I was never fully aware of how active Metra has been in expanding service. I always assumed that Metra was created as a commuter railroad using existing freight right-of-way lines (which is true), but I was not aware that Metra has been actively extending these lines and increasing services considerably.
Although many of us are L lovers, one cannot deny that increasing Metra service and extending its lines outward only expands downtown Chicago's gravitational pull further and further outward and draws people into the EVIL vortex of the mighty Central Area---HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! (that was a wicked laugh)
Anyway, I encountered 3 press releases from the Metra website of extensions/expansions that will be completed by early next year and was taken aback. Were any you guys aware of how active Metra is? Here they are:
North Central Service:
The North Central Service [NCS] opened in 1996 making it the first new commuter rail line in the region in 70 years. The line extends 53 miles north from ChicagoÂ's Union Station to Antioch and serves ten communities in parts of Cook and Lake counties, plus a transfer station at remote parking lot F at OÂ'Hare International Airport. Through 2005, the NCS has consisted of five weekday inbound and five outbound trains and has served approximately 4,500 passenger trips daily.
The NCS will increase service to up to 22 trains each weekday. The additional trains will provide a better spread of service options throughout the day and early evening to better meet the increased demands in the marketplace. The expansion of service also provides a greater opportunity for Metra to capture more OÂ'Hare Airport trips and to build upon the growing suburb-to-suburb market by partnering with select business centers to implement connecting shuttle services.
In addition to increased service, access points on the NCS are also expanded. Four new stations have been constructed at Grayslake, Schiller Park, Franklin Park and Rosemont with a fifth station, Grand/Cicero, opening later in 2006. Infrastructure improvements include the addition of a second track, crossovers, signals and other track configurations.
Service is scheduled to begin in January 2006.
Union Pacific West Service:
The Union Pacific West [UP-W] Line currently extends nearly 36 miles west from ChicagoÂ's Ogilvie Transportation Center to Geneva, serving communities in parts of western Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. The Union Pacific West Line service provides 59 weekday trains and serves approximately 29,000 passenger trips daily. A spread of weekend service is also available throughout the day and evening.
In January 2006 the completion of the eight mile extension of the UP-W from Geneva to Elburn will help meet the needs of the substantial residential growth along the rail corridor. The western portion of the extension includes two new stations at LaFox and Elburn, 600 new parking spaces, and a new coach yard. The new coach yard, along with additional track and signals will increase track capacity for both commuter and freight trains and provide a more efficient operation. As part of MetraÂ's larger capital improvement plan, Bunker Road has been extended north of Keslinger Road to provide access for the new LaFox station. The route extension will ease parking congestion at the Geneva Station where ridership is constrained due to the lack of parking.
In addition to serving its largest customer market, ChicagoÂ's Central Business District, the UP-W rail extension will also enhance suburb-to-suburb opportunities for Kane county commuters who will benefit from Â"peak directionalÂ" service frequency to access employment markets along the rail line.
SouthWest Service:
The SouthWest Service [SWS] extends 29 miles from ChicagoÂ's Union Station to 179th Street in Orland Park, serving communities in Cook County. Until expansion, the SouthWest Service has consisted of eight inbound and eight outbound trains and has served over 6,800 passenger trips a day. Due to its limited service, Pace Route 835 supplements SouthWest Service throughout the day with additional rush hour, midday and evening trips.
In January 2006, the completion of the 12-mile extension of the SWS from Orland Park to Manhattan will help meet the areas ever increasing population growth. The SWS schedule will expand significantly from todayÂ's 16 trains to 30 trains. The additional trains will provide a better spread of service options throughout the day and early evening to better meet the changing needs in the marketplace. In addition to the recently completed Palos Heights station, new stations along the line extension will provide better and more convenient options for Will County commuters. Locations include Laraway Road in New Lenox (summer 2006) and a station in Manhattan.
Three miles of new double track have been installed and the 12-mile extension upon previously freight-only track will allow for the increase in Metra train service. Signal upgrades will enhance safety and improve operations for corridor commuters. To provide customers more flexibility and additional convenience, more than 4,000 parking spaces have been added along the line.> |
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