With great fanfare, Amtrak, Midwest Airlines, and government officials opened the station located about a mile from Milwaukee’s Gen Mitchell field in hope that it will lure Northern Illinois customers into using Amtrack’s Hiawatha service to fly out of Milwaukee rather than Chicago’s O’Hare or Midway.
Big Deal!
I really prefer to fly from Milwaukee but if they want my business on the Hiawathas, they had best let the trains stop in Northern IL. There are no stops either in Lake County, IL or Kenosha Co. WI. If I were to use it, I’d have to travel south 40 minutes to Glenview in Cook Co or north to Sturdevant in Racine Co. WI (and why travel that far–when you almost there?) .
I live 4 miles south of the Cheddar Curtain (WI border) and see the Hiawatha’s zooming through daily and and 500,000 people have no practical chance to use it.
Wow, did you hit a nerve with that one. Now listen, I happen to have lived in Wisconsin (Wausau) for four years and now am living in IL and so I guess I am a FIB. I also am a subscriber to the Chicago Tribune and each and every weekend we see countless advertisements for Wisconsin tourism asking us FIBs to come up and spend money, in Wisconsin, then we dirve up to Chedderland and see so very many FIBs pulled over on Highway 94 north of the Chedder Curatin and wonder if only FIBs speed or is it something else. Well, perhaps we FIBs should simply sell our north woods cottages, stop coming up to Wisconsin and spending our money, and just perhaps the land of cheese and “women” will dry up and blow away. So stick that in your brat bun and smoke it!
The reason so many “FIBs” get pulled over in WI is because WI has speed limits that are enforced. Driving around the Chicago Expressways and Tollways, one gets the impression that speed limits are mere suggestions. So IL drivers, used to going 75-85 mph when it’s not bumper to bumper are easy pickin’s once they stray north of the Cheddar Curtain. In IL, one seldom sees the IL Hwy Patrol out except during Holiday Weekends when they go into Wolfpack Mode.
Worst spots on I-94: Those areas just across the Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee County borders going northbound. Also the area throughout Dane Co (Madison) is relatively heavily enforced.
First understand that the following comments are generalizations; I’m sure there are a few Illinoians that do not fit the stereotype.
cypriano-
You are exactly correct; the reason that the Illinois cars are pulled over so much is that they go so much faster than most Wisconsin drivers. Plus they lane-change rapidly, and tailgate frequently. I commute daily on I-94 from Racine to Milwaukee, so I feel somewhat qualified to comment on this. In good weather, I travel at just under 75mph (which is the ‘unofficial’ break-point for getting pulled over in Wisconsin), and every day I see Illinois cars whiz by be doing at least 10-15 over what I am doing; no wonder they get stopped (DUH)!
I also know that Illinois tourism brings over $4million to Racine each year (not counting traffic fines). So it is not the presence of Illinois people in Wisconsin we do not like, it is the Illinois attitude. The flatlanders come up to “God’s Country” for a “relaxing” vacation, and yet they drive like they were on their way to work, and are so hyper no matter where you interact with them; it’s like they just can’t slow down. I just do not get it. I bet hypertension prescriptions sell great in northern Illinois, judging by the stress levels I see in our friends from the south.
So I guess what I am trying to say, is that if you want to vacation in Wisconsin, that’s great, Welcome to Wisconsin; but please check the attitude at the state line.
Hey dare 'ol buddy, I think what makes us FIBs different from you Cheeseheads, and creates what you may call our “attitudes” is that, quite simply, we are AWAKE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: I am a Southerner and know someting about the attitudes expressed between persons of different areas or states as you have been saying them. How unfortunate that the Wisconsin folks haven’t learned from us Southerners about the wonders and goodness of that Chicago money that comes and stays after the big city folks have gone home from their cabins. As for the Chicagoland dwellers your contributions to the ecomomy of that state to the North of you keeps them from being poor. -------------------Now as to what I think: You Wisconsin folks need to learn how to smile and say thank you and you folks in the city please learn to say you’re welcome. --------------------------Both sides of this please remember us folks down here have learned this lesson from well over 140 years of experience. ---------------------Now with all that said: if you folks in Wisconsin don’t want the Chicago folk’s money, we understand and will be happy to have them come down here to places like Orlando FL, Atlanta, GA and Cary, NC. These are places especially built with them and like persons in mind, to come and spend and leave their money, and mabe settle here and provide some high wages to us close by, while not actually with us. Have a great day folks - P L
I stopped by the new station last week and found workers still putting the finishing touches on it. Looks like it will be a nice place but can’t help but wonder if the location, convenience, ease of seeing trains coming (signals, etc.) will make it as popular a place to watch trains as say the Sturtevant station just down the line about 20 or so miles. Also, I wonder if the police will let us hang around there like we do at Sturtevant. Lastly, there are a few fast food places not too far away, so at least that will be in our favor.
Yes I have thought about maybe railfanning from the new Amtrak Depot. However having to pay $5 for parking is kind of a turn off. And the money is paid upon arrival.
Of course it would for both airplane and train watching.
As far as the police, or in this case the Milw Co Sheriff Dept, I know that they patrol the airport complex and surrounding area. And like was mentioned there is food not to far away.
Keith, wow, when I was there last week the parking lot was open but I saw nobody collecting fees for parking. I would NOT pay to watch trains there when I could just as easily go to Sturtevant (I usually stop on my way to West Bend from Chicago on business trips). Guess the parking fees will keep most railfans away, but Amtrak will not care one little bit.