All maps and schematics by Thomas A. White, Senior Operations Specialist, Transit Safety Management, Inc., and consultant to this project.
For answers to questions about this proposal, please contact the proponent, Adam H. Kerman, at ahk [at] transit [dot] chicago [dot] il [dot] us, or call The Transit Riders' Authority on 312 725-0872.
Reference: Transportation proposals submitted to Chicago Area Transportation Study Regional Transportation Plan (Shared Path 2030) Proposal 07-02-9012, "CWI To South Side And South Suburbs", on page 71 of list dated 1-22-2003 in South Council of Mayors - Capital Addition section
The Transit Riders' Authority has submitted for consideration in the 2030 Regional Transportation Plan the South Commuter Trunk and Commuter-Freight Conflict Elimination Proposal.
The purpose of the plan is to eliminate all major points of conflict between passenger and freight routes on the south side of Chicago. The result will be a greatly improved commuter rail and freight rail network.
The commuter rail service improvements are the core benefit of the plan. For an incremental cost, a rapid transit route (operated as commuter rail) could share the same right-of-way and new infrastructure. Because they'd be developed together, the two different kinds of service would be coordinated so that they complement each other to serve the greatest number of riders.
The plan has these major infrastructure elements:
A north-south passenger railroad between LaSalle Street Station and Dolton. The route would be grade separated from all major points of freight conflict.
A grade separation near 41st Street to avoid conflict with freight at CP 518. Construction of this facility would improve SouthWest Service in its present alignment without building a 1/4 mile connection to the Rock through the Hamilton Park neighborhood in 75th Street.
Rerouting Rock Island service at 79th Street to avoid conflict with freight at Englewood Junction.
Improvements in the 75th Street corridor to eliminate freight conflict, including:
Elimination of Belt Junction (75th and Loomis). In the present configuration, SouthWest Service crosses to the south half of the right-of-way west of Loomis; the Belt Railway crosses to the north half. It is proposed that SouthWest Service remain on the north half of the right-of-way; Belt traffic to Clearing Yard and NS traffic to Landers Yard would remain on the south half of the right-of-way. Traffic to Clearing and Landers would diverge at Forest Hill (75th and Leavitt).
A grade separation at Forest Hill over both the Belt Railway and CSX Blue Island subdivision
An improved east-west freight railroad using the Chicago Junction and Chicago River and Indiana between Root Street (40th on the Rock) and Ogden Junction (Ogden at 14th and Campbell) grade separated from most major points of passenger conflict. The improvements include:
Two main tracks, CTC, 30 mph
Better access to Ashland Avenue Yard to keep the mains open
Higher-speed turnouts to connecting railroads for faster operation
Re-installing the Nickel Plate connection at Grand Crossing.
Improving the turnout in the northeast quadrant at Englewood between the Rock and NS Chicago Line for a second route free from passenger conflict to the Chicago Junction and Ashland Avenue Yard. This route avoids 51st and 55th Street yards.
A better entrance into Chicago for Amtrak from the east, between South Chicago and 81st Street via the 94th Street corridor, avoiding conflict with NS 51st and 55th Street yards.
A new connection near Wildwood between CN/IC Chicago subdivision and the South Commuter Trunk for Amtrak from the south.
The South Commuter Trunk is a four-track passenger railroad, two express tracks and two local tracks, generally in the alignment of the main line and Dolton branch of the former Chicago and Western Indiana (Metra SouthWest subdistrict, UP Villa Grove division). The trunk route would serve a network of commuter rail passenger routes with branches to Oak Lawn and Orland Park, Blue Island via Beverly, Joliet via Rock Island main line, and brand-new service to Roseland and Dolton. Proposed Southeast Service to South Holland, Chicago Heights, and Crete would also use the South Commuter Trunk. Amtrak from the southeast uses this route today.
The route begins at LaSalle Street Station. The route then diverges from the Rock Island north of 16th/Clark Junction, remaining at grade below the Saint Charles Air Line to head southwest to 21st Street adjacent to the Midway "L" (Orange Line). There are four tracks in this vicinity. At 21st Street, the route turns south and crosses under the Orange Line. Between 21st Street and 41st Street, it is a six-track railroad in Stewart Avenue (400 West) joint right-of-way of the CWI and ex Pennsy Fort Wayne (NS Chicago Line); the two freight tracks are on the west. To avoid conflict with freight at CP 518, the passenger route is grade separated over NS Chicago Line. The South Commuter Trunk stays in the CWI alignment as it separates from the FtW alignment at 47th Street to head southwest. The CWI alignment is in Wallace Street (600 West) between 49th and 79th Streets.
