Service Disruptions

[F40CFan]

Trains on the Milwaukee West Line were about 20 minutes late this morning due to "signal" and I think it was "waiting for equipment" problems. They mentioned the signal at B35. It seems kind of early in the season for "signal" problems.

What amazes me is the inconsistency of train operations.

I arrived for train 2220 which is scheduled to depart Wood Dale at 7:47. As I'm walking though the parking lot toward the platform, 2216 goes blowing through at track speed. Then 2218 shows up (no way I'm sitting on a local listening to Mr. Satellite every two seconds). Finally 2220 shows up about 20-25 minutes late.

First, we have to crawl through Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park, then we catch up to 2218 at Galewood. 2220 which is an express, stops short of Galewood while they load, then we sit while an outbound (2207 I think) occupies the station.

Finally, after 5 minutes we get underway. We were actually allowed to pass 2218 between Hanson Park and Craigin.

What I don't get is why we still have to crawl in Elmwood Park, but trains can operate at track speed over "one of the worst intersections in Illinois" in Wood Dale.

Also, we can't go through a station when another train is occupying it, but the express can blow through town at the time a train that is scheduled to stop normally arrives, scaring the heck out of some of the people on the platform. They did announce that the next train through would be an express, 2 minutes AFTER it went by.

Next time they want to have a safety blitz, they ought to put plain clothes officers on the platform and start handing out warnings and tickets to those who cross the tracks unsafely. Then maybe they can run this thing like a railroad.

[F40CFan]

Trains on the Milwaukee West Line were about 20 minutes late this morning due to "signal" and I think it was "waiting for equipment" problems. They mentioned the signal at B35. It seems kind of early in the season for "signal" problems.

What amazes me is the inconsistency of train operations.

I arrived for train 2220 which is scheduled to depart Wood Dale at 7:47. As I'm walking though the parking lot toward the platform, 2216 goes blowing through at track speed. Then 2218 shows up (no way I'm sitting on a local listening to Mr. Satellite every two seconds). Finally 2220 shows up about 20-25 minutes late.

First, we have to crawl through Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park, then we catch up to 2218 at Galewood. 2220 which is an express, stops short of Galewood while they load, then we sit while an outbound (2207 I think) occupies the station.

Finally, after 5 minutes we get underway. We were actually allowed to pass 2218 between Hanson Park and Craigin.

What I don't get is why we still have to crawl in Elmwood Park, but trains can operate at track speed over "one of the worst intersections in Illinois" in Wood Dale.

Also, we can't go through a station when another train is occupying it, but the express can blow through town at the time a train that is scheduled to stop normally arrives, scaring the heck out of some of the people on the platform. They did announce that the next train through would be an express, 2 minutes AFTER it went by.

Next time they want to have a safety blitz, they ought to put plain clothes officers on the platform and start handing out warnings and tickets to those who cross the tracks unsafely. Then maybe they can run this thing like a railroad.

[F40CFan]

Trains on the Milwaukee West Line were about 20 minutes late this morning due to "signal" and I think it was "waiting for equipment" problems. They mentioned the signal at B35. It seems kind of early in the season for "signal" problems.

What amazes me is the inconsistency of train operations.

I arrived for train 2220 which is scheduled to depart Wood Dale at 7:47. As I'm walking though the parking lot toward the platform, 2216 goes blowing through at track speed. Then 2218 shows up (no way I'm sitting on a local listening to Mr. Satellite every two seconds). Finally 2220 shows up about 20-25 minutes late.

First, we have to crawl through Grand Ave. in Elmwood Park, then we catch up to 2218 at Galewood. 2220 which is an express, stops short of Galewood while they load, then we sit while an outbound (2207 I think) occupies the station.

Finally, after 5 minutes we get underway. We were actually allowed to pass 2218 between Hanson Park and Craigin.

What I don't get is why we still have to crawl in Elmwood Park, but trains can operate at track speed over "one of the worst intersections in Illinois" in Wood Dale.

Also, we can't go through a station when another train is occupying it, but the express can blow through town at the time a train that is scheduled to stop normally arrives, scaring the heck out of some of the people on the platform. They did announce that the next train through would be an express, 2 minutes AFTER it went by.

Next time they want to have a safety blitz, they ought to put plain clothes officers on the platform and start handing out warnings and tickets to those who cross the tracks unsafely. Then maybe they can run this thing like a railroad.

[MetraBNSF]

All BNSF trains this morning are experiencing delays up to 20 minutes due to the center track being out of service. The center track was not used between Naperville and Berwyn due to "track maintenance", according to the late notices.

PM update: The reason why main 2 was out of service this morning between Cicero and Eola was a westbound freight "dragged a car" (car had flat spots) between those two points. Main 2 was closed for inspection and there was track work going on near Fairview during the midday.

[MetraBNSF]

Mother nature has really walloped Metra this afternoon/tonight.

MILW-N/W and NCS suffered due to a grade crossing incident at River Grove in addition to the severe weather.

