Passenger Trains > How's the [Englewood] flyover coming along?

I haven't seen much about this project to fly over a congested railroad crossing recently. The federally assisted construction project is a key link in unraveling Chicago's congested rail network. It was hotly argued for a while, but I haven't seen anything in months.

Any new developments?

Thanks


edited to change "Porter" to "Englewood"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/13 09:03 by Lackawanna484.

The Englewood Flyover is progressing.

I don't believe that a flyover at Porter is in the works. (Not saying it wouldn't be a bad idea...)

Carl Shaver
Lombard, IL

CShaveRR Wrote:
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> The Englewood Flyover is progressing.
>
> I don't believe that a flyover at Porter is in the
> works. (Not saying it wouldn't be a bad idea...)

Thanks. That may be why my search for "Porter flyover" didn't turn up anything.

<G>

I've been meaning to take pictures as I pass by the area. They have the piers across the Dan Ryan in progress, as well as the approach piers on the northern side. South of the Dan Ryan I don't think I've seen anything yet, but I don't know what has to be there. I should have taken a picture as I rode the Green Line across it today.

Here's an article from about a month ago:

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/indiana-gateway-projects-should-start-this-year/article_d2c99d46-e69c-5381-a499-672ed59893b5.html

The good news is that some of the parts of the project should start by the end of the year. The bad news in my view is that the project has transformed into more of a general capacity improvement project instead of a dedicated passenger main. My belief is that a dedicated high speed passenger double track line through downtown Chicago going all the way to O'Hare (with connections to lines north, northwest and west) could be the best possible project in our nation for increasing railroad passengers and interest in passenger train service.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/13 21:07 by ts1457.

The design defect is that there is no way to send a train off the NS and up to La Salle station, such as a future commuter train.
The purpose of this project is to untie a knot at this junction and reduce delays, not run trains to O'Haire.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> The design defect is that there is no way to send
> a train off the NS and up to La Salle station,
> such as a future commuter train.
> The purpose of this project is to untie a knot at
> this junction and reduce delays, not run trains to
> O'Haire.

Can't they cross over to the old NYC at the Calumet River bridge and follow it up the east side of Englewood?

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The design defect is that there is no way to send
> a train off the NS and up to La Salle station,
> such as a future commuter train.
> The purpose of this project is to untie a knot at
> this junction and reduce delays, not run trains to
> O'Haire.

I agree that is my opinion about what else should be done, but if I recall correctly, the original project was billed as providing a dedicated passenger main between Chicago and Porter. The problem is there are enough passenger trains and the distance is long enough that you would need the capability to meet trains. Therefore it has morphed into more of an overall capacity improvement if I interpret things right.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/13 07:25 by ts1457.

ts1457 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I agree that is my opinion about what else should
> be done, but if I recall correctly, the original
> project was billed as providing a dedicated
> passenger main between Chicago and Porter. The
> problem is there are enough passenger trains and
> the distance is long enough that you would need
> the capability to meet trains. Therefore it has
> morphed into more of an overall capacity
> improvement if I interpret things right.

Sorry but if you're referring to the $71 million federally funded program for upgrading the NS ex-CR line between the state line and Porter, it was never planned as providing a dedicated passenger route. However its main purpose was--and is--to expedite passenger trains between those points, since this line is one of the most congested anywhere.

Here is a list of improvements that were planned. It's from a couple of years ago, so parts of it may be different now. NS insisted on some changes from what I've heard. For reference, CP482 is Porter.


479.3 Construct universal crossover
482 Construct meet/pass siding near junction with Amtrak line
485 Construct new control point and universal high speed crossover
487 Replace control point, construct new universal high speed crossover, construct new crossover for access to South Shore RR
490.2-491 Construct new control point and new universal high speed crossover, construct siding extension and upgrade existing siding
492.5 Construct new control point and high speed universal crossover
495 Construct new control point and high speed universal crossover with connection to Kirk Yard
497 Rebuild signals and install high speed turnout to Pine Yard siding extension
497-499 Extend passing siding
499 Add power turnout for access to Pine Yard
500 Upgrade existing passing siding
499-501.2 Add power turnouts and construct passing siding extension
501 Modify/expand control point and install high speed turnout to siding extension
505.9-506 Construct new control point and rebuild and expand existing control point and add new high speed universal crossover. Construct new track to improve connectivity with existing running track.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/13 09:19 by calumet.

calumet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry but if you're referring to the $71 million
> federally funded program for upgrading the NS
> ex-CR line between the state line and Porter, it
> was never planned as providing a dedicated
> passenger route. However it's main purpose
> was--and is--to expedite passenger trains between
> those points, since this line is one of the most
> congested anywhere.

