ON THE BI-LEVEL Commuter Newsletter, October 2009 MetraMarket starts to open

The first store has opened at MetraMarket, the retail and restaurant development being built around the Ogilvie Transportation Center’s subur- ban commuter concourse, and several more will be opening over the next few months, completing the transformation of a once-dreary chunk of downtown. CVS Pharmacy opened Sept. 20 at the corner of Washington and Clinton. The store can be entered from Clinton or through the concourse, giving commuters a convenient place to pick up items just before or right after their train ride. Also opening this fall at the heart of the development is Chicago French Market, a year-round, European-inspired This is an artist’s rendering of the Clinton Street entrance to the Chicago French Market at the market comprised of more than Ogilvie Transportation Center. two dozen vendors. Open six days a week, this indoor mar- fresh meats and produce to Chicago Organics: Sweet Miss Giving’s: ket will be the first of its kind make a home-cooked dinner, Certified organic produce, Premier bakery and jobs pro- in the city. Chicago French Market will meats and dairy. gram with 50 percent of profits Managed and operated by have something for everyone. Completely Nuts: Variety of benefitting Chicago House. the Bensidoun family, the Bringing together the best of roasted and candied nuts. Vanille Patisserie: Award- largest market operator in and the best from Chicago neigh- Espression by Lavazza: winning French pastries, can- around Paris, Chicago French borhoods and outlying areas, Espresso, coffee drinks and dies and cakes. Market is the latest in a grow- Chicago French Market will be authentic gelato. Wisconsin Cheese Mart: ing number of Bensidoun largely comprised of entrepre- Flip Crepes: Wide selection Large collection of Wisconsin- French Markets throughout the neurs, family-owned business- of healthy and original, all nat- produced cheese varieties. Chicago area. To date, the fam- es and accomplished purvey- ural wheat crepes. To stay up to date on the lat- ily manages eleven weekly ors. Fraternite Notre Dame: est news on MetraMarket and outdoor markets in the area The lineup so far includes: Handmade sweet and savory Chicago French Market, and to during the summer. Albano's Deli: Italian sand- baked goods. join the e-mail list to receive Whether looking for a quick wiches, salads, soups and deli Pastoral Artisan Cheese, details on opening festivities breakfast croissant on the way catering. Bread & Wine: High quality and other announcements, visit to the office, a new place to Canady Le Chocolatier: cheeses, wines, breads and www.chicagofrenchmarket.com grab lunch, or shopping for Gourmet chocolate creations. other related gourmet items. and www.metramarket.com.

WWW.METRARAIL.COM 2 ON THE BI-LEVEL SOUNDING BOARD Got a question, we’ve got an answer ON THE BI-LEVEL Website gripes The SouthEast Service line improvements on the various Published by Metra’s Media is still in our long-range Metra lines. However, I have Relations Department. Send let- I just wanted to let you plans. We are currently doing concerns about an existing ters, questions or feedback to know that I don’t like the new early planning work. Its future (and quite popular) station. On the Bi-Level, Metra, 547 W. schedule look-up on the web- largely depends on how quick- Are there any plans to pro- Jackson, Chicago IL, 60661-5717. site. I want to be able to see Or e-mail onthebilevel@ ly we can get the money we vide handicapped/ramp access the whole schedule so I can metrarr.com. need from state and federal to the Ravenswood Station on see if there are any express We can’t guarantee all letters sources to build it. That's true the UP North line? It would trains that I can take. With the will be printed or answered. for our other New Start proj- make bringing my young (10 Please keep letters to less than way it is set up now I only get ects, including the STAR line mo. old) child on the train 200 words and include your first where I am traveling from and upgrades to two other much easier. name, hometown and what line (Union Station) to where I am lines. Susan you ride. (Names are not required going (Glenview). but strongly encouraged.) We UP North Christine reserve the right to edit letters for What’s that sign? length and grammar. A whole new, fully accessi- We heard you, and many oth- On ADA accessible cars I ble station will be built at ers, who raised concerns about Board of Directors recognize the wheelchair sign Lawrence in conjunction with the schedule display, and so indicating this status. the first phase of a project to Carole R. Doris we’re going to give you the Chairman However, next to many (but rebuild aging bridges on the option to see the schedules sim- DuPage County not all) of those blue signs is UP North line. The first phase ilar to the way you could on the another blue sign that for the is a three-year project that will Larry Huggins old website. As OTBL went to life of me I cannot figure out. start next year. Vice Chairman press, the goal was to have the Chicago It looks like someone stuck a option available in early pencil in someone's ear. I 80th Ave. to begin Jack Schaffer October. have not seen anyone stick I noticed in the August Treasurer Many others asked about a pencils in any ears lately, so I 2009 newsletter that there will McHenry County website for mobile devices. We guess the sign is working. be a new station on the Rock plan to have that operational by Arlene Mulder Right? Island line at 35th Street. Secretary the end of the year, at the latest. Frank That's great for all us south Suburban Cook County Many thanks to everyone side Sox fans (and students at who wrote to us with sugges- Jim Dodge IIT… etc.). tions, comments and construc- Director My question to you is: Suburban Cook County tive criticism. We really do When will the work start at the appreciate it. James C. LaBelle Tinley Park 80th Ave. station? Director Line still planned It was allegedly scheduled to Lake County begin in June 2009. This station is one of the if Edward W. Paesel What are the latest details not THE busiest Rock Island Director for the proposed extension to Suburban Cook County stations – both commuter-wise Crete? Many riders like me and ticket sales. Jack E. Partelow commute 20 miles or more to The climb up onto and step Director 115th Street/Kensington on the Wrong, but we appreciate down from the train to the Will County Metra Electric line, a trip that the humor. That symbol indi- platform can cause injuries. I is even more pleasurable now Willis E. Pennington Jr. cates that the train car is am one of those commuters Director that the northbound AND accessible to people who are that has had an issue. Cook County southbound lanes of the deaf or hard of hearing. Some Chris Bishop Ford are under con- Caryl J. Van Overmeiren of our cars have scrolling struction. I know that com- Director signs that make announce- That station project, which Kane County muters in Munster, ments about the next stop, etc. is being led by the village of Schererville, Dyer, St. John, Tinley Park, is scheduled to William A. Widmer III Chicago Heights, Crete and Director Ravenswood query begin construction next year. Suburban Cook County other towns are eagerly await- Part of the project calls for ing additional Metra service to I appreciate that Metra is raising the platforms by 8 Philip A. Pagano the south suburbs. expanding by building a sta- Executive Director inches so the climb up and the Joe in St. John, Indiana tion and making other step down isn’t so bad. WWW.METRARAIL.COM OCTOBER 2009 3 SOUNDSOUND OFFOFF “...the snarky, snotty observations by Metra’s customers about fellow commuters ... offer some of the best free entertainment around.” - SouthtownStar, March 13, 2009

