metraRI wrote:Here is an interesting pic of 178 which was involved in that grade crossing accident on UP.Wow. The F40s look pretty "blank" without the striping on the front.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=152202
Railroad Forums
Service Disruptions
- Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.
MetraBNSF wrote:Looks like the extreme heat is causing several lines to run late this afternoon, on average 5-15 minutes.UP-W trains were delayed as well today, although not so much because of the heat-related speed restrictions but because of an apparent suicide on the tracks in the Wheaton area earlier today. Don't know if it was a grade crossing incident, or if a Metra train was invloved, but freight traffic was pretty much halted as a result, while most midday Metra trains were running about 30 min. late on average due to single tracking between Elmhurst and W. Chgo. Thankfully, it was cleared up in time for the evening rush...
--Dorian--
Two Rock Island District trains (506, 508) one right after the other were involved in two seperate incidents this morning. What are the chances...
In two unrelated incidents this morning on the Metra Rock Island District in the southwest suburbs, a train struck and killed a pedestrian, while another was halted for nearly an hour after it hit a riderless bicycle.
The first accident happened about 8:45 a.m. near Hamilton Road in Mokena, according to Metra spokesman Patrick Waldron.
An unidentified pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, CLTV reported. Police were investigating why the person was on the tracks.
The train involved in that accident, No. 506, was canceled, Waldron said. It had originated in Joliet and was due at 9:45 a.m. at LaSalle Street Station in downtown Chicago.
Later, about 10 a.m., a following train on the same track—No. 508, due downtown at 10:45 a.m.—struck a bicycle near 175th Street and 70th Avenue in Tinley Park, just east of Mokena, said Tinley Park police Cmdr. Tom Boling.
Witnesses told police the bike's presumed owner was not hit and was last seen running away, Boling said. According to Metra's Web site, No. 508 eventually was allowed to proceed and was operating roughly 50 minutes behind schedule.
Another inbound train, No. 510, due downtown at 11:45 a.m., was about 15 minutes behind schedule, while outbound train No. 507, due in Joliet at 10:51 a.m., was about 20 minutes late.
metraRI wrote:Two Rock Island District trains (506, 508) one right after the other were involved in two seperate incidents this morning. What are the chances...Accidents with these strange, macabre kinds of coincidences only seem to happen on RI. There's got to be something supernatural going on with that route, it's just spooky. Beware the ghost of the Rock Island...
In two unrelated incidents this morning on the Metra Rock Island District in the southwest suburbs, a train struck and killed a pedestrian, while another was halted for nearly an hour after it hit a riderless bicycle.
The first accident happened about 8:45 a.m. near Hamilton Road in Mokena, according to Metra spokesman Patrick Waldron.
An unidentified pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene, CLTV reported. Police were investigating why the person was on the tracks.
The train involved in that accident, No. 506, was canceled, Waldron said. It had originated in Joliet and was due at 9:45 a.m. at LaSalle Street Station in downtown Chicago.
Later, about 10 a.m., a following train on the same track—No. 508, due downtown at 10:45 a.m.—struck a bicycle near 175th Street and 70th Avenue in Tinley Park, just east of Mokena, said Tinley Park police Cmdr. Tom Boling.
Witnesses told police the bike's presumed owner was not hit and was last seen running away, Boling said. According to Metra's Web site, No. 508 eventually was allowed to proceed and was operating roughly 50 minutes behind schedule.
Another inbound train, No. 510, due downtown at 11:45 a.m., was about 15 minutes behind schedule, while outbound train No. 507, due in Joliet at 10:51 a.m., was about 20 minutes late.
--Dorian--
Metra 2159, the westbound Milwaukee North train originating at 00:25 on 20 Aug 2006 (or the timetable would probably call it 24:25 on 19 Aug 2006) was delayed for about an hour and forty-five minutes in the vicinity of Chestnut St. in Glenview, IL (MP 18.24, between the Glenview and North Glenview passenger stations), following a grade-crossing collision. I talked to a friend who was on the train, and it was not clear to passengers whether this was a collision with a pedestrian or with a vehicle.
