by Aaron M. Renn
Chronicling life riding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
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Progress is being made on a proposed new commuter line from Northwest Indiana. This would extend 45 miles from Lowell and Crown Point to Chicago. It would use existing freight trackage in Indiana and link up with either the Rock Island or Metra Electric lines in Illinois. The consultants and officials studying the route believe it could be operational by 2005. [ Source: Chicago Sun Times 7/2/98 ]. [ I seem to recall that the Metra Electric line is already at capacity - AMR ]
21st Century Cable is using the Red Line superstructure to host their main fiber optic backbone.
6/29 - If there is any institution that has heeded the CTA's call to save electricity during the latest heat wave, it must be the CTA. Their trains have had the AC down to bare minimum or turned off completely. I've been on several trains lately where I was sweating profusely because of the heat. My uncle was on a train last week where he swore the heat was on instead of the AC. I know that the AC units are capable of cooling the cars because I was on a Raveswood the other day where the tempature must have been 70. It was awesome. Why can't the CTA keep all their cars this cool? Nobody wants to ride transit if it means they have to take a shower when they get where they are going.
6/30 6:40pm - I've been on my girlfriend's case to start riding the train to work (she works in downtown Glencoe) instead of driving. Wouldn't you know it, she decides to take the train today and there is a delay of 40 minutes due to mechanical problems. Luckily there was a PACE bus she could take as an alternate.
I've been seeing lots of door problems lately. A door was out of order on a northbound Red Line train on 7/2 and on a southbound Purple Line train on 7/3.
Matt Shobe (nospam-matts@dkaweb.com) reports:
The blue line was delayed 1/2 hour this morning from 8am to 8:30am at the Damen stop due to an unspecified "mechanical failure." One train ran express through the stop at 8:20, then two more came before anyone was able to get on board. wonderful commute.
The Weekly Breakdown is a small Internet journal devoted to the trials and tribulations of being a regular rider of the Chicago Transit Authority. I would be happy to hear about and include your experiences. Just send mail to breakdown@urbanophile.com.
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