Why Do These Metra Trains Run on the Left?

[@Thom-TRA]

When I said farthest west, I meant to say second farthest. I read over it in my script and didn’t catch it in my check. Oops. The UPNW goes the farthest west. However, if the DeKalb extension is completed, the UP West will be the farthest west, and I will come back to this video and delete this comment.

[@dorn4931]

Let me tell you, I am BEGGING Pritzker to get the Dekalb and Huntley expansion, for the Milwaukee West, done soon

[@Thom-TRA]

@@dorn4931 he better do it before he becomes president, jk. Also l, did you hear about the potential train to Rockford?

[@leereeder2293]

Thom I used the UP West Line the most as I either lived in Elmhurst or Villa Park but have rode further west on it when necessary as well

[@pantherbulb8]

I actually emailed Metra about this! Turns out the county DeKalb is in isn’t part of the RTA or something??? Idk it’s weird. So that means that DeKalb has so fund the extension costs rather than the RTA. That’s why Metra hasn’t extended it there I think

[@insertcolorherehawk3761]

⁠@@pantherbulb8Hasn’t DeKalb County already planned on funding the extension?

[@roberthansen2008]

I can't stand that when the train stations are locked like that. You know they should open them up leave them open from the first train daily until the last train daily. It gets cold in the winter time and you have to stand out and wait for a train or when it's raining out really bad. Get it together metra!

[@Thom-TRA]

It was March and it was still so cold that day!

[@BroadwayLTDProductions]

Yeah the UP and BNSF lines always lock the depots on weekends. Super annoying. The Metra Milwaukee Lines keep their depots open especially on the north line.

[@kurtwicklund8901]

All things like this are solved with $$$. How big a fare increase is this worth to you?

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

So it wasn’t called Ogilvie until 1997! It was originally called the Chicago and North Western Terminal, which was built to replace their Wells Street Station across the North Branch of the Chicago River. It was designed by Frost and Granger, the two behind the 1903 design of LaSalle! But like you said, it was demolished. However Metra purchased the train shed in 1991 and despite the many challenges like replacing all the tracks, new electrical and plumbing systems, and removing the original lead paint, they spent 800,000 man-hours and $138 million on repairs. Richard B. Ogilvie was a board member of the Milwaukee Road, who was Chicago & North Western’s rival, but they still named it after him since he was a pro-rail governor of the state and he paved the way for the creation of the RTA.

[@thomasrengel5577]

He (a former political powerhouse of a governor of IL) was also named Bankruptcy Trustee of the Rock Island and made a good show of trying to keep The Rock alive and independent. I remember one RR meeting where a member burst in shouting "The Rock Island has POSITIVE cash-flow!!" and our hearts were lightened. But it was NOT TO BE. An Evil Man named Jimmy Carter was running for re-election nad needed votes; there was a Satanic Man named Fred Kroll who was head of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks etc. and he called a strike against the Rock. Jimmy bailed him out by having the ICC seize The Rock and arbitrarily declare it "cashless" and have it operated by someone else under emergency ICC authority. But mere months later the Wrath of The Good Lord Descended on Fred Kroll--or maybe just Satan Claimed One of His Own--and Fred Kroll died of one of the most painful cancers there can be, Pancreatic Cancer. The Rock Island got broken up and parts of it ripped up so some railway clerks lost their jobs. Jimmy Carter went on to electoral slaughter---but the Rock was no more! Now maybe the Boston & Maine or the New Haven of the Granger Roads deserved to go. TRAINS Magazine will tell you in many articles how antiquated the CRI&P had become; its train-order territories west of the Mississippi got known as "Bow & Arrow Country" so maybe the Beverly Branch/Suburban Loop is "Bow & Arrow Country" too---it was in 2005! The Rock, like the B&M, might be considered an operating railroad museum by some.

[@timothynoel786]

Wow! I'm impressed that you not only called the color correctly, Kate Shelley Rose. Also that you knew the story of her heroics! Good job!!

[@Thom-TRA]

If Shelley can save a train, I can do my research!

[@ztl2505]

Should have kept the sound for Ogilvie. As soon as you walked in I heard the dozen overlapping announcements in my head lol

[@Thom-TRA]

I have it in some of my Union Station videos

[@robinrussell7965]

I took this train on my bike camping trip and got off in somewhere DuPage County. A bit of a challenge dragging the bike up the stairs. And the conductor made sure that I tied up my bike securely.

[@Thom-TRA]

You dragged the bike up? Usually I just put it by the foldable seats.

[@ByzantineCalvinist]

I grew up along the west line. Born in Oak Park, raised in Wheaton. Barely noticed the shift to Amtrak because it didn’t affect the commuter trains constantly coming through our town. But twice a day the Kate Shelley 400 passed through Wheaton without stopping on its route between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. That ended in 1971. There are so many rail fans in Wheaton, with many focussing on our defunct electric interurban, the Chicago Aurora & Elgin, of which I have dim early childhood memories.

[@vaughnshinkus4178]

Idk if you’re aware of this, I’m sure you are, but next time you come to Philly you should go to Reading Terminal Market. It’s similar to but larger than (I assume) albeit much more crowded than the French Market, and is located under the elevated train shed of the former Philadelphia terminus of the Reading Railroad (who’s lines were taken over by SEPTA and converted to regional rail) and features a wide variety of authentic cuisine and some of the best in Philly. Highly recommend.

[@bernardtheaubreycoxandcoolgame]

Thank you for showing All the best of metra

[@thefareplayer2254]

South Florida could learn a thing or two about railroad crossing safety from Elmhurst.

[@Thom-TRA]

Boom goes the car on the Brightline track

[@HSMiyamoto]

NCTD Coaster between Oceanside and San Diego, CA, also runs left-handed, and for much the same reason; minimize the number of people running across the tracks to catch a departing train. Ironically, two of those stations now have an overpass or underpass with a big fence between the tracks preventing anyone from running across the tracks, but the old practice remains.

[@Thom-TRA]

Interesting. I'd like to ride the Coaster someday.

[@dp92492]

I took Metra to DesPlaines a couple of weekends ago. On the way back to the city, i kept freaking out thinking i was on the wrong side while i was waiting lol. Perfect time to find this video!

[@Thom-TRA]

Aren’t you glad you’re not tripping? 😂

[@norlockv]

One typically waits for the inbound trains to be sure you catch your train. Those arriving from the city would go home or work, not hang around the station house. So they kept the inbound on the North/left to shelter the inbound passengers.

[@Thom-TRA]

Yeah, that’s what I said.

[@chrishtheenby]

another instance of left-hand running in the US I'm aware of (because it's my daily commute) is between Los Angeles Union Station and Fullerton... but only in the morning! All metrolink and amtrak trains on this stretch run left-handed for the first half of the day and right-handed for the rest of the day so regular commuters like myself disembark at the same platform in the evening that we used to board in the morning

[@chrishtheenby]

I've been told by someone who consulted on rail operations in this area that this was done for passenger convenience but personally I suspect it has more to do with Commerce Station only having one side platform or maybe reducing conflicts at Fullerton Junction

[@Thom-TRA]

Ooh I didn’t know that. That would be fun to make a video about.

[@adianchowdhury9016]

Also further south Coaster and Pacific Surfliner run on the left between Carlsbad and Solana Beach

[@Chescat124]

I am VERY used to ogilvie, I’ve been to the French market multiple times and seen a bunch of power moves, some big, some small, and UPY GP15s switching the station, and of course, the Metra trains leaving and coming.

[@Elmhurstrailfanner]

bruv this throws me back to all the elmhurst videos i would watch when i was little and seeing elmhurst in the backround with metra's really threw me back bro thx for the throwback also amazing video!!!

[@kr46428]

Wow, you got me reading up a bit on the UP -> Metra switchover and it sounds like years of corporate litigation in the making. Nothing says "I'm right and you're left" like a good old American lawsuit.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m curious to see if anything will change service-wise

[@davidburrow5895]

I definitely agree with you about the French Market. I discovered it by accident and now seek it out when I'm in Chicago.

[@Chescat124]

Same here

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s nothing pretentious, just very cute

[@GregMacek]

Underrated gem! I wish more people knew about it and it had enough draw to be open later like 9pm for early dinner crowds.

[@briansivley2001]

I've been on UP W Line multiple times to the end at Elburn and I have fun riding it. And I always knew why The UP Lines ran North Bound Trains on the Left thanks to living by The UP North Line so many people including my mom told me why. I lived between The Rogers Park and Evanston Main Street Stations so I could choose whichever one I needed or had time to get to at the time. Sometimes I would go to The Dominick's Store (RIP Dominick's) on Howard and Clark and I would get a ham and cheese panini and beer battered onion rings along with some chips and diet pepsi for my day trip on Metra they were so yummy. As a teenager I was and still am pretty streetwise and able to get to places where people say that you can't get to because they're not accessible to public transportation so I considered it a challenge. I'm still that way to this day in fact I take it as a insult if you don't think I know or I'm wrong.

[@Thom-TRA]

I resonate with the last part of your comment. People always act flabbergasted when I say I took the train/ bus. My response: watch me!

[@briansivley2001]

@@Thom-TRA Me too. I tell people that I have a poor mom and we live on Social Security and Food Stamps what do you expect? That's why once I get a apartment I intend to make my life better. I have plenty of talents that can make me rich nowadays like with KZbin. I've always had a huge interest in photography and I took pictures whenever I did my trips on Metra. When I got a phone with a camera and camcorder my creativity in my brain just sparked. Now that I'm getting a apartment and becoming independent for the first time I intend to use all of my skills and talent including hobbies to their fullest.

[@joemotes]

Thom, hanks again for another video.

[@pantherbulb8]

This is my Metra line and I’ve always wondered why it ran on the left. I also Never knew that Elmhurst had a underpass! Thanks for sharing!

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad you could learn something! That’s my goal

[@Thom-TRA]

@@Tommy-qx6gj it’s still much easier and cheaper to build new rails on the other side, and not have to move several dozen platforms. I find it interesting how all this infrastructure isn’t really that old in the grand scheme of things, yet no official explanations have been preserved aside from theories.

[@sixeses]

I lived in Elmhurst until about 8 years ago. I took that train many times. Besides the station being closed I noticed that all the benches on the platform seem to have disappeared. Besides the freight trains, some of the evening rush hour outbound trains only go as far as Elmhurst and then return downtown to pick up another load of passengers. That makes the tunnel useful since the passenger train stays in the station until it can reverse. There's also an underpass for car traffic.

[@Thom-TRA]

I was very pleasantly surprised that the tunnel exists

[@chicagolandrailroader]

Thanks for covering the UP lines! I'm pretty close to the UP Milwaukee sub which is freight only and still runs on the left. I also liked the history you shared too! Thanks.

[@Thom-TRA]

UP North will be my next Metra video, later this summer!

[@jrails46]

Hey Thom, great video! I grew up in Oak Park only 2 blocks from the metra station. I remember when the trains were in the RTA colors using the smooth side steel C &NW bilevel cars back in 1985.

[@Thom-TRA]

Oak Park is a great place!

[@SuperDave30]

Awesome video, I love how you share facts of Chicago Metra and CTA lines and former CTA lines as well.

[@Thom-TRA]

Appreciate it!

[@spuwho]

Many changes have occurred in track operations since UP took over the CNW. Since the CNW was pretty cheap they removed all the intermediate switches west of Proviso Yard. This means any freight was committed to their track until West Chicago. UP has put many of them back in to optimize not only Metra but also freight movements. This allows more freights to be switched out of Metra trains more easily. There will never be a flyover of the MILW line over the UP West line. Freight movements in this area usually only happen at night. Very few MILW trains have to wait for a UP to clear anymore for Metra. UP also installed a third track at River Forest to improve traffic flow between Oak Park and Proviso.

[@SleepTrain456]

Now, I know that Metra's Union Pacific lines run on the left, and why: probably for the convenience of Chicago-bound passengers! Thanks for the video!

[@SHKarlson]

Makes sense that the heated buildings would be used by inbound commuters waiting for their trains; on the way home it would be off the train and over to the park 'n ride lot, or hoof it home. On the Milwaukee Divison, er, North Line, the pricier real estate was on the lake side of the tracks, thus it was cheaper to build the second track on the shore side, and run the outbounds on it.

[@commodoresbank]

I’ve ridden the West Line for a lifetime, and almost every time they would run trains on the left in/outbound, and I too was confused why its that way. Thanks for clarifying how and why it was made that way! Ogilvie’s concourse as well could’ve had a lot more options downstairs. They should at least maybe include a second exitway to the French Market if you don’t want to access from the upstairs, I felt as if it was somewhat neglected as a result of the only way through from the office tower entrance.

[@Thom-TRA]

Isn’t it fun to learn about the systems we ride?

[@commodoresbank]

@@Thom-TRA oh yes indeed it means a lot when learning about them.

[@SHKarlson]

I'm not sure what you're referring to, there are doors into the French Market north of the concourse entrance, as well as the passage from the suburban concourse into the center of the market. The suburban concourse is separated from the station head house by Washington Street, although there is a back door into the food court on the southwest corner of Canal at Washington.

[@29downtheline]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="624">10:24</a> I love those Metra-branded door handles!

[@BHV0810]

The closest Metra line to me. I'm gonna go railfan UP West at the West Chicago triple diamond sometime soon, and also get some Union Pacific and Canadian National action as well.

[@fnihp30]

The office tower at the downtown station was previously known as Citicorp Center in the 90s. (I used to work for Citibank in that office tower back then). Citibank’s midwestern offices were in the tower before the merger with Travelers in 1998.

[@Thom-TRA]

How was your view?

[@fnihp30]

@@Thom-TRA The office Tower has a huge atrium, so the window closest to my cubicle was actually a view of the atrium. However, there were conference rooms and boardrooms that had great views looking North of all the trains entering & exiting the station as well as views looking South where you could actually see the trains entering & exiting Union Station.

[@amfm889]

And when it first opened it was called Northwestern Atrium Center. Designed by the late Chicago architect Helmut Jahn.

[@Cupertinorail]

second of all, I thought it was pronounced Oh-gill-vee. I'm from California and we always do this when traveling in Chicago and bah no one likes to generic mall food in a train station unless it's connected to an actual mall.

[@tyhik9338]

Awesome video, hope you had an amazing holiday

[@kriss_b]

Thankyou thom, this was a very interesting video.

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome!

[@HSMiyamoto]

Unfortunately, the trainshed at Ogilvie Transportation Center was also demolished when Northwestern station was destroyed. The new platform roofs are attractive and practical, but the old one was distinctive.

[@TotemKommo-o]

I took this line to La Fox about a week ago to hang with a friend for a day. :D We went to a Japanese garden in Rockford

[@Thom-TRA]

I didn’t know Rockford had a Japanese garden. How was it?

[@SHKarlson]

@@Thom-TRA It's called the Anderson Gardens. Nothing like good ole melting pot in the State Line!

[@AJESF]

Great video Thom! 🤔✌️

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@BossSpringsteen69]

Somewhere i read that the train stations were on the North side because they offered more protection from winter winds that often blow from the West or North. Maybe that's also a part of the left hand running reasoning.

[@Thom-TRA]

Could be!

[@richskater]

IDK all the specifics, but the Heritage Corridor caught me off with similar in Romeoville. I was on the wrong side of the platform trying to board for downtown.

[@erichhouchens3711]

You mention changing the signals. This is no longer a problem as the line is now CTC with all tracks signaled for bi-directional operation as well as PTC. Yes, changing station signs on the platform would be a cost but not that great of an issue.

[@Thom-TRA]

You know changing the signs at one station costs upwards of $200000. Multiply that by several hundred, add the cost of information and safety campaigns, you’re well into the millions. Add to the fact that passengers are used to the way things are, and it would offer no benefit, and switching would be just about the worst business decision they could make.

[@bluetheta]

Jefferson Park on the Northwest line has a underpass turned overpass to connect to CTA blue line with Metra and buses.

[@blackbirdgaming8147]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="685">11:25</a> The FRA minimum for warning times on crossings is 20 seconds, which is 20 seconds from the first light flashing to the nose of the train entering the threshold of the crossing. All gates must be down before the train arrives. The warning time on that crossing definitely was a tad short, but it is within the rules.

[@DominikW118]

Good video topic, kinda sad you didn't get out to Wheaton 😁

[@Thom-TRA]

I’ve been to Wheaton before! Very cute. Had some business in Elmhurst to take care of that day.

[@DominikW118]

@@Thom-TRA I’m glad you enjoyed it :)

[@garysprandel1817]

Little bit of Northwestern Station trivia. The 70s movie Silver Streak was originally supposed to have been filmed in Chicago and Illinois on the Rock Island. Unfortunately while scouting locations the track conditions of the only a few years away from it's leap into oblivion Rock Island became apparent and for reasons of production scheduling and safety concerns for stunt people that would be working on moving trains the shooting locations were moved to Canada on the Canadian Pacific with Canadian locations filling in for the various US stops of Amroad. Chicago does actually appear for a second or two as the Silver Streak heads into " Union Station on it's way to Marshall Fields" the throat of the old Northwestern Station train shed is seen in very short sped up clip apparently shot from an inbound commuter train during some of the scouting for the film.

[@Thom-TRA]

Many people have told me to go see the movie. I may just have to.

[@garysprandel1817]

@Thom-TRA oh absolutely see it. One of the very few train movies where the the reason the train becomes a runaway is actually plausible ( baddie shoots the hogger and drops a toolbox on the deadman's peddle) and doesn't make you cringe plus Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor at their absolute peak work together.

[@rail-ryder7135]

I have been to Ogilvie many times and never met a rude security guard.

[@Thom-TRA]

Well then consider yourself lucky

[@ck4426]

You “left” me speechless with this one, I had no idea!!! How interesting how the past impacts the present so much. The information about the woman who saved the train was amazing!!! Thank you!!!

[@Thom-TRA]

Love the pun

[@tommarino1056]

Very Interesting and well presented. I always enjoy your videos.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@TheNapalmFTW]

Homewood metra has a subway/underpass/steps under the railway tracks although they're drastically redoing that station right now

[@londonwhaley8690]

Enjoyed the video👍👍

[@stephen2800]

Whenever Elmhurst redoes their station you should come back and make a video about it

[@adianchowdhury9016]

Coaster and Pacific Surfliner also run on the left on certain sections in San Diego county

[@legerdemain]

That station is a short walk from the Elmhurst History Museum, which is heavily rail focused. I'd recommend it to anyone finding their way to the area.

[@Thom-TRA]

Great tip!

[@thomasrengel5577]

