CUS has the west coast trains leaving between 1:45p and 2:50p with the east coast trains leaving between 5:45p and 9:30p. CoNO leaves at 8:05pm.
East coast arrivals are morning between 8:45a and 10:00a (including CoNO) making the shortest east to west connection 3hr 45min.
West coast arrivals are afternoons between 1:52p and 4:01 making the shortest west to east connection 1hr 44min (Empire Builder to Cardinal).
The next shortest west to east connection is 2hr 39min (Empire Builder to Capitol Limited).
Making up for a late train with a quick suburban bus connection (where possible) makes sense. With everything on time one might as well go in to Chicago for the connection. The train has to go to CUS anyways.
As for "outer suburb" stations, CoNO has Homewood, Cardinal has Dyer. The closest stop on the Limiteds is South Bend (the train having the fastest route to CUS). One could head west from Homewood or Dyer to avoid CUS - but with plenty of time on most connections one might as well use CUS.
East coast arrivals are morning between 8:45a and 10:00a (including CoNO) making the shortest east to west connection 3hr 45min.
West coast arrivals are afternoons between 1:52p and 4:01 making the shortest west to east connection 1hr 44min (Empire Builder to Cardinal).
The next shortest west to east connection is 2hr 39min (Empire Builder to Capitol Limited).
Making up for a late train with a quick suburban bus connection (where possible) makes sense. With everything on time one might as well go in to Chicago for the connection. The train has to go to CUS anyways.
As for "outer suburb" stations, CoNO has Homewood, Cardinal has Dyer. The closest stop on the Limiteds is South Bend (the train having the fastest route to CUS). One could head west from Homewood or Dyer to avoid CUS - but with plenty of time on most connections one might as well use CUS.