New Joliet station

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

Well that’s what the Chicago Tribune saiid this morning. However the article say’s 42 million will be spent to separate BNSF tracks from the station tracks with Joliet paying 7 million, BNSF 2 million and us taxpayers the rest. Sounds like election season talk to me.

2

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/10/new-rail-station-slated-for-downtown-joliet.html

Here’s a better story: http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/2145849-418/joliet-million-transit-center-downtown.html

I’d like to see a picture of what they have planned here. The only location I can think of that would give access to all of the passenger tracks and be adjacent to the existing station would be across the tracks, where UD Tower now stands.

I’m just glad to hear that they plan on preserving the old structure, and hope that the tower can somehow be kept as well.

3

Yes, Carl, the Union Station is worth preserving and since it is on the National register and operates as The Grand Ballroom at Joliet Union Station.

http://www.jolietunionstation.com/

Sounds like the new station will be on the east side of the tracks, i.e. the old GM&O tracks.

4

That’s what I meant to say about the location, and I’ve since revised my comment to correct a minor mistake and reflect that.

Today’s Newswire has a link to a video about the plan, but it’s a “.wmv” file, and I can’t open it[:(].

A lot of earthwork will be needed on that side of the tracks to accommodate this transportation center, which will still have to be a two-level structure (unless buses are driven up and down ramps to get to track level!). Another possibility is that all facilities will be on the lower level, with ramps, stairs, and/or elevators that come up between the ex-GM&O tracks to provide crossing-free boarding.

I can’t remember what stores, if any, were left along the south side of the road to the east of the station, but this is where I suspect the parking facility would be built.

5

Looking at the site on Google earth and map, my guess would be on the site directly east of the GM&O tracks, where Michigan St. dead ends into a parking lot.

6

http://www.cityofjoliet.info/documents/TIGERGrantFinalDocument09-15-09.pdf

This PDF from the application includes some drawings

It appears the new station will be just south of the Diamond,

7

Is there a “rolling the eyes” smilie? I’ll never live to see all of this! Let’s heat up the link a little.

http://www.cityofjoliet.info/documents/TIGERGrantFinalDocument09-15-09.pdf

8

Reading the proposal brings up several questions.

  1. The present at grade crossing of the 2 lines remains in place?

  2. Does Metra have to use the UP connection track to put Heritage corridor trains to rest for the night?

  3. Does that require additional crossings of the N-S lines?

  4. Will any HSR line maybe fly over the junction or is that too far in the future?

9

Thanks, Carl. For those who are interested, that PDF file is 25 pages - many with color illustrations, and 4.37 MB in size, so ti may take a while to download. But I’d say it’s worth the wait.

  • Paul North.
10

I’ve already been surprised by what’s going on here once, so anything I say should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

  1. Yes.

  2. I believe so. The coach yard is Metra’s own, so it makes sense to maintain the equipment there.

  3. It shouldn’t. In fact, I suspect that the Metra Heritage Corridor trains could easily come in and go out on the easternmost track (the one nearest the tower), so no crossover moves at all would be necessary, if the platform shown (presumably accessed from the new transportation center by tunnels beneath the diamonds–some tunnels already exist) is built on that side of the track.