I would appear to me, just by watching, that some METRA trains, at least on the BNSF seem to be getting longer. I haven’t hear anything “official” that ridership has increased and trains have gotten longer, but I have noticed a few things.
METRA runs 48 trains in each direction throughout the day, with the concentration being heaviest during the AM and PM rush. Several of the trains are “express” trains that bypass a bulk of the stations, both inbound and outbound, while the rest are locals that make most, if not all of the stops along the line. In the past, the express trains have averaged up to nine cars, over the last few weeks, however, I have noted that there are a couple of express trains that are now 11 and 13 cars long respectively. Many of the local trains have gone from 5 or 6 cars to as many as 8.
Now, mind you, it’s not all of the trains that are longer, but it appears that some of them are. I was wondering if anyone else has noticed and increase in either train length, or have heard anything about increased ridership. METRA operates several lines around Chicago, but I was also wondering about other large cities that have commuter service.
Since we are paying 4.19 a gallon (average) around Chicago, I really wouldn’t be surprised if more people were opting for the train.
My mom and I rode Metra between CUS and Big Timber Road (Milwaukee West line) this past Friday. The westbound job departing at 10:30 AM was 10 cars and the 6:07 PM eastbound was only 7.
I don’t know of a spot on Metra’s website that could give you monthly ridership totals, but Metra is touting big ridership gains on verey route (except the Rock Island service, which stayed roughly the same) in 2007 over 2006. The biggest gains were on the three routes that had had service expansions in early 2006, but BNSF did well, too.
One of these expanded routes was “my” route, UP West (I don’t work with or for Metra; it’s “my” route only because it’s the one through Lombard, and I use it for trips to Chicago, or occasionally to work). Train sizes have increased, but that seems to have taken place even before the service expansion–possibly in anticipation of it. The off-peak trains went from a typical three cars to about six, and the longest rush-hour scoots went from nine cars to about 11 (I’m not sure–I might have seen longer ones yet).
When Metra got its last batch of passenger cars and cab cars a couple of years ago, it got rid of all of its remaining smooth-side coaches (mostly ex-CNW cars built by Pullman Standard), usually selling them to other transit agencies for a buck apiece. One of the recipients was Virginia Railway Express, which was awaiting new bilevel cars of its own. Guess what…Metra has found itself short on cars, primarily due to construction on the Edens Expressway, which is causing it to (belatedly) expand service on UP North and MILW North. So it is buying back (for $5500 apiece, I think) five of its own old cars from VRE!
At any rate, Metra expects demand for its business to grow, citing a big increase in reverse commuting, the high prices of fuel, and the free rides now being granted to seniors. I’m not sure how much more the BNSF line can take, because it’s pretty near operating capacity now. Metra wants to expand service on UP West, but needs plant improvements to accomplish that.
One thing that I have noticed is that off-peak and weekend Metra consists have a lot more deadhead cars than in the past. This may be in part to reduce switching expenses, especially on weekends.
Metra also tends to add cars to off-peak trains in the summer months. They have a very aggressive marketing program to fill up the off-peak trains with kids going to the downtown museums as well as baseball games and the various summer festivals sponsored by the City of Chicago. You can always count on the trains being packed on the days the Cubs and the Sox play each other. Plus out west the Brookfield Zoo stop (Hollywood) always gets a big crowd during the summer months.
That’s also true, Paul. They don’t have any problems with opening them if necessary, though.
I’m still awaiting my first opportunity to take a bike aboard, and Metra advertises X number of bicycle spots potentially available on all of its off-peak and weekend trains. The latest issue of On the (Bi)Level mentions that bicycle spots might be reduced by the free-riding seniors competing for the same accessible seats.
Perhaps this is standard, but coming in on the Cardinal and going out on Metra to Fox Lake on Monday, I saw no more than a total of two Metra cars at the Burlington service yard and the Western Avenue service yards. Aside from the announced changes for Milwaukee and UP north routes, it occured to me that maybe every effort is being made to have the entire fleet in service. Between tighter service turns and juggling train lengths, it seems it might be possible to squeeze out a little more capacity where most needed.