News Photos: Metra tests O’Hare service with congressional shuttle
News

News Photos: Metra tests O’Hare service with congressional shuttle

Posted on by Edwin
















News Photos: Metra tests O’Hare service with convention shuttle – Trains

























News-Photos-Metra tests service in O’Hare waters with Convention Shuttle
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/news-photos-metra-tests-waters-of-ohare-service-with-convention-shuttle/
News Photos: Metra tests O’Hare service with convention shuttle – Trains
CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention may be over, but Metra’s O’Hare shuttle service, which runs between Chicago Union Station and the airport, will continue for a few more days. The commuter bus operator has reached an agreement with Canadian National, the host railroad on the North Central Service portion of the route, and CPKC, the dispatcher of the Milwaukee West portion, to (…)Read more…
https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/TRN_OHare_Shuttle_06_Lassen.jpg
In stock
USD
1.00
1.00
News agency
News Reviews

Article
TRN
23.08.2024
24.08.2024

206102

product



News & Reviews News service News Photos: Metra tests O’Hare service with congressional shuttle

Trains from Union Station will continue to run until August 30

Short commuter train at the station
O’Hare Shuttle Train No. 715 stops at Platform 2 of the O’Hare Transfer Station to disembark passengers on August 19, 2024. Three-car trains were standard for shuttle service. Bob Johnston

CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention may be over, but Metra’s O’Hare shuttle service, which runs between Chicago Union Station and the airport, will continue for a few more days.

Video display board at the station advertises the O'Hare Shuttle service
A sign at the Western Avenue Metra station advertises the O’Hare service and includes a QR code for more information. Flyers on board also included the code and invited passengers to take a survey. Bob Johnston

The commuter bus operator has agreed with Canadian National, the rail operator on the North Central Service portion of the line, and CPKC, the dispatcher on the Milwaukee West portion, to offer trains between Union Station and the O’Hare Transfer Station on the North Central route from August 12 to August 30. This not only increased the number of weekday trains between Union Station and O’Hare from 11 (six one-way and five two-way) to 42 (21 round-trip), but also offered 16 round-trip trips on weekends on a route that normally only operates weekdays.

Perhaps not surprisingly, ridership was modest—out-of-towners probably didn’t know about the temporary service, and locals may not have been willing to change their usual methods of reaching O’Hare on short notice. But the service could still provide an operational proof of concept for a service that Metra hopes to eventually offer permanently (see “On the radar: Metra service to O’Hare airport,” Trains.com, December 18, 2023).

Trains News Wire correspondent Bob Johnston toured the shuttle earlier this week, while managing editor David Lassen stopped by to snap some photos of the activity. Here’s some of what they saw.

People waiting on the platform for a Metra train
Passengers heading to O’Hare prepare to board the regular North Central Service train No. 105, which also serves the airport, at Western Avenue. Bob Johnston
Two S-Bahn trains at the station
On August 20, North Central train No. 105 stops at Belmont Avenue in Franklin Park, Illinois, while returning O’Hare shuttle No. 712 waits north of the station for passengers to clear the platform. The O’Hare shuttles stop at some intermediate stations, but Belmont Avenue is not one of them. David Lassen
Blue locomotive with red and white stripes at the front pushes the train
After passing through Belmont Avenue Station and crossing the street of the same name, train #712, pushed by SD70MACH #500, circles the North Central to Milwaukee West Line connection at B17 interlocking. David Lassen
News Photos: Metra tests O’Hare service with congressional shuttle
Shuttle No. 718 runs downtown from the Multi-Modal Facility, a rental car and parking facility at O’Hare. The Metra station is next to the northeast corner of the building; inside is the terminal for the people mover to the airport. David Lassen
A few minutes later, regular North Central train No. 109 arrives with Metra’s Milwaukee Heritage MP36PH-3S No. 405. David Lassen
From the cab, shuttle #714 meets departing Milwaukee West train #221 at River Grove on August 19. This is a stop for Milwaukee West, North Central, and shuttle trains; only Milwaukee West trains stop at all six stations between River Grove and Western Avenue. Between River Grove and Tower A-5, trains travel between 55 and 70 mph. Bob Johnston
Shuttle #717 meets #714 near the decommissioned A-5 tower, which can be seen in the background. A-5 is where the North Central and Milwaukee West trains meet the Milwaukee North Line, which is also used by Amtrak. It is located about 3 miles north of Western Avenue. Bob Johnston


Related articles

Shop at our Trains.com Store

Members receive 15% off all purchases in our store. Join today!






Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *