A wonderful idea just waiting for it's time to come.........
Wonder if I'll be around to see it? If I reach the age my grandfather did, I have until about 2039.
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
Wow great idea how about getting some investors not some taxpayers. In my Liberal city a new bus service has just begun to compete with the two already shuttle service one of which is not very popular due to its bad customer service and the public service, train to pvt bus or train to subway/bus service which is less expensive but one has to lug suitcases to the train station egad.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
Technologically feasible for a reasonable price given the existing infrastructure (for that kind of distance, dedicated lines, whether high speed or not, simply isn't worth it), but politically expensive. One of those projects which would financially cost more to argue over for years with countless studies than actually building the blessed thing.
Making assumptions here, but CUS North tracks are under used so the capacity ought to be there, and crucially gives that city center destination - though direct subway connection would be better than walking a couple of blocks. Existing lines could be used northwards, probably electrifying them. Then a spur to the airport itself, burrowing underground the airport itself. Ideally having a couple of stations at the bigger terminals rather than a single one that then requires transfer onto the inadequate monorail. And, on a personal note, to stick some signs up so those like me with reduced sight have a chance of navigating the airport with more ease.
Posted by Vincent206 (Member # 15447) on :
It seems like a better idea than building a 3rd Chicago airport--is that idea still being kicked around?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
The Peotone airport proposal seems to be dead in the water (to mix a transportation metaphor) for the time being. The State of Illinois has other fish to finance and so does the federal government. The airlines don't want it.
Posted by RRRICH (Member # 1418) on :
I believe one of Metra's commuter lines goes from Ogilvie Station (isn't that what the old CNW station is called now?), out to O'Hare, doesn't it? Would this be the route AMTRAK would use to get to O'Hare? (probaably accessible via interchange somewhere to the north of CUS where the ex-CNW and ex-MILW trackage come together)
If AMTRAK goes to O'Hare, would that be part of a longer new corridor route to say Rockford or Dubuque or somewhere?
Posted by cubzo (Member # 4700) on :
Doesn't the CTA's Blue Line already make that trip?
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Can't wait to ride Amtrak to Dubuque. Some of the nicest people I know are folks I met there.
Posted by Geoff Mayo (Member # 153) on :
quote:Originally posted by RRRICH: I believe one of Metra's commuter lines goes from Ogilvie Station (isn't that what the old CNW station is called now?), out to O'Hare, doesn't it?
There is a Metra line that goes nearby but still involves a transfer.
quote:Originally posted by cubzo: Doesn't the CTA's Blue Line already make that trip?
If you don't mind a 45 minute ride on rickety and bumpy subway trains, yes. An "airport express" type of service could do the trip in around 15 minutes with purpose-built rolling stock potentially.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Did the Metra thing once. The train stops at the edge of an outlying parking lot. You have to wait for a shuttle bus to take you to the People Mover to get to the terminals proper. Taking the CTA Blue Line, slow and seedy as it is, is much easier and gets you right under the parking garage.
O'Hare and Chicago needs something like the express line from Charles de Gaulle into Paris proper.
Posted by Tanner929 (Member # 3720) on :
Well now that Chicago has elected a funnel to the White House what will stop it. I'm sure they are wringing their hands of visions of a high speed rail and a third airport
Posted by amtrak92 (Member # 14343) on :
I would rather have a corridor going somewhere after the air port, with maybe a few dedicated trains to the airport. Wouldn't this be Merta not amtrak
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
From "back in the barn"--
Mr. Tanner, City of Chicago interests are quite opposed to the "third airport' - and thus far have stalled, if not killed it. The alternative is an expansion of KORD, which for the moments, the two major hub airlines - United and American - are resisting its further construction contending they would have to pay for it with higher user fees and their traffic presently does not justify having such.
The proposed site is near Peotone which is within Will County and far South of the Corporate Limits. When O'Hare was built during the later '50's (actually expanding a military facility known as Orchard Field and hence its IATA of ORD and ICAO of KORD), Chicago simply "annexed" whatever was needed so that the airport was within Limits - and Richard the First would have been in complete control.