Did you ever hear of the Chicago & North Western??? Left-hand running for eons!! The METRA line to Geneva, the METRA line to Harvard/McHenry(is that still running?), and the METRA line to Kenosha WI are all former C&NW lines only taken over by UP in 1995 I think and thus but a short time ago. (READ UP ON MORE RR HISTORY! Ever hear of an Official Guide?) I even saw Madison Street Station briefly in 1982 before it was torn down; that was the old C&NW Terminal. Indulge me in calling Ogilvie "Madison Street" because I like to score points with old-timers! A NEAR-TRAGIC STORY FOLLOWS... On the last Tuesday in May 2005 I was busily doing the ENTIRE C&NW Commuter system in 14-hoursincluding the McHenry Branch. I had read that the C&NW was left-hand running but to see left-hand running In The Flesh with left-hand signals and everything--starting with the Very Frist Train out of Madison Street, the <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="345">5:45</a>am trip to McHenry; thence in to Barrington and get off at Barrington on the Left-hand Side. YES, IT'S TRUE!!! When the train to Harvard (the Extension School I think!) was announced yes there were more than one person rushing up the stairs to get to the opposite side--but they did make their train. Then a light delightful breakfast in the Harvard Station and back in with Glorious Left-Hand Running with a front-end window view! BUT IT WAS AT MADISON STREET (D#%n Ogilvie!) THAT TRAGEDY NEARLY INTERVENED!!!... I had to go "do nature" so I headed to the "facilities" which were on a lower floor; by that time I had endured almost six hours of left-hand operations! The escalators approached and I innocently went to the head of the escalator on the left...and wound up nearly knocking several people down the moving stairs!! THE ESCALATORS AT MADISON STREET/OGILVIE (you win!) ARE RIGHT-HAND RUNNING!!!!! I never got around to writing a Letter to the Editor of The Chicago Tribune or Mike Royko or whomever that this DANGEROUS FLAW in the station's operations should be corrected and those escalators made LEFT-HAND RUNNING like the Read of the C&NW/UP ancestral lines----before someone finally gets killed!

[@SHKarlson]

Chuckle. Some of the escalators in London's Tubes are also direction of traffic to the right.

[@leereeder2293]

I always had a monthly ticket on Metra and rode pretty much every line in the system

[@eirinym]

It's cool learning about the history. One thing people often don't realize is that on a multiple track layout (2+) it's not that uncommon to have trains occasionally swapping directions or running in both directions even one one track at separate sections of a line. With signalling and points (switches), trains running counter normal flow is not a problem at all, unlike with roads which can be a major issue since it's not often designed to accomodate it. For example, when I was in France, occasionally trains would be running on the right even though SNCF uses left hand running.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s only really done in the US and on single track lines with occasional passing sidings. Most places stick to a side on double track lines.

[@UncleAl3]

One item used from the old station is the large Elgin clock, which is in your video @ <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="95">1:35</a>. Also the shed cover structure was also replaced.

[@Superwastaken1]

I actually live in oak park and it’s a really nice neighborhood

[@JomirBrands]

Great video!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@Brookfieldilrailfan]

The stations being locked at the wrong time is definitely a problem many stations close at 12pm and don't reopen for the busiest rush hour 4-7pm and it can be very cold out and the weekends most stations are locked which can be an issue they should make the station open at around 4 am and close at 1 am when the first and last train comes

[@michaelb9629]

I lived really close to these tracks in Wheaton, where I could see trains out the window from my old home. I was like only a few blocks away from the college ave station. When I was just recently in town, I had to take this train route to meet up with my friends that still live in Wheaton. One of them however still lives close to college ave like I did.

[@Thom-TRA]

I visited Wheaton once, I really liked it

[@michaelb9629]

@@Thom-TRA That’s great to hear. I really liked living there.

[@DrSeussFan]

Trains Are Awesome. Can you do a video of the Metra UP-North Line that runs from Chicago to Kenosha.

[@Thom-TRA]

Just wait a little longer

[@Steven_Williams]

Funny, I'll be near this line in Wheaton tomorrow. At a train show.😅

[@Thom-TRA]

A train show in Wheaton? Model trains?

[@Steven_Williams]

@@Thom-TRA Yes

[@SHKarlson]

@@Thom-TRA First Sunday of nearly every month, they take July or August off, at the fairgrounds. It's a brisk walk from the station.

[@GregMacek]

Great video and love seeing my Metra line featured! UP-W does have a few other stations with pedestrian underpasses: Oak Park (somewhat by design of the station and tracks being on the embankment), Berkeley, Bellwood, Elmhurst, Lombard, and College Ave in Wheaton. I wish all Metra stations had them.

[@Thom-TRA]

It seems the UP West has more underpasses than most of the other lines. I’ve been to my fair share of stations and almost none of them have had them.

