by Aaron M. Renn
Chronicling life riding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
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State Rep. Sonia Silva introduced legislation this week that would give an extra $5 million to the CTA to address security problems. This bill was filed after yet another possible incident of violence on the CTA, the stabbing of a 17 year old woman near the UIC Medical Center. (It should be noted that many of the woman's statements were proved false, and the incident is still under investigation). [ Source: Chicago Tribune 10 March 2000 ]
The CTA workers unions this week called on the CTA to re-establish its own police department, claiming the CPD transit detail is not up to the task. The CPD spends $16-20 million annual on the transit squad, but those officers can be diverted to other assignments on demand. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 9 March 2000 ]
The CTA unveiled a plan this week targeted at homeless people who use CTA stations and trains as a sort of rolling home. The plan is to have workers that will ride trains, seeking out the homeless and referring them to agencies where they can receive food, shelter, counselings, and medical treatment. The Salvation Army is also volunteering to staff the Howard St. station to provide assistance to the homeless. Also, there will be uniformed police at Howard St. that will prevent homeless people from transferring immediately from a northbound to a southbound train without paying again [ is this legal? - AMR ]. [ Source: Chicago Sun-Times 6 March 2000 ]
Finally, an item that will please all railfans. The CTA is bringing back old style pinstripe uniforms for its L motormen. The throwback uniform style will be optional, but the CTA will allow and encourage its operators to use their uniform allowance on the outfits. [ Source: Chicago Sun-Times 8 March 2000 ] [ Are these really the uniforms the CTA and predecesser companies used to have, or it just faux history like the State St. subway entrances? ]
Mike Pietrusinski writes:
When I lived in South Shore in the early sixties, I used the IC to/from the Loop. I was only late to work a couple of times -- due to severe blizzard and freezing temperatures delaying trains. AND in those days there were actually 'Specials' to South Shore making very few stops south of 12th St. Recently Metra Electric schedules show NO South Chicago branch Spcls, and the net time from Bryn Mawr (Jeffrey & 71st) to Randolph is longer than thirty years ago.Let me comment here as this my territory...
Since working downtown, I take the Metra Electric and by and large I prefer to take it over the CTA home. This last week I decided to take a #14 to 67th and Jeffrey and transfer over to a #27 (South Dereing). Well, even after taking the two buses it took me just as long to get home than it would have if I would have taken the 4:45pm South Chicago train...and I boarded the bus at Madison and Clinton.
The combination of the train/CTA takes me about an hour to get home from downtown. WHen I took the buses it took me an hour and a half.....I'd prefer to spend the extra money on the train cuz I know I'll get there...
I too would love to see Express trains from Downtown in the afternoon like they do on other Electric Routes. I think this is not goin to happen though b/c the South Chicago line is one of the only lines that makes stops in Hyde Park (55/56/57 and 51/53rd streets). The only thing close to an Express is the 5PM South CHicago train which goes from 12th Street to 53rd with no stops. However, if the ridership keeps increasing this might be a possibility.
And a couple notes from Jon Konrath, a friend of mine in New York:
unrelated story - there is an amateur magician that gets on the A train express during its biggest stretch from 59th to 125th and does an entire first-rate show. he goes up to people doing "take a card" tricks, he has a little stand that he straps to a pole to hold all of his stuff, and he even makes a bird appear during his magic act. it was so incredible, i gave the guy a five when he passed the hat.trains have been bad here lately, weather and Giuliani. The N line, which goes to my new place, has been closed all weekend for the last 8 weekends for some mysterious service work. But I found a kick-ass queens to harlem bus that makes the trip pretty fast. and nobody's thrown up on me lately ... Did I mention the number of times in the last few months that someone has thrown up in my car on the subway? I wish I could go back to gridlock and $200 a month insurance premiums.
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. The views expressed by contributors are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher.
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