New Start Project - UP-W

The signaling between West Chicago and Elmhurst is such......there isn't any! They have two holding points. They can hold at Finley Rd or at Wheaton. Other than that, that's it. The dispatcher constantly has to do location checks on trains in this area, because he can't watch them.

MetraF40C607 wrote:The signaling between West Chicago and Elmhurst is such......there isn't any!

Not quite. There may not be any wayside signals along this segment, but that's because it's governed by cab signals, with ATC (Automatic Train Control). ATC/Cab signal systems aren't used with wayside signals outside of interlockings...

Thus is why I noted they run blocks on the line. I know of the Wheaton and Finley Rd blocks. Other than that, not sure about any others. There may be one around College Ave.

For those who may be interested, all inbound trains mostly use track 3 (the south platform) when loading at LaFox. However, during the inbound rush, trains 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 32, and 36 use the center platform, according to information posted at the station. All other trains from 38 onward resume loading from track 3...

They load on track three, but the doors open on the center platform. Just incase anyone thought they opened on the south side.

doepack wrote:

MetraF40C607 wrote:The signaling between West Chicago and Elmhurst is such......there isn't any!

Not quite. There may not be any wayside signals along this segment, but that's because it's governed by cab signals, with ATC (Automatic Train Control). ATC/Cab signal systems aren't used with wayside signals outside of interlockings...

Yes ATC cab signals are used with wayside signals outside of interlockings on the Geneva sub.

qboy wrote:

doepack wrote:

MetraF40C607 wrote:The signaling between West Chicago and Elmhurst is such......there isn't any!

Not quite. There may not be any wayside signals along this segment, but that's because it's governed by cab signals, with ATC (Automatic Train Control). ATC/Cab signal systems aren't used with wayside signals outside of interlockings...

Yes ATC cab signals are used with wayside signals outside of interlockings on the Geneva sub. Between CPY029 Turner and CPY048 meridith is continous blocks. AS they have upgraded signal systems they have removed more of the old ATC blocks and now you have wayside blocks instead with ATC still in play. Basically the same from CPY015 Park to CPY003 kedzie actually all the way downtown.

qboy wrote:Yes ATC cab signals are used with wayside signals outside of interlockings on the Geneva sub. Between CPY029 Turner and CPY048 meridith is continous blocks. AS they have upgraded signal systems they have removed more of the old ATC blocks and now you have wayside blocks instead with ATC still in play. Basically the same from CPY015 Park to CPY003 kedzie actually all the way downtown.

I've heard that the UP wants to upgrade the entire east-west mainline to/from Chicago with a Coded Cab Signal system, currently in use on UP west of Council Bluffs. From what I've read, it's similar to ATC, except that the use of wayside signals aren't restricted to interlocking locations, and the CCS cab indicator has four aspects: clear, advance approach, approach, and restrictive, compared to ATC's two (clear and restricting). The replacement of the old ATC blocks west of Turner as you've described with track coded for wayside block frequenices likely indicates an upgrade to CCS. Any idea on when the entire line will be equipped?

Yeah the folks in Omaha would love to get rid of ATC and ATS. But you can't get rid of system that is less restrictive. UP CCS is like you said goes along with the signal indication of wayside signals. But CCS is less restrictive of a cab signal system. On CCS you can acknowledge a aproach or restrictive signal and continue to proceed at 70mph if you desire. With ATC its more restrictive anytime you go pass any wayside signal with less that clear you a force to reduce your speed immediately. IF you don't take action a penalty application will occur. There are excecptions to this as well. If they came up with a way to add train control to CCS then maybe yeah it may happen. Till then i'll just comply with CNW ATC. So yes as they upgrade the signal system it is in the line of UP style of signaling but it makes for things to go slower at times.

The complaints alot of folks have with the signals system between Elburn and Kress on the morning scoots all come back to the way its signalled your running in on the train control on the guy ahead of you. It would be nice of the signal dept. made it possible to continue at the speeds perscribe in the timetable instead of the being on train control with a guy 2 blocks ahead you running restrictive speed to till clears up. Would really be nice when your on freight to have that extra spaces to run on clears cab signals.

At Elburn yard today, I observed UP crews laying concrete ties for an additional storage track, spanning the length of the yard, about 30-40 feet from the mains. Possibly for MOW equipment storage...

Several years ago in one of the OTBL's, I remember reading something that in conjunction with the College Ave station (re)construction, crossovers would be built in the vicinity of College Ave. Does anybody else remember reading something like this?

As it turned out, the two projects weren't related. Local funding, from Gov. Ryan's Illinois FIRST program, was used to finance the rehab of the College Ave. station, while the UP capacity enhancement project will be paid for with federal funds.

The capacity enhancement project has been federally approved, but so far, no money has been found, and to my knowledge, no engineering studies have been done. If it ever actually gets off the ground with proper funding, an ideal situation would be two control points, spaced about 3 miles apart, one in an area east of the Glen Ellyn depot, and the other just west of College Ave. One could have a 1-3 interlocking arrangement, the other 3-1, or vice versa. Just a thought...

Kane panel backs plan to upgrade Metra route
By William Presecky

Tribune staff reporter

July 24, 2007

Kane County transportation officials are lining up behind an effort by Metra
to secure the federal funding needed to greatly improve capacity and speed
on its Union Pacific West line between Chicago and Elburn.

The 44-mile commuter rail line, which serves 62 communities in Cook, DuPage
and Kane Counties, handles about 29,000 passenger trips a day on 59 trains.
The aim of the proposed $441 million upgrade is to allow service to expand
to as many as 80 trains a day and to increase the number of express trains
from 20 to 30 daily.

A resolution endorsing the proposed "full-build commuter rail" option for
the west suburban corridor was forwarded Monday to the Kane County Board
with the unanimous recommendation of its Transportation Committee.

The growth in residential development and job centers in Kane and DuPage has
generated increased demand for commuter rail service in the region.

The major rail improvements being proposed include signal system upgrades,
additional track and restructuring the line in Chicago where it intersects
the Milwaukee West line, Milwaukee North line and North Central line. The
crossing is the busiest in northeastern Illinois, Metra officials said.

The slower travel times on the UP-West line cause many commuters in its
service area to opt for travel on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line to
its south for faster express service.

Public hearings on the proposed upgrade were held this month in Elmhurst and
Geneva.

The planning, engineering and environmental phases of the project are
expected to be completed by 2009. Construction is expected to take four
years to complete after funding is authorized.

Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

chicagotribune wrote:The 44-mile commuter rail line, which serves 62 communities in Cook, DuPage
and Kane Counties, handles about 29,000 passenger trips a day on 59 trains.
The aim of the proposed $441 million upgrade is to allow service to expand
to as many as 80 trains a day and to increase the number of express trains
from 20 to 30 daily

That's a pretty ambitious spike in service that's being planned after the physical plant upgrades are done. UP/W currently uses 12 sets, and assigning two more might bring the total to 70, assuming that more "short-turn" runs are added, and also assuming that there's equipment currently available for this, which is questionable. Anything above that will surely require the purchase of yet more locomotives and cars; don't think that's part of the plan right now, but it'll have to be eventually to support the kind of upgraded service Metra has planned...