Passenger Trains > Metra Plans For Rock Island District

Interesting article in Chicago SunTimes:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/5/17/23727468/metra-looks-to-upgrade-rock-island-commuter-train-line

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Very interesting.

Was the special pulled by one of the SD70 hanger queens that have
been sitting around for 5+ months? That would be a show of the board's
good stewardship of tax money.

I like the photo of the people looking out of the dome. Were they looking at
the Airline bridge that has been up for years since being effectively abandoned?
Is that what spurred the interest in the CJ "bridge to nowhere"? 

Mum is the word, as usual, on any extension of Rock service west of Joliet.
A truly undeserved area.  The parallel I-80 will be under reconstruction for years
and then will become a toll road.

 

Ridership is back up, but not to the same level. Will it ever return to levels seen before the pandemic?

“It’s hard to say. It really depends on what happens in urban areas,” said John Milano, Metra’s deputy executive administrator of administration.

Responses to Englewood’s comments in order:
1. Director’s Special was pulled by two MP36’s.

2. They were more likely looking at the recently underway work at the 16th Street Crossing. Get your photos of the tower soon!

3. I can’t speak to the interest in the Chicago Junction bridge.

4. Service on the former Rock west of Joliet? First get Grundy County to pony up the money to join Metra’s service area. The I-80 construction will be long over before that happens.

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Commuter railroads, in general, won't get their ridership back up to the same levels in 2019 and below. It's great that these projects along the Rock Island line are being examined. One thing to take a note of here is a proposal for Amtrak to run its Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains on the Rock Island to access Joliet. That would probably enable a faster ride given that there would be little interference with freight trains. Amtrak probably wouldn't be able to reach 110 mph between CHI-JOL but I'm sure that consistent speeds of 80 mph would work.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/23 15:48 by Passfanatic.

kevink Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> 4. Service on the former Rock west of Joliet?
> First get Grundy County to pony up the money to
> join Metra’s service area. The I-80 construction
> will be long over before that happens.
>
The Joliet I was referring to was the Metra station "Joliet" which is on the 
east side of the river.  There is much more of Joliet west of the river.
It is in Will County as are Rockdale and Channahon further west.

Grundy County is not even closely involved.

Even the bankrupt Rock Island could get one rush hour suburban train across the
river Monday thru Friday.

The way the consultants, engineers, planners work the I-80 construction will be
long over but the day to day traffic jams and the toll road will be forever.

There are only so many ways to cross the river at Joliet and most of them take you
through the heart of the city on congested streets. Train service would be a natural.
Also, what I have learned from residents of the Illinois River Valley, many of them 
wishing to visit Chicago, take I-80 to Mokena or Tinley Park, then get on Metra.
Extending service west of Joliet would attract more riders who don't wish to get 
tangled up in the Joliet traffic.  

Passfanatic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
. One thing to
> take a note of here is a proposal for Amtrak to
> run its Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains on
> the Rock Island to access Joliet. That would
> probably enable a faster ride given that there
> would be little interference with freight trains.

A station stop at Mokena, Hickory Creek would be a great addition.
Right off I-80 with a very large parking lot.  Tinley Park 80th Ave. would
also be great.  A little further from I-80 but an even larger parking lot and
a Taj Mahal station building.

Any Amtrak services should stop at a station that has a large park 'n' ride lot that is within easy reach of a highway. I don't know the Rock Island Line very well but from looking at a map of Chicagoland, it looks like Hickory Creek would be a good candidate for having Amtrak's Lincoln Service trains stop there as it is between I-80 and Rt. 45. Hickory Creek is situated within easy reach of a lot of the South suburbs of Chicago. It's also a straight shop for those who live in much of NW Indiana who want to head to St. Louis by train without having to go into Downtown Chicago. It might not be a bad idea into looking at having Amtrak stop at Blue Island Station-connections from lots of other transit routes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/23 10:16 by Passfanatic.

Regarding the comment about I-80 becoming a toll road after the current construction program is completed. This is inaccurate. It will actually be a managed-lane deal where the inside lane in each direction will be tolled during peak travel hours. The rest of the lanes will remain toll-free.

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