Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
But surely that's the case whether the link to downtown is via the North Central or Milw-W tracks. As for tunnels, my thought was that they could be shallow cut-and-cover going through the airport property and under runways, less difficult than approaching from the east. But the most important reason is that Metra already has full control of the Milw-W, while the North Central will require extensive negotiations with CP.
I can't imagine spending all the money and effort on an airport express that terminates at a people-mover station in Rosemont, 1500 meters from baggage claim. As they said about the BART SFO extension, that's like coitus interruptus.
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Are you srsly talking about cutting open 3 runways and a half dozen taxiways and tons of tarmac to install a tunnel out to the Hilton?? That sounds just like you're adding runway interruptus and taxiway interruptus onto a project that already sounds like it's costing a billion dollars. The result is glorious but a bit too much to even dream about. As nobody in particular said, that's like coitus with five or ten personus.
For that amount of money, I suspect just upgrading the ATS to gold-plated standards could be achieved, including completing a full loop rather than having a dead end at T1 (and then running trains both clockwise and counterclockwise, or having runs with differing routes including a route directly to T1 and then back outbound); adding a bypass past T5 (easy, spacewise); and, importantly, boosting escalator and elevator capacity at all stations (which presently is shockingly, embarrassingly, pathetic).
This would not solve the issue of boarding/alighting Metra express trains with luggage in 10 below weather or in the snow, so a dedicated track at the Metra station, with a raised platform for level boarding and some kind of highly effective weather enclosure, would be desirable. That's essentially a micro spur and a new station structure. Ideally it would've been incorporated into the CONRAC; if it can't fit there anymore, then there's another possibility: Build a new ATS spur to another spot along the North Central, somewhere south of its O'Hare Station where there is enough excess space, and create a brand new downtown express station there. It would be solely for transferring to the ATS and would not need public roadway access, and this would also have the effect of preventing intermingling of premium-fare-paying passengers from ordinary Metra passengers. Alternatively, build the spur from T5, or from the ATS yard, across Balmoral and to the Rosemont Station, upgrading that station instead. Sell Mayor Stephens on the idea that it'll benefit his consumersville/outletsville, and maybe he will chip in. Possibly extend the line another 200yds to the warm confines of his palace of sales tax revenue? Boarding at the outlet mall would require fare payment, while boarding at Rosemont would be free as usual.