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Originally Posted by Crawford
I'm pretty sure the heaviest present Metra service is on the Naperville line. They have the highest frequencies and biggest passenger loads. Pretty sure it's three tracks most of the way, too.
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The BNSF is all three tracks to the end in Aurora and was optimized for high speeds during the streamliner era. There's a reason they call it the "Racetrack". A fourth track has been contemplated, but the wealthy NIMBYs in western suburbs will fight that tooth and nail, similar to LIRR's Main Line.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse
Would be great if that capacity could be put to good use. Might work if they bought a fleet of DMUs for off-peak services.
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Metra is rolling out battery EMUs on Rock Island in a few years and they are open to using that rolling stock on other parts of the system if they can work the kinks out. I'm skeptical that battery technology will be reliable enough for Chicago winters, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by k1052
Buy more battery trains and run 15 minute headway service to Davis on UP-North. Install a crossover just south of the station and partially reactivate the west most track as a stub at the station.
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Any "regional rail" overlay service should go to the North Shore, which historically had the interurban as well as CNW commuter service. It's low density but at least highly walkable, and there's been a trickle of new housing developments in those downtowns too. If you're just going to where the density cuts off, I would suggest Wilmette as the terminus, but you could go all the way to Lake Forest before there is any kind of freight conflict.