Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
^ yep, that makes total sense to me.
also, does anyone know if they could add enough capacity out at the rosemont yard to store all brown line trains? could the CTA theoretically sell off the kimball yard to get some cash back?
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New yard on the big city-owned parcel west of Cicero, wedged between the MD-N line and the Weber Spur. Might need to dig out under the MD-N embankment to get a decent yard space, but the other side of the tracks is city-owned too, the parking area behind Mayfair Pumping Station.
CTA could sell off Kimball Yard (I'm sure they would), but I don't know how valuable it is. Albany Park isn't River North... and any development there would have a high construction cost since they'd have to build over a tunnel portal. Air rights are almost always worth less than a proper terra-firma site, because of the increased cost to develop. But it would be cool to get a big Vermont/Wilshire style midrise development there.
As for connecting at Jefferson Park, I think the move is to build a separate underground station and crossover for the Brown Line with a pedestrian tunnel to the existing platform, and a track connection further north around Foster. That way you can terminate Brown Line trains there during rush hours without fouling up the Blue Line, and off-peak both lines can run to O'Hare. Might need a 4th terminal track at O'Hare too.