This would be amazing, if built! Denver does have a direct, dedicated rail from the airport terminal straight to the heart of downtown at Union Station, and it runs every 15 minutes. It does take 40 minutes (which includes a handful of logical stops), but it's a far superior experience to sitting in traffic!
It sure is! My kids live in Westminster, so I use that RTD service a lot, too. It's not express, though...and while it's certainly adequately sized for luggage and such, it's not purpose-designed for it. These train cars in Chicago would be designed around people bringing lots of bags. And again, four times an hour takes the anxiety out of catching the train to the airport...
What exactly are these unused lines that will be used supposedly? Does it include the mostly single track CN running through residential River Forest? Yeah right. Multiply the cost by 5 and the timeline by 3 and you might have a “slam dunk” concept here
70 mph every 7.5 minutes. 4 grade crossings on a track cutting through backyards . Will those be no -horn crossings? Yeah they won’t object. And it won’t cost $2 billion just to build that section. And “build” they will have to do because all that’s really there is a right of way
This plan seems redundant at least. There are already two rail routes from the loop to O’Hare. Yes, there’s much room for improvement. But another not a whole new system running “every 15 minutes” from south of Union Station? Perhaps excessive?
CTA Blue Line runs right into the terminal. We’ve used it a couple of times; (MDW/Orange Line is our preferred).
The improvements would need to shorten the running time. Now it’s about 45-60 minutes O’Hare to Loop subway with all the stops. Create hourly(?) express trains with little or no stopping to the Loop. Not sure how to do this by-passing local trains, but should be much less costly than this Flyer approach. BTW how did North Shore run past local CTA L Trains nonstop Loop to Evanston using the Brown & Red EL lines? What agreements and procedures did NS have with CTA to use their tracks running on fixed schedules around the Loop to their Wabash/Adams Station?
Metra Rail has an O’Hare Station. See the Video and you’ll see the most obvious improvement needed. The People Mover needs to extend about 1000 ft further. Right to the Metra station, not ending only at the Main Rental Car Center with a three block walk outside. Why did it not go to the Metra in the first place??? You’d then have a more seamless Commuter Rail/Light Rail connection to the Terminal both from the Loop and outer N & NW Antioch direction suburbs. Just need to up the frequency, A LOT, on this old Soo Line Commuter section, LOL
For Metra service to O'Hare, the airport people mover doesn't need to be extended.
The single existing platform extends south from Zemke Blvd. alongside the rental car center.
If the frequency of Metra service was increased to be a viable airport service, the single platform wouldn't suffice anyhow. In installing another platform or two, I'd imagine they'd build a pedestrian bridge, with elevators and escalators as well as stairs, into the second or third floor of the rental car center with an indoor pedestrian corridor to the people mover station.
This would be amazing, if built! Denver does have a direct, dedicated rail from the airport terminal straight to the heart of downtown at Union Station, and it runs every 15 minutes. It does take 40 minutes (which includes a handful of logical stops), but it's a far superior experience to sitting in traffic!
It sure is! My kids live in Westminster, so I use that RTD service a lot, too. It's not express, though...and while it's certainly adequately sized for luggage and such, it's not purpose-designed for it. These train cars in Chicago would be designed around people bringing lots of bags. And again, four times an hour takes the anxiety out of catching the train to the airport...
Would be amazing!
What exactly are these unused lines that will be used supposedly? Does it include the mostly single track CN running through residential River Forest? Yeah right. Multiply the cost by 5 and the timeline by 3 and you might have a “slam dunk” concept here
https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?style=standard&lat=41.9144135612499&lon=-87.7507209777832&zoom=12
It's the route colored in yellow running past CTA Desplains Yard. Yes, it really is viable.
Plan is fast battery-electric trains (route is short enough that battery-electric is proven). Shouldn't be a problem for the neighbors.
70 mph every 7.5 minutes. 4 grade crossings on a track cutting through backyards . Will those be no -horn crossings? Yeah they won’t object. And it won’t cost $2 billion just to build that section. And “build” they will have to do because all that’s really there is a right of way
Awesome plans!!! 👏🏽😁
This plan seems redundant at least. There are already two rail routes from the loop to O’Hare. Yes, there’s much room for improvement. But another not a whole new system running “every 15 minutes” from south of Union Station? Perhaps excessive?
CTA Blue Line runs right into the terminal. We’ve used it a couple of times; (MDW/Orange Line is our preferred).
The improvements would need to shorten the running time. Now it’s about 45-60 minutes O’Hare to Loop subway with all the stops. Create hourly(?) express trains with little or no stopping to the Loop. Not sure how to do this by-passing local trains, but should be much less costly than this Flyer approach. BTW how did North Shore run past local CTA L Trains nonstop Loop to Evanston using the Brown & Red EL lines? What agreements and procedures did NS have with CTA to use their tracks running on fixed schedules around the Loop to their Wabash/Adams Station?
Metra Rail has an O’Hare Station. See the Video and you’ll see the most obvious improvement needed. The People Mover needs to extend about 1000 ft further. Right to the Metra station, not ending only at the Main Rental Car Center with a three block walk outside. Why did it not go to the Metra in the first place??? You’d then have a more seamless Commuter Rail/Light Rail connection to the Terminal both from the Loop and outer N & NW Antioch direction suburbs. Just need to up the frequency, A LOT, on this old Soo Line Commuter section, LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6_k0fxOdig
For Metra service to O'Hare, the airport people mover doesn't need to be extended.
The single existing platform extends south from Zemke Blvd. alongside the rental car center.
If the frequency of Metra service was increased to be a viable airport service, the single platform wouldn't suffice anyhow. In installing another platform or two, I'd imagine they'd build a pedestrian bridge, with elevators and escalators as well as stairs, into the second or third floor of the rental car center with an indoor pedestrian corridor to the people mover station.