Here are some well-thought-out ideas on sppeding service during the three-track nightmare we face starting in April, from the "Friendky Neighborhood Transitman." Great ideas.
0) Top Priority item. REIMPLEMENT CONDUCTORS ON ALL NORTH SIDE TRAINS...Express, Red, Brown. This will help with communications and in getting train operations moving faster at stations.
0.1) REIMPLEMENT supervisors and add platform attendants to Belmont and Fullerton for each platform.
0.2) Add color code lights to indicate arrival of trains at stations to facilitate loading.
0.3) create expanded temporary waiting rooms at Belmont and Fullerton. This way, you can reduce the number of people on the platform at a given time.
0.4) Use supervisors to allow time to queue waiting room customers to reach platforms.
0.5) Run Red line trains EVERY 4 minutes. On minutes 2 (Ravenswood), and 6 (express when in operation).
0.6) Terminate Express at Wilson. Reactivate Eastbound platform for passenger transfers.
0.7) Couple Yellow and Purple line trains at Howard. Run through to Wilson(or beyond) as one train).
1) Keep in mind that the CTA does NOT do maintenance...no money in that, it lets things fall apart to where it requires CAPITAL REPLACEMENT.
2) The shoddy North Side service should be reason enough for a revolt with alderman, the mayor, and the CTA board for being negligent in their public duties. IMPEACH THEM!
3) This nightmare could have been avoided years ago. The CTA should have purchased real estate sufficient for relocating the entire North Main line between Belmont and Fullerton...or to have built a temporarily structure on Sheffield.
4) Given that they backed themselves into a wall for ADA compliance, I have a few alternatives for you to consider:
- Run all Ravenswood trains as 8 cars south of Belmont.
- For 6 car trains, build temporarily platform to connect to Belmont. Do not switch train into Belmont.
- Build temporary transfer station north of Belmont between Ravenswood and North side main line.
- Stop all Ravenswood service between Belmont and Fullerton.
- Stop North Side main line trains at Wellington and Diversey.
- Optimize schedule based on direction.
- Run southbound service in morning as two tracks south in morning. Switchover to two tracks north in afternoon.
- For southbound runs, middle track is express track for Express and Red line trains. Outer trackers for Ravenswood trains. Express trains do not stop at Wellington or Diversey southbound direction mornings or northbound direction afternoons.
- Offer reverse commuters express bus alternatives...no local stops.... express bus to certain stations.
- Consider running the Ravenswood and the express as through trains through the loop. For example, run Ravenswood through to Orange Line. Run express through to Pink Line or Green Line. If it was done right, it would reduce the number of trains on the Loop elevated.
On weekends:
Cclose Wellington and Diversey in one direction. Use other direction for weekend work on two tracks and accelerate the project schedule.
Consider closing Ravenswood service south of temp station at Belmont to facilitate accelerated schedule.
Re-deploy A/B service north of Belmont and south of Armitage to facilitate faster run throughs.
Other alternatives:
Run pink line trains as blue line trains during rush hours to reduce loop traffic.
Reactivate tracks 1 and 4 south of Armitage. Quad track to the Mart.
Temporarily add two tracks between Ravenswood branch line down Sheffield. Reconnect south of Armitage.
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