Nothing but green signals all the way. The suburbs of Northbrook, Deerfield, and Glenview went by in a blur. We made it from Rondout to CUS in just under 30 minutes, almost Hiawatha standards, and despite the wait at Grayslake, the train arrived downtown four minutes early. That was fun.
Still, all wasn't perfect: The five car train I rode back downtown was powered by F40PHM-2 #212 (shouldn't this unit be on RI?) with four extra cabs in the consist, in other words, a SOLID set of 8500's. I could do nothing except roll my eyes and shake my head in dismay. But a great ride nonetheless...
--Dorian--
