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

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 #1142050  by dinwitty
 
I visited the NICTD meeting (and they commented on the NICTD re-alignment bill too)

earlier a truck on the toll road jack-knifed spilling its steel rollers load onto the South Shore tracks below, the huge heavy rollers whacked onto the overhead, hit the track and did severe damage to both tracks. I was confused exactly what the accident was from news reports, the meeting cleared it up. One roller hit a rail and literrly snapped a short piece out of the rail, a few poles were disfigured. Imagine if there was a train down there, or a busy highway.

South Shore was out of service for most of the day, one track was activated late then later the other.

no pics, but maybe somebody else does?

There will be lawsuits on this, NICTD lost service revenue and they showed that also.
 #1142271  by justalurker66
 
It was mentioned in a thread here when it happened ... but we didn't have a lot of details. Just a few far off pictures of the cleanup.

Can you share what was said about the realignment? Is Michigan City still holding the process hostage? Or are you talking about the misguided management realignment?
 #1142480  by Tadman
 
They have to identify the trucker before they can file a lawsuit, and it wouldn't surprise me if the trucker went AWOL. Possibly they could make a claim against the toll road operating contractor.
 #1143564  by dinwitty
 
NICTD got all the info on the truck and will persue a lawsuit.

Some lake county rep proposed a bill to change how the reps are set, from county to largest population towns north and south of CO 6.

Michigan City is still tied up on the South Shore re-alignment, has nothing to do with the bill.
But the NICTD president commented on that they are waiting on it, and I bet he he comments on it every meeting so its not being ignored.

they commented on high platforms how it helps loading dwell times, and South Bend Airport change.

I recall looking at old SS timetables and they were faster than today, its the loading times thats slowing part of it down.

It was really a thorough meeting done very well, they authorized expenditure on track equipment and that measures a few million dollars spent zap zop right there.
 #1143766  by Tadman
 
Where'd the rolls of steel go?? NICTD can't recoup something from those items?
Current scrap steel quotes are going for $270/gross ton. Given a 25t coil, you're looking at $6700 of scrap. I'd be willing to bet this fiasco cost the railroad upwards of $20k. You've got a lot of man-days in there for fixing the wire, fixing the tracks, inspecting everything, etc... The freight railroad also incurred demurrage charges for any freight cars stranded east of Gary that couldn't be interchanged to the west, and vice-versa. You've also got quite a lot of revenue that they passed up - nobody wants to buy a ticket when the trains aren't running although there was likely no breaks for the monthly pass holders.
 #1143825  by justalurker66
 
dinwitty wrote:Michigan City is still tied up on the South Shore re-alignment, has nothing to do with the bill.
But the NICTD president commented on that they are waiting on it, and I bet he he comments on it every meeting so its not being ignored.
The hold up seems to be with the City of Michigan City ... at the last public meeting some of the elected officials seemed to not like the results of the study and basically wanted to reinvestigate and rewrite the study themselves. A bit of grandstanding ... and turning a one year project into two.

And it being the City of Michigan City even if they do "accept" the findings of the study they will want to redo the study before committing any money toward the project ... even if the money they are committing is not their own.
dinwitty wrote:they commented on high platforms how it helps loading dwell times, and South Bend Airport change.

I recall looking at old SS timetables and they were faster than today, its the loading times thats slowing part of it down.
More passengers in less trains means more time loading?
dinwitty wrote:It was really a thorough meeting done very well, they authorized expenditure on track equipment and that measures a few million dollars spent zap zop right there.
I agree. They are a no nonsense board ... which is why the City of Michigan City's elected officials look so bad in comparison. This year millions will be spent on improving the line - but other than the bridge near Karwick Rd, the spending will be outside Michigan City.
 #1143827  by justalurker66
 
Tadman wrote:You've also got quite a lot of revenue that they passed up - nobody wants to buy a ticket when the trains aren't running although there was likely no breaks for the monthly pass holders.
The revenue hit is more than the one day ... the cumulative effect of problems (even problems not of NICTDs making) hurt the reliability and image of the railroad. People need to trust that the train will be there - on schedule and on time.
 #1144599  by Tadman
 
Well said - can you imagine what Homewood was like with an additional few thousand people congregating there, trying to find parking, waiting for a train... Not cool.
 #1145171  by dinwitty
 
it will for sure come down to how the load was secured, probably down to the manufacturer, the loaders, the truckers at fault, even tho its an odd situation, but thats why you have insurance, the insurance company is going to look at it too and ask why am I billed...THIS much...and reach down to the manufacture, loader, trucker and say...heres your next insurance cost. It'll makem think better do better...