I seen you comment in the last video and I completely agree with you on that matter. I think it will be necessary because I think the line will get busy and used a lot due to the population of the area going to Chicago for work, family, or “vacation”
And next time you drive down Lyman avenue make sure you stop for stop signs and the speed limit is 25 mph not 35 not 45 that's why you got to stop for the signs
You should call Mayor Tom McDermott and tell him how everything should be done and you should tell him how hammons going downhill with no jobs that's why everybody works in Chicago dude they pay more
I don’t see an issue with the rail transportation line being near the state line, as multiple cities touch the border. Your comment seems somewhat vague, in my opinion. This rail extension and the rail transportation itself is beneficial because of its capacity, unlike road traffic, where each car can hold a maximum of 4-6 people, especially during rush hour. While I understand that the line should mostly be grade-separated for safety, the rest of your points need further elaboration.
@windows98boogalooo problem is that Illinois paid for zero of it despite all the benefits of provides. Meanwhile many lake county residents still have to drive quite a distance to get to it. Taking over the hardly used NS line that parallels 41 and linking it to the EC station would have brought more of lake county's population within a shorter driving distance. The platforms that I have seen are pretty much as basic as they can be. When the weather is miserable, no one is going to want to wait for a train. They could be designed to block out a lot more weather. The gateway station..... The West lake line is elevated, the existing south shore line isn't. There is this insane set of stairs that doesn't even drop down to the south shore platform. You have to walk all the way to the end of the platform. And that platform still has pedestrians crossing the tracks. Elevating the section of the South shore from where it drops to grade level at Calumet (I think that's the correct street) through to the Hammond station would have rectified this. Plus it would have allowed them to raise the speed in that section from 25 to at least 60
@@ColeSpolaric Even though Chicago hasn’t contributed to the extension but still benefits from it, the South Shore Line company will receive increased income from the rise in ridership by connecting to new places. I like your idea of transforming unused railroad tracks into a new line, as it will be cheaper, more cost-effective, and faster to construct. Regarding the platforms, I understand your point about passengers not enjoying the harsh cold weather while waiting for the train. I suggest constructing weather-proof shelters so passengers can stay warm while waiting. Fortunately, they added roofs to the platforms, which helps with obstacles like heavy rain, snow, and hailstorms. Lastly, for the Gateway Station design, I understand your concern about the walkable connection from the elevated platform to the grounded platform, which requires crossing the South Shore Line. I hope they will upgrade the station in the future to make it safer, with pedestrian overpasses or underpasses that include accessibility features. If I’m not mistaken, the elevated platform has an elevator. They may be constructing the extension under budget constraints, which is probably why they didn’t include more convenient features for passengers. However, I’m sure they will upgrade the stations in the future as they gain more income from connecting new places, allowing passengers to travel more conveniently and quickly.
@@windows98boogalooo another problem I have is West lake is getting refurbished single level cars that are 60 plus years old in some cases. New line, ancient cars. They are leasing double deckers from metra for the main line. Just feels like more half hearted attempts at giving us passenger rail. Meanwhile Metra, the chronically struggling commuter rail, is purchasing new cars from Alstom. I'm glad our taxes are low, but a little extra in tax revenue to make this even better wouldn't be a bad thing.
@@ColeSpolaric I don’t see an issue with refurbishing or upgrading old rail equipment to function like new, as it’s cost-effective. Leasing a locomotive is cost-effective as well because it helps companies avoid the large upfront cost of purchasing one outright, allowing them to manage their capital more efficiently. Additionally, lease payments often include maintenance and repair costs, which minimizes extra operational expenses and provides the flexibility to adjust fleet size based on fluctuating demand. All that South Shore Line is doing is taking close measures and using alternatives to avoid the company from leaning into overspending or even worse, bankruptcy, which is a really smart move of what the company is doing. I agree that Metra shouldn’t be purchasing equipment from Alstom, instead they should be purchasing equipment from Siemens.
They should have layed double tracks! I think rail traffic and passenger volume will definitely warrant adding a second track!
