Chicago signs deal for new Tunnel

Started by edwaleni, June 14, 2018, 06:31:55 PM

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edwaleni

For anyone who has taken the CTA or rode the express bus down the Kennedy (I-90) from O'Hare should know this will help a great deal.

For those who have used the Heathrow Express to Paddington in London, you would say, what took so long?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-ohare-high-speed-transit-elon-musk-rahm-emanuel-20180614-story.html


abefroman329

Express bus running down the Kennedy from O'Hare? Hasn't been one of those since the old O'Harexpress bus to Jefferson Park, before the Blue Line extension opened.

It seems like it would be much simpler to have frequent and consistent service from O'Hare Transfer, although I understand the freight railroad that owns those tracks is the impediment.

edwaleni

Quote from: abefroman329 on June 14, 2018, 08:43:18 PM
Express bus running down the Kennedy from O'Hare? Hasn't been one of those since the old O'Harexpress bus to Jefferson Park, before the Blue Line extension opened.

It seems like it would be much simpler to have frequent and consistent service from O'Hare Transfer, although I understand the freight railroad that owns those tracks is the impediment.

Not the CTA bus, thats long gone. I am talking about all the bus charters. I didnt even mention the cabs, ubers and others that pick up at OHare like Loop hotels.

Brandon

Being as it's Elon Musk, it'll be over budget and super late.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Beltway

CTA already has a heavy rail rapid transit line between the Loop and ORD.
The extension to ORD was built fairly recently, I think 1985.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

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    (Robert Coté, 2002)

abefroman329

Quote from: Beltway on June 15, 2018, 07:38:46 AM
CTA already has a heavy rail rapid transit line between the Loop and ORD.
The extension to ORD was built fairly recently, I think 1985.

But it's a long trip, and not an easy one to make with a lot of luggage.

seicer

Quote from: Brandon on June 15, 2018, 07:12:07 AM
Being as it's Elon Musk, it'll be over budget and super late.

Are we talking about practically every major transportation project in the nation? What about the 2nd Street subway? Alaskan Way Tunnel?

Brandon

Quote from: seicer on June 15, 2018, 08:05:01 AM
Quote from: Brandon on June 15, 2018, 07:12:07 AM
Being as it's Elon Musk, it'll be over budget and super late.

Are we talking about practically every major transportation project in the nation? What about the 2nd Street subway? Alaskan Way Tunnel?

I'm talking about his track record.  See: Tesla Model 3 for more.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Beltway

Quote from: abefroman329 on June 15, 2018, 07:54:40 AM
Quote from: Beltway on June 15, 2018, 07:38:46 AM
CTA already has a heavy rail rapid transit line between the Loop and ORD.
The extension to ORD was built fairly recently, I think 1985.
But it's a long trip, and not an easy one to make with a lot of luggage.

They could add express trains with ample baggage facilities.  Granted it would take new and special operational procedures to allow express trains to pass local trains.

They need to conduct ridership studies.  If the demand is about 5,000 riders per day (a likely figure based on others), then the Musk proposal would be a boondoggle.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

ET21

Kinda was hoping for a high speed monorail...
The local weatherman, trust me I can be 99.9% right!
"Show where you're going, without forgetting where you're from"

Clinched:
IL: I-88, I-180, I-190, I-290, I-294, I-355, IL-390
IN: I-80, I-94
SD: I-190
WI: I-90, I-94
MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

Rick Powell

Doesn't this belong in the Mass Transit forum? :-)

dcharlie

Quote from: Rick Powell on June 15, 2018, 10:18:52 AM
Doesn't this belong in the Mass Transit forum? :-)

That's what I was thinking... :)

silverback1065

this is a scam, there is no way he can build this tunnel that cheap. 

edwaleni

Quote from: Rick Powell on June 15, 2018, 10:18:52 AM
Doesn't this belong in the Mass Transit forum? :-)

I was thinking only about impacts to I-90/I-94 in this context.

Flint1979

It takes about 45 minutes to get from O'Hare to the Loop on the Blue Line. I really don't see how anything is going to be any quicker and if memory serves me there aren't any express tracks on the Blue Line so to run express trains on the Blue Line the line would need a complete makeover.

It only takes about 20 minutes to get to the Loop from Midway on the Orange Line. I hate flying into O'Hare.