An auto was stuck on the tracks along the UP-W in Maywood.

Repeated lightning strikes in DG and Lisle knocked out signals, switches, and also grade crossings along BNSF. I sat on a train for over two hours. I heard on the radio that Judy Pardonnet, Metra spokeswoman, was also aboard an express train that was stopped in Westmont.

[MetraRy]

another bad day on the rails

Taken from metrarail.com
Monday, November 13, 2006

METRA/UNION PACIFIC WEST LINE TRAIN DELAYS - UPDATE AT 6:04 P.M.
METRA/UNION PACIFIC WEST LINE TRAIN #45, SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE GENEVA AT 5:47 P.M., IS NOW ON THE MOVE AND RUNNING APPROXIMATELY 80 MINUTES LATE ENROUTE, DUE TO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

Posted: 06:05 PM CDT

METRA/UNION PACIFIC WEST LINE TRAIN DELAYS - UPDATE AT 5:39 P.M.
METRA/UNION PACIFIC WEST LINE TRAINS TRAVELING OUTBOUND TO ELBURN MAY BE OPERATING 5 TO 10 MINUTES LATE ENROUTE, DUE TO THE EARLIER TRAIN WITH MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

Posted: 05:41 PM CDT

METRA/BNSF TRAIN DELAYS
METRA/BNSF TRAINS TRAVELING OUTBOUND TO AURORA AND INBOUND TRAINS TRAVELING TO CHICAGO UNION STATION MAY BE OPERATING 5 TO 15 MINUTES LATE ENROUTE, DUE TO SIGNAL PROBLEMS.

Posted: 05:28 PM CDT

MILWAUKEE NORTH LINE TRAIN DELAYS
MILWAUKEE NORTH LINE TRAINS TRAVELING INBOUND TO CHICAGO UNION STATION MAY BE OPERATING 10 TO 15 MINUTES LATE ENROUTE, DUE TO EARLIER TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

[MetraBNSF]

I don't know if this was on the web site, but Metra handed out the following to BNSF commuters this afternoon in wake of last Friday's commuter mess:

[metraRI]

Weird how they didn't mention RI's problems. 408 died on RI, on train #403. The train had problems and from what I understand made it to Robbins 25 minutes late where they had more problems. 207 came to lead the train the rest of the way to Joliet. The train was about 70 minutes late, #418 was cancelled, #420 was 35 minutes late due to the delays of #405. My guess is Metra pulled #303 and used the equipment on #417, a repeat of what they did a few weeks ago when #418 had problems last.

[doepack]

Equipment problems also reared its ugly head during tonight's PM rush on UP/W. Loco #172 died on train 45 tonight, about a mile or so W of Kedzie.
#148 had to be dispatched from the engine pocket at OTC to rescue it, meanwhile, trains 47 thru 57 had to be diverted around it. Luckily, the equipment wasn't scheduled to make a revenue trip back east after arriving at Elburn, but it still wound there about 80 min. late...

[EricL]

I heard that 2106 smacked a van at Half Day Road this morning. Really fouling up the Metras and Hiawathas.

[doepack]

I heard that 2106 smacked a van at Half Day Road this morning. Really fouling up the Metras and Hiawathas.

Turns out that there were more problems with the Thursday evening rush as well, a car stalled on the tracks around Morton Grove (?) wound up delaying several trains in both directions, and prompted the cancellation of 2147. Metra service has been hit pretty hard this week with these car/pedestrian grade crossing incidents, there've been at least 5 of them, three of which occurred on the Milw North. And winter's only beginning...

[metraRI]

RI also had delays after the deadhead going to Blue Island from Joliet hit a pedestrian in Midlothian. Tomorrow morning should be interesting.

[AMTK84]

Heres a new one: Some MD-W trains are delayed because of horns clogged up with snow and ice, in some cases completely.

Just when you thought you'd heard everything...

[metraRI]

Friday, December 1, 2006

All Districts
Weather related delays range from 10 minutes to 35 minutes enroute on the Milwaukee District North Line; 8 minutes on the Milwaukee District West Line; 20 to 40 minutes on the Rock Island District; 10 to 20 minutes on the Union Pacific Northwest Line;and 20-35 minutes late on the North Central Service. The Union Pacific North continues to experience delays of approximately 20 to 30 minutes with the exception of train #326, which is currently operating 1 hour and 15 minutes late.

Posted: 10:27 AM CDT

[metrarider]

Despite the statement that the UP-North line was running 20-30 minutes late, my commute this morning ended up on a UP N line train that was running 45 minutes late at the time I boarded, and nearly an hour late by the time it arrived at OTC (due to making extra stops)

(and no, this wasn't train #326)

Add to that there were no audiable announcements made at all during my wait at the station. Furthermore, there were no announcemnets made on board the train I caught. I don't know why this is so hard, as effective communication really helps to alleviate some frustration as people dislike not being told whats going just as much as being delayed in the first place.

UP really ought to be able to do better , it wasn't really that bad out there from what I saw.