as a Chicagoan, I disagree, but we will see? Since METRA Owns this line, it seems like they have something to say. BTW Union Station is 50% owned by Amtrak and 50% by METRA, also METRA Owns the Milwaukee West line as far as Elgin and the Milwaukee North Line owned my METRA as far as Fox Lake. Lastly, before METRA, trains had twice as many crewman as the do now. They had a Conductor, a Collector, and Brakeman. an 8 car train would have had 6 of these!
US Federal law gives dispatch priority to passenger rail over freight service and CP is one of the few class 1’s that amtrak reports being a consistently good host, i can only see delays happening near the Bensenville yard
The power going out before departure is actually the train being “unplugged” from station power and the locomotive’s HEP coming on. If you look at the cab car before departure you can actually see the 480 cables plugged into the station.
I like these coaches Thom, I think they're unique and fun! I also love how you teach us week in week out about trains that I had no clue about. So informative , as usual 🙂
Thank you! Very different layout from the double deck night jet, haha. Yesterday I rode a special Metra excursion train, and I had one of these coaches to myself! Now that was fun
Thank you. Subscribed and liked. I'm retired in Colombia, but took the Milwaukee Road Metra train to and from Elmwood Pak for many years working downtown. Your vido brought back many memories. Thank you.
I have only been on the BNSF once between Union Station and route 59 Naperville/Aurora. I usually ride Amtrak all the way to Galesburg. The Gallery car was pretty neat and the price was great. Will definitely ride again next time I go to Chicago.
I took the BNSF a few weeks ago. Trip report will be uploaded this fall. Definitely check out some of the other ones next time! Electric and Heritage are my favorites.
Another very interesting vid. This is the first time I understood that Chicago Union Station didn't have through tracks (apart from the one mentioned by Kevin, below). I knew trains didn't go through but assumed the tracks did. My learning point for today. Glad you found a car with a/c working.
I believe there are 3 through tracks, some of which don’t have a platform. I do hope they’ll get some more use someday, but more on that in a future video.
That is a good point as to why this line has Milwaukee in its name. There is a reason for that. A long time ago, these tracks were once owned by the Milwaukee road railway. Unfortunately in 1980, the railroad went bankrupt. It was in the 1980’s that Metra bought the two commuter lines which today are the North and West lines. Metra decided to keep the Milwaukee in both lines in honor of the Milwaukee road railroad
I'm a little partial to the Union Pacific - Northwest Line. It's the longest line and the line with the line I ride most frequently. All of the UP lines run on the left-hand track following the old CNW procedure.
As always another informative & interesting video Thom. It seems odd that the restroom sinks would be sealed closed - not very hygienic (how is one supposed to wash your hands?) unless they provided some form of hand sanitizer(?) - someone's explanation that they caught people drinking from the taps seems an extreme response to seal the sinks. The Hiawatha train is also on my "Bucket List' {when I get to Chicago, hopefully, next year, not in Winter! Anyway, when I saw the footage at the end where you ask to 'hit the subscribe button' I thought the footage looked familiar, as the Matra loco went slowly past the railway crossing with a man standing next to his bicycle and a woman with a young child waving at the train. That footage was taken from your earlier upload dated 28 October 2021. The reason I remember it is because in that video you zoomed in to show the Matra loco's bell location. It was the first time I posted a comment on your uploads to state that I had wondered where the bell was located (in fact prior to your upload I assumed the bell sound was a recording, as I could never see any bell LOL). Also above my comment, you pinned the comment from a person called Lindsey (your future wife?). In your Live Stream, you mentioned your very first video (5 December 2014) in which you stated you were embarrassed about - well Thom we all had to start from somewhere! I am amazed at how many places & trains who have experienced. I noted that you posted a video from Ottawa, Canada & the O train. I have been to Ottawa & rode the O train. Back then it stopped well short of the city center (Bayview I think?). My son was attending Carleton University on exchange. He said he understood why all the university buildings were connected by underground tunnels - our favorite winter feature - snow! I also noted a video that you posted on 23 December 2019 in which you & Bear pleaded to everyone to get more subscribers so that your channel would reach 1,000 subscribers (it was at 970 at the time). Now you have 5.24 Subscribers - well done & well deserved.
Now I recognize this line. I grew up going to my aunts house in Medinah. Which was the stop after Itasca. She would take my brother and I downtown on the train on certain occasions.
Best line is Bnsf for obvious reasons. I wish the North central service ran more because there is a small stretch between rosemont and prospect heights where the train goes right through peoples backyards.
Thom, did the old C&NW station on Canal Street close? The C&NW RR served the NW corridor from Chicago to Crystal Lake. I grew up in Palatine, IL where I began my love affair with trains. Love your videos about the CTA.
Actually, that station is now called Ogilvie Transportation Center, and is owned by the Union Pacific. You can still see some C&NW signs at the station if you know where to look.
@@richardhazlett7070 well, Amtrak has running water, but it’s separate from the water in the bathrooms. I’m wondering if vandalism might play a role in the sealed sinks as well. I rode the Heritage Corridor today and the sinks were the same way.
@richard hazlett they did have running water but as I have clearly stated before people were caught drinking water from the sinks forcing them to seal the sinks up.
@@Thom-TRA The UP-NW line is the same way now too :/ Wanted to wash my hands after using the bathroom on the train but couldn't because they "intentionally closed the sink". Sad to see.
It runs on what was the Milwaukee Road. Union Stations were owned by the Railroads that it served. Like Washington Union Station was owned by the PRR/RFP/CO/SOUTHERN. There is a non-revenue through track that is used to transfer equipment between the north and south.
Hey Thom! Unsure if this has been answered deeper in the comments, but have there been any TRA videos on the Milwaukee District North line as well? I know you're in DC now and probably out of reach, but just wanted to ask I could not find anything. Great report on the MDW line though!
Thanks for the video Thom. Does Metra have any plans to replace the gallery cars? Probably my favourite Metra lines that Ive researched are the from Chicago to Joliet and Aurora :-)
I took the line to Aurora last month and I took the train to Joliet today! Especially my trip today was a lot of fun, can’t wait to share it. Yes, Metra has an order for double deck cars placed at Alstom. I believe they will be more “classic” in terms of their interior design. But the EMUs on the Metra Electric Line are less than a decade old, so the gallery layout will remain there for years to come. You should come over and check them out sometime!
Do you have any idea what the ticket price for brightline from Miami to Orlando in 2023. I heard rumor of 100 dollars but don’t know if it is true or not.
This is what someone within the Brightline organization suggested in an interview on progress made on the new tracks, but we won’t know till they go for sale!