Joe The Dragon

Quote from: Flint1979 on July 14, 2018, 07:00:39 PM
It takes about 45 minutes to get from O'Hare to the Loop on the Blue Line. I really don't see how anything is going to be any quicker and if memory serves me there aren't any express tracks on the Blue Line so to run express trains on the Blue Line the line would need a complete makeover.

It only takes about 20 minutes to get to the Loop from Midway on the Orange Line. I hate flying into O'Hare.
There is room to add an 3rd track in a few places / a few cross overs.

MantyMadTown

I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.
Forget the I-41 haters

abefroman329

Quote from: Joe The Dragon on July 14, 2018, 09:10:01 PM
Quote from: Flint1979 on July 14, 2018, 07:00:39 PM
It takes about 45 minutes to get from O'Hare to the Loop on the Blue Line. I really don't see how anything is going to be any quicker and if memory serves me there aren't any express tracks on the Blue Line so to run express trains on the Blue Line the line would need a complete makeover.

It only takes about 20 minutes to get to the Loop from Midway on the Orange Line. I hate flying into O'Hare.
There is room to add an 3rd track in a few places / a few cross overs.
That's the portion of the Blue Line that runs in the median of the Eisenhower that has room for a third (and, in some areas, fourth) track.  The portion that runs in the median of the Kennedy absolutely does not.  Running express trains on a two-track line requires absolute precision, and would likely mean delays for local trains.  There's a reason there's a giant cavern under Block 37 where a terminal for express trains to O'Hare and Midway should be: The plans for those services involved using the Blue Line to O'Hare, and the Red and Orange Lines to Midway, and that was a pipe dream.

To me it seems like the simplest solution would be to upgrade the current Metra service to O'Hare Transfer.  It's going to get much easier to get to the terminals once they complete the extension of the people mover, and you could run the trains into Union Station, where passengers can connect to Metra and Amtrak trains that go all over the region and the country.

SEWIGuy

Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 17, 2018, 12:27:28 AM
I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.


Because the cost is too high.  Most people flying into O'Hare don't go to the Loop anyway.  And if they do, they usually take a cab.

formulanone

Quote from: Brandon on June 15, 2018, 09:27:14 AM
Quote from: seicer on June 15, 2018, 08:05:01 AM
Quote from: Brandon on June 15, 2018, 07:12:07 AM
Being as it's Elon Musk, it'll be over budget and super late.

Are we talking about practically every major transportation project in the nation? What about the 2nd Street subway? Alaskan Way Tunnel?

I'm talking about his track record.  See: Tesla Model 3 for more.

Realistically, it's typical for an all-new vehicle to take 5 years from pen to production.

Flawed timelines and media over-salivation shouldn't count against him, especially since he works with a smaller budget than the rest of the automotive establishment (although their collective involvement in space travel is much more limited).

MantyMadTown

Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 17, 2018, 09:17:44 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 17, 2018, 12:27:28 AM
I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.


Because the cost is too high.  Most people flying into O'Hare don't go to the Loop anyway.  And if they do, they usually take a cab.

The main transit hubs of Chicago are in the Loop. I think all of Chicago's central bus terminals as well as Amtrak's Union Station are there. There are many people traveling between O'Hare and the Loop for exactly such reason. Not to mention taking a cab is too expensive for a lot of people. Last time I checked it cost upwards of $60-70 for one way fare. I wouldn't want to take an Uber/Lyft either. Which is why we should upgrade our transit between the Loop and O'Hare.
Forget the I-41 haters

SEWIGuy

Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 18, 2018, 02:13:24 AM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 17, 2018, 09:17:44 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 17, 2018, 12:27:28 AM
I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.


Because the cost is too high.  Most people flying into O'Hare don't go to the Loop anyway.  And if they do, they usually take a cab.

The main transit hubs of Chicago are in the Loop. I think all of Chicago's central bus terminals as well as Amtrak's Union Station are there. There are many people traveling between O'Hare and the Loop for exactly such reason. Not to mention taking a cab is too expensive for a lot of people. Last time I checked it cost upwards of $60-70 for one way fare. I wouldn't want to take an Uber/Lyft either. Which is why we should upgrade our transit between the Loop and O'Hare.


Again, most people flying into O'Hare are not headed for the loop.  And you don't have to head to the loop to access other transit services.

And while a cab might be expensive, so would building an express line.  Which apparently you would have someone else subsidize because it's true cost would dwarf a cab ride.

edwaleni

Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 18, 2018, 12:37:42 PM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 18, 2018, 02:13:24 AM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 17, 2018, 09:17:44 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 17, 2018, 12:27:28 AM
I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.