[@Jackyliu009]

I strongly recommend a Saturday or weekday trip to Kenosha on the UP-N. They got interesting streetcars and coach buses to Milwaukee. Also, what do you mean that UP operations will be transferred to Metra in 2024? What will change because of that?

[@Thom-TRA]

I’ve done the trip to Kenosha, I’d recommend a weekday though, the weekend schedule back from Kenosha is terrible. UP and BNSF run their commuter trains on the Metra network, just like they run their freight trains. But UP is transferring this responsibility to Metra, being only responsible for the tracks and no longer for running the trains.

[@piemadd]

As Metra is buying out UP's operations, I wonder if we'll see a swapping of services between OTC and CUS to allow for the crossover to be removed from service. It would make some peoples' commutes slightly shorter and longer, but I think would be an overall improvement at the end of the day.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’d love to see that, but I doubt it. I believe UP will still be the dispatcher.

[@piemadd]

@@Thom-TRA Even though metra will be dispatching, I dont think that'll prevent them from running trains into ogilvie from the MD lines (and etc).

[@naurrr]

as a Chicago native I've always wondered why they ran on the left! thanks for this video!

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad to provide an answer!

[@jameskerner7782]

I guess that the train was running wrong rail that the gates were slow to go down.

[@canyonoverlook9937]

A lot of suburbs have built condos and apartments downtown near the train station in the last 25 years. It started in the mid-90s from what I remember. They are overpriced if you ask me.

[@Thom-TRA]

Renting an apartment in the western/northwestern suburbs often cost more than what I was paying in Chicago. With maybe slightly more space but less connectivity!

[@Mr.E723]

Easily my favorite line. I actually live closer to the BNSF but prefer the UPW. It’s just more pleasant because it’s usually less crowded. I wish you had taken it all the way to Elburn. It’s just a really cool contrast how you start the ride in the heart of a major city and end the ride in farm country. There’s been talks for years about extending it to Dekalb, I hope they eventually do that.

[@Thom-TRA]

I had to be in Elmhurst

[@SHKarlson]

Yes, at least forty years of DeKalb talk, and it's always ten years away ...

[@geektastically]

For some reason the trying my best knock off made me think of like Chucky costume vibes lol

[@Thom-TRA]

I don’t think I know what this means

[@KJW-Transit]

Cause the Union Pacific line. I'm going to watch the video to

[@landon176]

Here’s a secret about me. When I go on metra, I leave on a train in between 10am and 11am.

[@Thom-TRA]

What a fun fact

[@alterra9774]

Depends on where in Japan you are. Many of the trains you take run on the right side, not the left. Nagoya city Kintetsu, and Meitetsu do, I dont know so much for the other cities.

[@Thom-TRA]

No, Meiteysu and Kintetsu also run on the left. You can watch some great cab view videos on KZbin!

[@alterra9774]

@@Thom-TRA I’ll have to pay attention when I ride tomorrow. I swear I get off on the right side of the platform.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@alterra9774 are the lines single track? Sometimes if the trains just pass at stations but the rest of the line is single track they’ll switch it up depending on the scenario. The

[@alterra9774]

@@Thom-TRA so my line start on the right then makes a left into the main area of the other trains on the right most side, but it is on the left side for direction. Im just the furthest right of all the left side. It took me until now to notice. Thank you 🙂

[@lukethompson5558]

What year was that double tracked? It’s amazing how the decision reverse the directions could last decades or centuries 😂

[@SHKarlson]

Nineteenth century, and in those days double track meant directional running thanks to the constraints on the signalling circuits of the day. Then C&NW overlaid automatic train control on the Overland Route and automatic train stop on the Wisconsin and Milwaukee Divisions, which further locked in the left hand running.

