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* This is just ridiculous…
Tens of thousands of downtown Chicago workers may need to find a new way home this evening because of an ongoing Amtrak signal problem.
Metra is advising people who leave out of Union Station to consider alternate commutes, since an Amtrak signal problem that disrupted morning travel was still not fixed as of early this afternoon.
Every rail line operating out of Union Station is affected, including Metra’s BNSF, Milwaukee District West and Milwaukee District North, the Heritage Corridor, North Central and SouthWest. Amtrak trains out of Chicago have also been delayed. […]
Some passengers on trains this morning saw delays of more than two hours. […]
Thursday’s delays come on top of multiple other Metra delays in recent months, including weather-related breakdowns during two days of unusually cold weather, equipment problems, overcrowding and air conditioning breakdowns on the BNSF during the summer, and issues with Positive Train Control, a new system designed to prevent crashes.
We need a federal/state/local summit on this problem. Stat.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:18 pm
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They let the media know before their riders (at least those of us who have notifications).
I suspect a summit would involve more finger pointing than a political party after an election blowout.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:22 pm
There’s a pretty big reverse morning commute from Union to the corporate campuses up north. I wonder if those folks are stuck, too?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:32 pm
wow. and I thought the Starbucks card system going down late am was a big problem….
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:38 pm
===We need a federal/state/local summit on this problem. Stat====
A federal/state/local summit on mass transit in this country in 2019?? When pigs fly.
In the 90’s I traveled to Calgary in Canada and they had excellent light rail service.
I have not been to Europe in decades but from watching travel shows and documentaries many European countries have excellent mass transit.
And let’s not get started on Japan or China that to my knowledge has rail service everywhere. And if they are EARLY they apologize for not being on time.
All the elites are going to live in the urban areas with their self driving Ubers. And the people in the suburbs? They will be told: Too bad. So Sad.
Investing in mass transit in the US. That was funny. Tell me another joke.
Too much empty cynicism. I’ll stop now.
Comment by Big Jer Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:45 pm
My fear about Union Station is that it’s one massive carcinogen - every time I’m taking the Milwaukee line north and walk to the train I can almost feel the exhaust particulates trapped in that cave-like structure without proper ventilation.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 3:53 pm
Gotta include the building owners at Union in that summit, as there is a lot of buck passing whenever problems arise. More time waiting in that station due to delays means more opportunities for you to get brained by something falling from the ceiling. But the Great Hall that Metra commuters don’t use looks, uh, great.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:00 pm
Union Station is owned and operated by Amtrak, not Metra. The signal issue is an Amtrak signal one, not caused by Metra. The BNSF line–Metra’s busiest– is owned and operated by Warren Buffet not Metra too.
Comment by Chicagoland Commuter Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:13 pm
“==We need a federal/state/local summit on this problem. Stat====
“In the 90’s I traveled to Calgary in Canada and they had excellent light rail service.
I have not been to Europe in decades but from watching travel shows and documentaries many European countries have excellent mass transit”
So you want us to emulate those socialist countries? /snark.
Comment by a drop in Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:19 pm
==Metra is advising people who leave out of Union Station to consider alternate commutes==
What would an “alternative commute” from downtown be? This makes no sense. If you take Metra in, there is no alternative back out.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:20 pm
==no alternative back out===
The Metra ticket is honored in emergencies by the other service providers like the CTA. BNSF riders can take the parallel UP-West line. The L runs two lines out west. PACE Bus on Shoulder is an alternative for Heritage Corrider and BNSF too. Use the RTA Trip Planner AP or website the RTA Trip Planner.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:41 pm
==If you take Metra in, there is no alternative back out.==
Lyft or Uber. The Blue Line to Forest Park or the Orange to Midway, then call someone.
Comment by Bogey Golfer Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 4:41 pm
Over the past few years many of the problems stem from Amtrak issues. We need to figure out how to get Amtak out of Union Station.
Comment by YoYa Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 5:03 pm
Is this what CTU considers a commuter tax?
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 5:11 pm
===We need to figure out how to get Amtak out of Union Station.===
Amtrak owns Union Station and it is their second busiest terminal in the US, and the only place their east coast, west coast and southern lines tie together easily. Where do you suggest they go, and who will pay for it?
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 5:18 pm
==Where do you suggest they go==
If I tell them where to go, I’ll be banned.
Heading over to Olgive soon, to ride the train to Wheaton, followed by Lyft to my car in Naperville, followed by drive home. Will probably spend over 4 hours commuting today.
Comment by Just Lurking Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 5:27 pm
Amtrak certainly has their problems (this being one), but Metra always finds a way to pass the buck and never seems to look at what they could do to improve things. Here’s a blog of a former employee who has a lot of good reform ideas:
https://yard-social.com/category/diverging-approach/
and on the twitters:
https://twitter.com/StarLineChicago
Comment by FPJ Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 5:41 pm
Here is a direct link to some cogent suggestions:
https://yard-social.com/2018/12/18/diverging-approach-greatest-hits/
Comment by FPJ Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 5:46 pm
Part of the problem lies in the reasoning for the formation of both Metra and for that matter Amtrak. Both were created to eliminate the need to operate money losing passenger service by freight railroads. No thought was given to how they would function beyond that point and both are in the exact same spot today.
train111
Comment by train111 Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 6:50 pm
Lift and Uber apparently doubled their rates to commuters trapped downtown tonight. Way to be sensitive to a major transportation crisis there Lift and Uber.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Feb 28, 19 @ 9:51 pm
Louis G Atsaves - what would you propose? A cap on what the ride shares can charge? Then how do you determine who is the lucky one that gets home for a low fare and which who has to sleep at Union Station?
When there are major events planned the ride shares offer incentives to their drivers to provide the supply to meet the demand. This wasn’t a planned event. Instead of blaming the ride shares blame your government for failing you.
Comment by Just Me 2 Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 12:24 am
Commuter rail in Chicago is more troubled than publicly reported. Only some of the longest delays get into the news. The other day my commute west took 4 hours because at least 2 different train engines broke down. Short delays - whether caused by PTC, freight traffic, crew shortage - are a near daily occurrence. Unfortunately, a fix requires substantial money (because Metra has largely used fee increases for operations) and cooperation with railroads, metra, government at all levels.
Comment by anon Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 8:22 am
I think we’re used to Illinois gvernment failing us. When was the last balanced budget? 50 years ago?
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 8:25 am