Thanks. In my excitement over the project being included, I probably imagined the "dedicated" part. As much as it will help the current situation, the capacity added would be inadequate for any future HSR corridor with a decent level of service. I still believe that a dedicated, HSR trunk through Chicago and serving O'Hare would perhaps be the best passenger rail project that the country could undertake.

Is the last vestige of Englewood Union Station gone? I don't know what was left...a foundation or platform remnant or something...but this is in that same area. I always wanted to go check it out but I would have needed someone to ride shotgun, perhaps literally.

filmteknik Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the last vestige of Englewood Union Station
> gone? I don't know what was left...a foundation
> or platform remnant or something...but this is in
> that same area. I always wanted to go check it
> out but I would have needed someone to ride
> shotgun, perhaps literally.


I happened to take a ride across 55th street in Chicago last week. Middle of the week, middle of the day.

Although I was expecting a war zone, a lot of the neighborhood looked pretty nice. Grand old houses, a wide boulevard, many, many churches. Lots of bars on windows and some crack house looking places.

But there were mothers pushing kids in strollers, kids coming home from school, folks hanging out on the corner. Even at the NS crossing (the old Englewood station?), things didn't look all that bad. I bought a sandwich and soda at the Wendy's on the corner of 55th and the I-90 and didn't feel at all unsafe. A few city workers having coffee, a few older women playing cards, some kids, etc.

I'm sure it looks a lot different around midnight, but it didn't look all that threatening at 2pm. There's a gate at the corner of 55th and the railroad. Looked like a COFC / trailer van yard up the hill.

Englewood Union Station was on west 63rd St. a mile south of Garfield Blvd. (55th St.). From 400 West to 600 West; south of Garfield all the way to 62nd St. is being purchased by NS railroad for an extension to their intermodal yard. You must have overlooked the absence of most of the buildings in the width of two blocks, east and west on Garfield..

The platforms are still left at EUS. Metra is about the only railroad operating through EUS. Maybe an Amtrak that goes through Indy.

DH

So is the former EUS unaffected by the project?

EUS is unaffected. EUS is on the north-south railway alignment, 600 west. The NS project is limited on the south by extending the alignment (southeast to northwest- the original Pennsy main that ran at a diagonal from state line to about 6200 south/300 west where it diverges to north-south alignment at 400 west (1/2 section line). New yard continues diagonal until it diverges to N-S alignment alongside N-S alignment from EUS (600 west, 3/4 section line). Google address like 6300 south Stewart Ave, Chicago, IL.

DH

FYI: Google Earth has April 2nd 2013 imagery posted for Englewood. The piers are clearly visible for the new flyover.

The lot clearing for the intermodal yard is clear on the April 2013 areals.

Last I looked on the Englewood plans there will still be a connection between the two lines (NE quadrant). Trains would be able to connect from the NS line up to LaSalle St station.

There is also a proposal to connect the NS line to the CN-IC at Grand Crossing. It is still to be determined which side of the yard the new mainlines would run after crossing the Dan Ryan. Once this is built the Amtrak Illinois trains and City of New Orleans will be able to get off of CN-IC at Grand Crossing and get over to the NS lines direct to Union Station.

There are a lot of projects planned for the approach. The actual Englewood flyover is just the beginning of improvements (remove the diamond interference). I'm glad to see the Indiana Gateway also underway ... with more improvements to come.

CHI.STREETSblog has some additional background on the flyover and how it fits into the grander picture. I was pleased to learn that about 25% of the CREATE project has been completed.


>>When the Englewood Flyover is complete in fall 2014, two other projects to improve Metra and Amtrak service can begin: the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project – a batch of improvements speeding SouthWest Service Metra trains and opening up room at Union Station for Amtrak and proposed high-speed rail service; and the Grand Crossing Project, which will cut 10-15 minutes from six Amtrak runs by eliminating the need to turn around the trains before they enter Union Station.<<


http://chi.streetsblog.org/2013/05/03/englewood-flyover-now-under-construction-will-reduce-metra-delays/