There are five tracks between 47th and 74th Streets; the freight track is on the west. The new Rock Island route begins south of 74th Street, diverging to the east side of the alignment, then grade separated over the South Commuter Trunk and adjacent Belt Railway at 79th Street. The Rock has four tracks between 74th and Gresham Junction. The South Commuter Trunk has two passenger tracks south of 74th Street. The route uses the existing grade separation over the Belt Railway at 86th Street. There are four tracks between 87th Street and Dolton, two freight to the west, two passenger to the east.
SouthWest Service branches off the South Commuter Trunk at 74th, as it does today. It shares the 75th Street alignment with the Belt Railway, which handles traffic to Clearing Yard and NS traffic to Landers Yard. In the present configuration, SouthWest Service and the Belt cross each other at Belt Junction. East of the junction, SouthWest Service is on the north half of the right-of-way; the Belt on the South. West of the junction, the Belt is on the north half and SouthWest Service is on the south. NS traffic to Landers remains on the south half along the corridor. It is proposed to eliminate Belt Junction by keeping SouthWest Service on the north half of the right-of-way and Belt and NS on the south half. Traffic to Clearing and traffic to Landers would diverge at Forest Hill. SouthWest Service would be grade separated above Forest Hill, allowing it to cross both the Belt and CSX Blue Island subdivision without conflict.
There would be two classes of service:
Traditional commuter service to the suburbs on hourly headways base period running express on the south side to downtown.
Transit service running locally on the south side, making stops every 1/2 to 3/4 mile and terminating on the far south side.
On the Rock Island, all service from Joliet would be via the main line for a faster trip to downtown. 99th (station still exists) and Givins would be re-opened. The Beverly Branch would have 15- or 20-minute base headways.
On the SouthWest, service from Oak Lawn and Orland Park would have hourly base headways, running express from Oak Lawn. Western, Ashland, Racine, and Halsted (all in the 75th Street corridor) would be re-opened. There'd be local service on 30-minute base headways within the city.
To Dolton, local trains would run on 20-30 minute base headways.
On the proposed Southeast Service to Chicago Heights and Crete, trains would run on hourly base headways, express to downtown from Dolton.
Certain local trains would meet express trains at transfer stations. Possible transfer stations are Englewood and Gresham.
There would be new stations at the best locations to serve neighborhoods and to ease transfers from connecting bus service. The railroad is immediately west of 35th and Shields. Previously, the commuter rail service had stations at 47th, Garfield Blvd. (5500 South), 59th, 63rd (platform and canopy still exist; immediately east of Englewood business district), Normal Park (6900 South), Hamilton Park (7200 South), Auburn Park (7900 South), Oakdale (9000 South), Euclid Park (9700 South), Fernwood (10300 South), North Roseland (10700 South), Roseland (11100 South), Sheldon Park (11400 South), Kensington (116th/Michigan), 134th, and Dolton (at Lincoln Avenue, 13900 South). Other locations to consider for stations: Cermak Road, 26th Street, 32nd-33rd Street.
There is much potential in the South Trunk corridor for new urban development. Because the rail line is by itself, away from the influence of the Dan Ryan Expressway and doesn't run adjacent to a major arterial street, there is potential to stimulate nodal development evoking a village or small town ambience, as the Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods enjoy. The areas around the stations should be "pedestrian pockets" Construction of stations along the way should be synchronized with announcements that the lands at the favored location is being redeveloped, so that developers and Metra can work together. Stations that are a mile or less apart will naturally stimulate nodal development, in lieu of strip or main-street (linear) development, Such a development might be designed well enough (including a full range of shops and services to meet residents' needs) so that the presence of cars can be greatly reduced.
By bringing back transit and walking (a matched pair), land values increases.
