Railroad Forums 

Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.

Moderators: metraRI, JamesT4

 #1544612  by njtmnrrbuff
 
Likely a pipe dream, but LaPorte would probably be a spur route, similar to the West Lake Line. LaPorte is a little off the beaten path in relation to the existing South Shore Line.
 #1544696  by justalurker66
 
Add one stop 12 miles away? West Lake will add several stations and add trains. Once the other projects are complete the Gary turn will move to Miller (storage east of the new station) and Michigan City will build a combined station downtown. The only passengers east of 11th St will be going to Hudson Lake and South Bend. Diverting a train headed for the yard down the branch to LaPorte would be possible - but probably not cost effective.

Here is a nice update and writeup about both major projects ...
https://laportecounty.life/article/nict ... -projects/
 #1544739  by Tadman
 
I forgot they have that awful idea to completely move US12 and the main line. Amazing what you can do with free money. There is plenty of room for anything there, but I'm sure someone got paid $2m to do a study and decided for only $40m they could move entire highways. And now they do it.
 #1548732  by west point
 
I would say go and electrify the additional tracks. It will never happen but the electrification needs the following part of installations.
1. Build the CAT as constant tension . That will reduce the probablity of CAT getting snagged causing service outages.
2. Evidently it will need to be plate "H freight clearances.
3. Build it with capability of being 25 Kv AC CAT. That might cause the support poles to be maybe 1 - 2 feet higher ? The contact wire will need to be thicke for the lower voltage DC anyway. Support and travelers will be built for DC anyway.
4. The AC impeadance bonds on the tracks would not be needed yet but track designed for them to be added if 60 Hz ever installed.
5. Signal system built for both DC and AC much like what is used at NYP and LIRR Queens.
6. DC requires substations every 5 - 8 miles. So build a DC substation at either end of the new track. Have commercial AC power supply these substations with capability to provide 12.5 / 25 Kv AC on CAT poles to 2 or 3 DC substations between ends. Space at these intermediate provided to install in future AC paralleling stations.
7. The next order for additional cars (should be for both NICTD and the IC . Cars will have in electrical cabinet switching gear. The DC will go to an inverter for it to provide proper AC for its tractiont motors, signal gear, HVAC, lighting,etc. . If NICTD ever goes to AC CAT or just maybe part AC CAT it can install a transformer rectifer for power to the inverter.

I firmly believe that the METRA and NICTD lines will be converted to 60 HZ with in the next 20 - 25 years at the most. That will depend on when some 60 HZ electric trains start to go to several CHI stations.So when the next order for cars for the agencies is made they should be dual AC DC capable. That way as the OCS is changed to AC all the operator will need to do is throw a switch to change between the two. Much as MNRR does now for their M-8s.
 #1548748  by justalurker66
 
west point wrote: Sat Jul 25, 2020 4:34 pm I would say go and electrify the additional tracks. It will never happen but the electrification needs the following part of installations.
Which additional tracks? The West Lake project is already planned to be electrified and will be using the 1982/1992 single level electric rolling stock. Those cars will go through a second rebuild cycle and they will be as good as new when the service starts. New bi-level/gallery cars will be run on the South Shore main line.
 #1550026  by MattW
 
west point wrote: Sat Jul 25, 2020 4:34 pm *SNIP*
7. The next order for additional cars (should be for both NICTD and the IC . Cars will have in electrical cabinet switching gear. The DC will go to an inverter for it to provide proper AC for its tractiont motors, signal gear, HVAC, lighting,etc. . If NICTD ever goes to AC CAT or just maybe part AC CAT it can install a transformer rectifer for power to the inverter.
*SNIP*
Minor correction here, the traction motors may already be AC fed from DC. HEP for lights and everything else would likewise already have an inverter for DC to AC. Whether there is an intermediate DC link that the 1500v catenary power is changed to, I don't know.
 #1550034  by justalurker66
 
Correct. NICTD retrofitted all of the old cars with inverters and AC traction motors about 20 year ago. The more recent cars came with AC traction motors.
 #1560918  by metraRI
 
NICTD is expected to enter into a lease agreement for Metra's 26 HL1 (2004-2006) Highliners. They will be rehabbed by Metra for NICTD. Lease term is 15 years.
 #1560941  by Backshophoss
 
Bringing back Worn out BBD Highliners,that not great,would be nice if Nippon-Sharyo hadn't screwed up that crush test. :sweat_smile:
 #1560973  by GojiMet86
 
metraRI wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:43 pm NICTD is expected to enter into a lease agreement for Metra's 26 HL1 (2004-2006) Highliners. They will be rehabbed by Metra for NICTD. Lease term is 15 years.
Wonder if they will be renumbered.
 #1561054  by justalurker66
 
GojiMet86 wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 9:54 pmWonder if they will be renumbered.
For a lease I'd expect they would be left alone. I assume the rehabilitation won't be to the level of adding a vestibule with trap door steps at the non-cab end of the cars. (The MED version has only the center vestibule with trap door steps for emergency use.)
 #1561798  by doepack
 
Gotta be a pretty high spare ratio going on right now on MED with the reduced service. I'm thinking Metra could part with another 10-20 of the newer cars if NICTD needs them and still have more than enough to cover the service even if/when ridership ever recovers to pre-covid levels.

For clarity, the cars Metra is leasing to NICTD are numbered 1201-1226. Can't believe they're 15 years old already...
 #1570819  by CraigDK
 
According to the NICTD's schedule online and this article, construction should be underway for the West Lake Line.

Is there anyone local to the project that can comment on what work is currently occuring?
 #1570842  by justalurker66
 
NICTD has had a couple of daytime outages for track realignment in Hammond. The area where the new Gateway station will be built has been cleared. I have not driven the path south but there should be other signs of progress,