I recently stumbled across a flyer Metra published two years ago advertising "Saturday service improvements" for the UP-NW line, effective August 2004. It involved the addition of a late evening departure from OTC, train 723, leaving at 2230, which addressed what was previously a four hour gap between the 2030 and 0030 departures from OTC. It was widely believed that Metra added trains to its Saturday schedule, and on the flyer, Metra promoted it as such. But did they?
According to the 4/18/99 UPNW schedule, there were 14 inbound trains, and 13 outbound trains, for a total of 27. The schedule that went into effect on 8/15/04, and still in use today, shows 12 trains in both directions, for a total of 24, a loss of three trains. The 4/18/99 schedule featured trips to/from McHenry (trains 708/641), plus train 638, a 9am departure from Crystal Lake. All three of these trains were eliminated when the new schedule took effect; although the loss of train 638 was offset with the realigned schedule of train 710 from Harvard which was moved ahead an hour to compensate. Service to/from Harvard was beefed up, with inbound trains running every two hours through the afternoon and evening, while the outbound trains were spread more evenly throughout the day as well.
Bottom line, Metra improved the Saturday service on UPNW by adding service where it was needed, but they did so by actually reducing the total number of trains. A new Saturday schedule on the Harvard sub with fewer trains; I'm sure UP saw no problems with that...
According to the 4/18/99 UPNW schedule, there were 14 inbound trains, and 13 outbound trains, for a total of 27. The schedule that went into effect on 8/15/04, and still in use today, shows 12 trains in both directions, for a total of 24, a loss of three trains. The 4/18/99 schedule featured trips to/from McHenry (trains 708/641), plus train 638, a 9am departure from Crystal Lake. All three of these trains were eliminated when the new schedule took effect; although the loss of train 638 was offset with the realigned schedule of train 710 from Harvard which was moved ahead an hour to compensate. Service to/from Harvard was beefed up, with inbound trains running every two hours through the afternoon and evening, while the outbound trains were spread more evenly throughout the day as well.
Bottom line, Metra improved the Saturday service on UPNW by adding service where it was needed, but they did so by actually reducing the total number of trains. A new Saturday schedule on the Harvard sub with fewer trains; I'm sure UP saw no problems with that...
--Dorian--