To get the biggest bang for the buck, to draw in users from several miles around the stations, fares between bus and rail must be fully integrated and riders must expect to make a real-time transfer within minutes on a regular basis. We need to reverse a century-old trend in which riders could obtain a transfer between routes on the surface system (later, including the "L" system as well), but the railroads were left out of the scheme. This has lead to today's anomalies in which express bus routes to the Loop run within a few blocks of Metra service, in which riders on the south side and in the south suburbs pass one or several Metra stations on their way to the Red Line terminal at 95th and State.
This system is inefficient, redundant, and time consuming. It costs more to operate, yet it hurts ridership.
The bus route network needs to be redesigned so that it feeds into Metra services instead of competing with it. Metra must accept and issue bus transfers at all fare levels as part of the regular commuter fare.
Stations should be designed so that there is as short a walk to the street as possible. The bus stop should be on the street but out of traffic to ease brief layovers that will need to be built into the schedules to affect service coordination. If the rider will need to cross the street to reach the bus stop (because it's not possible to have stairs on both sides of the street), then the street must be narrowed to improve pedestrian safety.
Here's a forum to discuss transportation issues in and around Chicago. Talk on traffic and transit is most welcome. Consumer advocates and riders and drivers will raise issues of concern, suggest solutions, and discuss the history of what led us to this point. Occassionally, members of government agencies will join us to either defend current policy or to broadcast their opinions of what should have been done had they ranked higher in the bureaucracy.
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The Transit Riders' Authority is the premiere consumer organization of transit riders in the Chicago area. Our purpose is to promote the benefits of safe, clean, comfortable, rapid, and reliable transit that goes where riders want, when they want, at a reasonable fare.
The Transit Riders' Authority
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312 725-0872
tra [at] transit [dot] chicago [dot] il [dot] us
Do you support our purpose? Then, join TRA! Here's a membership application:
Chicagoland Bicycle Federation are excellent advocates on issues for bicycle riders. Randy Neufeld, their past executive director, has been around for years. He's well respected by transportation policy makers, and CBF tends to set the city's policy on bicycle traffic.
The Civic Federation is the voice of the establishment in Chicago. While unlikely to take controversial positions on transportation policy, they are capable of producing neutral research results. They are respected by the media, the government, and the business community. It's worth following what they are up to.
Tri-State Transportation Campaign is an advocate for transportation policy in the New York metropolitan area. They pay particular attention to suburban issues on Long Island, the suburbs to the north of the city and the New Jersey suburbs. They don't seem to track Connecticut issues as widely. They promote more economical movement of freight within New York by ship, rail, and truck than the overburdened local road system. "Mobilizing the Region" is their informative weekly newsletter, which you might find interesting. It's distributed by e-mail.
Southern California Transit Advocates is a nonprofit consumer organization for the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
The National Motorists Association promotes speed limits based on driving conditions and lobbied to eliminate the federal 55 mph limit.
Perils for Pedestrians is a monthly television program on pedestrian issues. This site has some good links on research concerning walking.
Aaron M. Renn writes The Urbanophile, about transportation and urban affairs of Midwestern cities. Between 1998 and 2000, he had written The Weekly Breakdown, a series of articles on transportation issues, now archived.
Bill Vandervoort's site, Chicago Transit & Railfan has a historical perspective on the Chicago transit system, including a nice list of locations of former bus and streetcar barns! There are also railroad maps and past and present routings of intercity trains approaching Chicago.
Graham Garfield's site, Chicago's Rapid Transit, the "L", has an easy-to-use history of the Chicago Rapid Transit system, current operations, news headlines, and a list of proposed additions to the system from historical plans.
Chicago Transit Authority This site has scans of schedules for buses and the "L". If you are extremely patient, you may view the system map.
Metra Commuter Rail After completing a mail-in application, you may order 10-ride tickets via their Web site.
Why did cities develop as they did? Why did they start out compact and contiguous, well served by street cars, and turn into the sprawled messes we have today?
Who gains, who loses from today's system of taxation and distribution of governmental benefits?
For a better discussion of these issues, and an effective way of charging those who benefit, take a look at Henry George.
Henry George School of Social Science, Chicago
Understanding Economics; Henry George Institute
Earthsharing Australia
Geonomy Society [Jeff Smith]
Land Value Taxation Campaign [UK]
The International Union for Land Value Taxation and Free Trade
This article discusses the Railway Post Office and has the recollections of an old RPO clerk in Sacramento.
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