Because the cost is too high.  Most people flying into O'Hare don't go to the Loop anyway.  And if they do, they usually take a cab.

The main transit hubs of Chicago are in the Loop. I think all of Chicago's central bus terminals as well as Amtrak's Union Station are there. There are many people traveling between O'Hare and the Loop for exactly such reason. Not to mention taking a cab is too expensive for a lot of people. Last time I checked it cost upwards of $60-70 for one way fare. I wouldn't want to take an Uber/Lyft either. Which is why we should upgrade our transit between the Loop and O'Hare.


Again, most people flying into O'Hare are not headed for the loop.  And you don't have to head to the loop to access other transit services.

And while a cab might be expensive, so would building an express line.  Which apparently you would have someone else subsidize because it's true cost would dwarf a cab ride.

Not everyone flying to Heathrow is going to London, but they still built the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station.

Not everyone flying to Orlando is going to go to Miami, but they are still building Brightline.

They can't rebuild or raise new express lanes on I-90/94. It is pretty much locked from 630AM until 10AM. (the same after 4PM)

So going underground makes a lot of sense.


MantyMadTown

Quote from: edwaleni on August 25, 2018, 11:29:06 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 18, 2018, 12:37:42 PM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 18, 2018, 02:13:24 AM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 17, 2018, 09:17:44 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 17, 2018, 12:27:28 AM
I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.


Because the cost is too high.  Most people flying into O'Hare don't go to the Loop anyway.  And if they do, they usually take a cab.

The main transit hubs of Chicago are in the Loop. I think all of Chicago's central bus terminals as well as Amtrak's Union Station are there. There are many people traveling between O'Hare and the Loop for exactly such reason. Not to mention taking a cab is too expensive for a lot of people. Last time I checked it cost upwards of $60-70 for one way fare. I wouldn't want to take an Uber/Lyft either. Which is why we should upgrade our transit between the Loop and O'Hare.


Again, most people flying into O'Hare are not headed for the loop.  And you don't have to head to the loop to access other transit services.

And while a cab might be expensive, so would building an express line.  Which apparently you would have someone else subsidize because it's true cost would dwarf a cab ride.

Not everyone flying to Heathrow is going to London, but they still built the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station.

Not everyone flying to Orlando is going to go to Miami, but they are still building Brightline.

They can't rebuild or raise new express lanes on I-90/94. It is pretty much locked from 630AM until 10AM. (the same after 4PM)

So going underground makes a lot of sense.

Thank you. That's the point I was trying to make.

I know not everyone flying into a major airport is going to the center city, but transit should still be there for those that are.
Forget the I-41 haters

SSOWorld

Quote from: edwaleni on August 25, 2018, 11:29:06 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 18, 2018, 12:37:42 PM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 18, 2018, 02:13:24 AM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 17, 2018, 09:17:44 AM
Quote from: MantyMadTown on August 17, 2018, 12:27:28 AM
I wonder why they can't just build a rail line there? It could be the new express line for the Blue Line. Or they could just upgrade the tracks along that corridor and also build faster trains.


Because the cost is too high.  Most people flying into O'Hare don't go to the Loop anyway.  And if they do, they usually take a cab.

The main transit hubs of Chicago are in the Loop. I think all of Chicago's central bus terminals as well as Amtrak's Union Station are there. There are many people traveling between O'Hare and the Loop for exactly such reason. Not to mention taking a cab is too expensive for a lot of people. Last time I checked it cost upwards of $60-70 for one way fare. I wouldn't want to take an Uber/Lyft either. Which is why we should upgrade our transit between the Loop and O'Hare.


Again, most people flying into O'Hare are not headed for the loop.  And you don't have to head to the loop to access other transit services.

And while a cab might be expensive, so would building an express line.  Which apparently you would have someone else subsidize because it's true cost would dwarf a cab ride.

Not everyone flying to Heathrow is going to London, but they still built the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station.

Not everyone flying to Orlando is going to go to Miami, but they are still building Brightline.

They can't rebuild or raise new express lanes on I-90/94. It is pretty much locked from 630AM until 10AM. (the same after 4PM)

So going underground makes a lot of sense.


Yep - I flew to O'Hare, but I was going to Milwaukee. ;)
Scott O.

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