[@canyonoverlook9937]

Unfortunately, they have people crossing the tracks to catch the train. It just temps people to cross and they could get hit. I don't think they have gates for pedestrians yet. I haven't used a Metra train for a while. I got on a train in Palatine in the 90s and someone crossed the track to catch the train when the lights were on. The conductor was going through the train looking for them to kick them off. It's too bad they don't have tunnels or bridges like the UK does. Did you see a high school girl was killed last week in Barrington crossing at the road not at the station? She was walking.

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s so tragic

[@seanwilluweit6073]

There’s a proposal to make the A-2 junction a flyover! It’s part of the plan to build a west loop metra station. The city of Chicago published the plan in 2022.

[@Thom-TRA]

That would be a good move

[@christophernoble6810]

Also Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden,Slovenia, Ireland and parts of Austria all run on the left.

[@Thom-TRA]

I mentioned some of those. I really wish people paid more attention to what I say in my videos and don’t just respond to the title in the comments. Is that really that hard?

[@nachbarslumpi7093]

We call it a l‘anglaise. The english way.

[@stevencipriano3962]

How do you know when to use the middle platform? I know it is for express trains but some trains just skip a few stops...would they also use the middle platform

[@Thom-TRA]

I have no idea. I think you just have to wait and see where your train stops.

[@jacobbaer785]

When I looked at the UP-North timetable a few months ago, I believe it specifically calls out certain trains as stopping at the middle platform at certain stations. Also, at a station like Elmhurst where the middle track has no platform, any express train stopping there would have to switch to an outer track to stop there.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@jacobbaer785 they don’t switch tracks actually, they make you board at the railroad crossing. You can see it with the inbound train towards the end of my video.

[@jacobbaer785]

@@Thom-TRA Thanks for responding, Thom! Love your content! Is that what the train at 9:35 is doing? I missed that the first time I watched. Anyway, where I'm from in Philly, there are a couple of places on Septa Regional Rail where trains board from a track not next to the platform, using grade crossings. One of them is Woodborne, my old home station, and another is Bryn Mawr, where expresses will board across the local track when they stop there. I wasn't aware of any other Railroads that still did this, but now I know.

[@rikkichunn8856]

In the schedule, there's a reference mark such as an "X" or "C" by the departure time, to indicate this train runs on the express track. Pretty cool, eh?

[@notcarrotnose258]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="233">3:53</a> zamn transition

[@amfm889]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="736">12:16</a> Clever!

[@tyhik9338]

You should talk about the Metra voices

[@timectrl]

Good video

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@AshmewStudios]

you should report the security guard

[@georgekarnezis4311]

Why does the rock island run on the left inbound on the weekend? At least in mokena it does.

[@SignalMan9292]

AKA the best rail line in Illinois

[@pilotaburch172]

I live there <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="354">5:54</a> oak park

[@Thom-TRA]

Nice

[@nashorn9745]

Swiss and French trains run on the left except on the line between Strassburg and Basel where they run on the right.

[@landon176]

Nice vid

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@Mishastrains]

OMG U R LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Thom-TRA]

Why exactly?

[@kolkoreh]

Israel also runs trains on the left

[@tylerdotapp]

why do american suburbs look so rural? it just looks so dead

[@Thom-TRA]

Because they’re terrible places to live

[@epender]

They don't believe in density and they build everything outside of walking distance with unnecessarily wide streets and huge gaps between each house.

[@halakahiki2]

Definition shift. What a lot of places call "suburban," in most of North America is still called "urban" because it's still within or contiguous with city limits, or it looks like the area around the edge of the city limits. That means that exurbs often get called "suburbs" and nearby rural communities called "exurbs." For example, where I live is definitely suburban in nature but is still within the city limits, and is considered by most to still be "urban." Where my sister lives, about six miles away, is exurban in nature, but, because it abuts the city limits, it is *also* considered by most to be "urban." The actual next town in the same direction is rural and still surrounded by farms and pastures, but would be called a "suburb" by most here.

[@Cupertinorail]

awh, is Metra the only one that runs on the left?

[@mattburke7151]

I was a victim of a person wanting cash from me at ovilgee transportation center and no one took any action against him.