I seen you comment in the last video and I completely agree with you on that matter. I think it will be necessary because I think the line will get busy and used a lot due to the population of the area going to Chicago for work, family, or “vacation”
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And next time you drive down Lyman avenue make sure you stop for stop signs and the speed limit is 25 mph not 35 not 45 that's why you got to stop for the signs
You should call Mayor Tom McDermott and tell him how everything should be done and you should tell him how hammons going downhill with no jobs that's why everybody works in Chicago dude they pay more
So much stupidity with this extension. Too close to the state line, too many grade crossings, uninviting platforms, the gateway station design, etc
I don’t see an issue with the rail transportation line being near the state line, as multiple cities touch the border. Your comment seems somewhat vague, in my opinion. This rail extension and the rail transportation itself is beneficial because of its capacity, unlike road traffic, where each car can hold a maximum of 4-6 people, especially during rush hour. While I understand that the line should mostly be grade-separated for safety, the rest of your points need further elaboration.
@windows98boogalooo problem is that Illinois paid for zero of it despite all the benefits of provides. Meanwhile many lake county residents still have to drive quite a distance to get to it. Taking over the hardly used NS line that parallels 41 and linking it to the EC station would have brought more of lake county's population within a shorter driving distance.
The platforms that I have seen are pretty much as basic as they can be. When the weather is miserable, no one is going to want to wait for a train. They could be designed to block out a lot more weather.
The gateway station..... The West lake line is elevated, the existing south shore line isn't. There is this insane set of stairs that doesn't even drop down to the south shore platform. You have to walk all the way to the end of the platform. And that platform still has pedestrians crossing the tracks. Elevating the section of the South shore from where it drops to grade level at Calumet (I think that's the correct street) through to the Hammond station would have rectified this. Plus it would have allowed them to raise the speed in that section from 25 to at least 60
@@ColeSpolaric Even though Chicago hasn’t contributed to the extension but still benefits from it, the South Shore Line company will receive increased income from the rise in ridership by connecting to new places. I like your idea of transforming unused railroad tracks into a new line, as it will be cheaper, more cost-effective, and faster to construct.
Regarding the platforms, I understand your point about passengers not enjoying the harsh cold weather while waiting for the train. I suggest constructing weather-proof shelters so passengers can stay warm while waiting. Fortunately, they added roofs to the platforms, which helps with obstacles like heavy rain, snow, and hailstorms.
Lastly, for the Gateway Station design, I understand your concern about the walkable connection from the elevated platform to the grounded platform, which requires crossing the South Shore Line. I hope they will upgrade the station in the future to make it safer, with pedestrian overpasses or underpasses that include accessibility features. If I’m not mistaken, the elevated platform has an elevator. They may be constructing the extension under budget constraints, which is probably why they didn’t include more convenient features for passengers. However, I’m sure they will upgrade the stations in the future as they gain more income from connecting new places, allowing passengers to travel more conveniently and quickly.
@@windows98boogalooo another problem I have is West lake is getting refurbished single level cars that are 60 plus years old in some cases. New line, ancient cars. They are leasing double deckers from metra for the main line. Just feels like more half hearted attempts at giving us passenger rail. Meanwhile Metra, the chronically struggling commuter rail, is purchasing new cars from Alstom. I'm glad our taxes are low, but a little extra in tax revenue to make this even better wouldn't be a bad thing.
@@ColeSpolaric I don’t see an issue with refurbishing or upgrading old rail equipment to function like new, as it’s cost-effective. Leasing a locomotive is cost-effective as well because it helps companies avoid the large upfront cost of purchasing one outright, allowing them to manage their capital more efficiently. Additionally, lease payments often include maintenance and repair costs, which minimizes extra operational expenses and provides the flexibility to adjust fleet size based on fluctuating demand. All that South Shore Line is doing is taking close measures and using alternatives to avoid the company from leaning into overspending or even worse, bankruptcy, which is a really smart move of what the company is doing.
I agree that Metra shouldn’t be purchasing equipment from Alstom, instead they should be purchasing equipment from Siemens.