As nearly as I can tell, shortly before this incident a westbound WSOR freight on track 2 had overtaken the westbound Metra on track 1. I wonder whether this will turn out to be a case of someone hurrying through the crossing as soon as the freight cleared, not waiting for the gates to go up and not noticing that another train was approaching from the same direction on the other track. (Meanwhile, the eastbound WSOR had to sit west of the Deerfield crossovers, MP 24.5, for a couple hours until the incident was cleared.)
As nearly as I can tell, shortly before this incident a westbound WSOR freight on track 2 had overtaken the westbound Metra on track 1. I wonder whether this will turn out to be a case of someone hurrying through the crossing as soon as the freight cleared, not waiting for the gates to go up and not noticing that another train was approaching from the same direction on the other track. (Meanwhile, the eastbound WSOR had to sit west of the Deerfield crossovers, MP 24.5, for a couple hours until the incident was cleared.)
Last night, 08/21/2006, an NCS train heading into the yard at Antioch rear-ended another NCS train which had not yet cleared into the yard.
This evening, all BNSF trains were running 5-15 minutes late due to "speed restrictions" between Congress Park and Hinsdale. While aboard a westbound, we crossed from the center track to the south track at Congress Park at a high rate of speed and got up to track speed until crossing over back onto the center track at West Hinsdale. We stayed on the center track to Downers Grove where we crossed back onto the south track to continue the run into Naperville. I thought it was unusual for the center track to be out of service, especially during the evening rush since I didn't see any workers or anything.
Both AM and PM rush hour service on UP-W today has been anything but normal...
We'll begin with this morning's #16, which stalled at W. Chgo due to mechanical issues. As a result, trains 18 thru 24 were diverted around 16 via MT2 at W Chgo; also, trains 18, 20, and 22 ran on modified schedules. 16 was eventually cancelled, and its passengers transferred to other trains, while the equipment ran light into Chicago, arriving at California yard via the west end. Overall delays were fairly minor though, not exceeding 20 min., and normal service had resumed by approx. 7:45...
For this evening's rush, signal and switch problems just east of the Elmhurst station at Park interlocking (CPY015), effectively grounded all rail traffic to a halt, and delayed service for more than an hour. As of 1830, trains 59, 60, and 62 are cancelled, and it's a good bet that 64 will be significantly delayed as well. Also, train 43, after arriving at Elmhurst turned to 4302 for its run back downtown, as it always does. But due to the switch problems at Park, this train actually made a 14 mile run west to Turner interlocking (W Chgo), where it was then switched back to track 1 for the return trip east. The move was done so as not to further delay the outbound trains, which makes sense, but the lack of capacity along this segment added an interesting, although inefficient 28 mile deadhead move to 4302's train today. As I type this, trains are on the move again, but today was definitely not a good day to be a rush hour commuter on UP-W...
We'll begin with this morning's #16, which stalled at W. Chgo due to mechanical issues. As a result, trains 18 thru 24 were diverted around 16 via MT2 at W Chgo; also, trains 18, 20, and 22 ran on modified schedules. 16 was eventually cancelled, and its passengers transferred to other trains, while the equipment ran light into Chicago, arriving at California yard via the west end. Overall delays were fairly minor though, not exceeding 20 min., and normal service had resumed by approx. 7:45...
For this evening's rush, signal and switch problems just east of the Elmhurst station at Park interlocking (CPY015), effectively grounded all rail traffic to a halt, and delayed service for more than an hour. As of 1830, trains 59, 60, and 62 are cancelled, and it's a good bet that 64 will be significantly delayed as well. Also, train 43, after arriving at Elmhurst turned to 4302 for its run back downtown, as it always does. But due to the switch problems at Park, this train actually made a 14 mile run west to Turner interlocking (W Chgo), where it was then switched back to track 1 for the return trip east. The move was done so as not to further delay the outbound trains, which makes sense, but the lack of capacity along this segment added an interesting, although inefficient 28 mile deadhead move to 4302's train today. As I type this, trains are on the move again, but today was definitely not a good day to be a rush hour commuter on UP-W...
--Dorian--
Is it just me, or does it seem that over the past 2 months, there have been a lot of service disruptions affecting various lines? From grade crossing incidents, equipment problems, physical plant problems (signals, switches, track), and hazmat situations, there seems to be a lot happening systemwide and with great frequency. Same can be said with the CTA, but I'll reserve my thoughts for that message board.