Trip report

Last week I took the 4:50 HC train all the way to Joliet and returned on the 6:18 RI train. The HC ride out was a thrill, because that train really cooks. The RI train took the suburban branch back downtown, and that was interesting, but not a ride I'll do again - those suburban branch stops are so close, and running is so slow, it's like riding the L. And the coach I was in had the squarest wheels I've ever seen - I think I lost a filling or two that car rattled so much.

But the HC ride is highly reccomended.

Tadman wrote:Last week I took the 4:50 HC train all the way to Joliet and returned on the 6:18 RI train. The HC ride out was a thrill, because that train really cooks. The RI train took the suburban branch back downtown, and that was interesting, but not a ride I'll do again - those suburban branch stops are so close, and running is so slow, it's like riding the L. And the coach I was in had the squarest wheels I've ever seen - I think I lost a filling or two that car rattled so much.

But the HC ride is highly reccomended.

Which is why I've always wished there was an earlier HC departure from CUS that arrived in Joliet early enough to catch one of the RI main line trains back downtown. But since you're stuck taking the slow route back, it can be a letdown, especially after breezing along at 70+ mph on the HC. There aren't too many segments on Metra's system that has that kind of sustained running between stations, indeed, it's a real treat...

I love the HC ride. 79mph all the way from Brighton Park to East Joliet. What a ride it is.

I would take that ride once a month for kicks if the return RI train wasn't the biggest "screwing the pooch" train ride... I missed a mainline train this morning due to a fat tuesday hangover and had to ride a local again today. ouch.

I like riding HC, especially when I commute to and from Chicago during the moring rush.
I ending up getting to CUS about 5-10min. early, even thou the automatic announcement comes on and says "this train is currently operating app. 8 min. late due to freight train traffic interference.....(and so on).

I wish metra would add an rush reverse, and some off peak trains on the HC, like almost up to pre-SWS new start scheduled.

yep, the HC has a really intresting run. To bad the run isnt fast till brighton park. Its sad sometimes to be out paced by a orange line train. I know that dealys plague this line. in recent years has the service seen any improvement. That last moring train always seemed to be late

I will second the fact that the ride is POKEY until Brighton Park. I was about to call the trip a failure and then after that junction near Brighton, we hauled ass the whole way. That was the day that really bad crash shut down the outbound Stevenson and it was amazing how many cars we passed creeping along while we maintained a solid 79.