Get lost, backpackers will again delay my trip home ging in the trash to get a paper from the train to help push and then touching the other I have been riding the your car out of the snow Metra surfaces with your dirty train for 29 years and because I now know how hands! my new pet peeve is important your timely exit is to Brian the trend towards com- you. muters wearing back- Mike in Glen Ellyn We suspect some of those packs. First, I am get- people are recycling. But real- ting bumped by (often Note to that lady: Mike is ly, why would they be digging heavy) backpacks daily being sarcastic. in the trash for something to and most passengers are read when they could just be unaware or unapologetic Garbage pickers reading On the Bi-Level? about their rudeness. I’ve noticed on the Second, adults wearing BNSF Metra over the years Good conductor backpacks look ridiculous. several people and even con- I just wanted to let others Grow up. You are not in ductors roaming the train to know of the courteous and help- school anymore – get a brief- search for left-behind newspa- ful service provided by Will, a case. You’ll look more profes- pers. I’ve seen these same peo- conductor on the Union Pacific sional. ple digging thru the trash to North Line. As I raced from the Thank you for letting me find papers. Now I know CTA bus up the stairs and along vent. Metra can’t really do anything the platform at the Central St. A longtime rider about this, but in light of the station to catch the train whose reminded of how we relate to fact that we are and have dealt doors were closing (but within That’s what we’re here for. our fellow commuters. I would with swine flu this is not the reach), instead of making a leap But while you won’t get much like to send a public apology most sanitary practice. These through the narrow opening, I of an argument about the to the lady in the Glen Ellyn people should pony up the 50 found myself flat on my back on rudeness of being bumped by a parking lot a couple weeks ago cents or whatever a paper costs the platform. I had slipped and backpack, we suspect not all exiting the 5:09 train. This these days, and buy one from fallen on the yellow strip along will agree with the rest of your lady exited the parking lot the newsstand. I just don’t the edge of the platform. A con- comments. shouting obscenities at me understand the huge stack of ductor must have had pity and Please be quiet because I caused her to steer papers I see some people col- the doors opened and I got up around my wife’s car and lecting to take off the train. and boarded. Shortly thereafter, To the kids in the third-from- probably delayed her exit by So in summary, you know Will found me and instead of last car on the 10:58 p.m. train 5-10 seconds. She should who you are, please stop dig- scolding me for running on the from Davis St./Evanston to Lake remember me, I was the guy in platform, he talked with me to Forest in early August: I hate the large cervical neck brace make sure that I was alright. He your loud voices and your loud, climbing into the passenger also checked back with me a gaudy cellphones. If I cared seat of the car. I am terribly couple of times during the ride. about your apps I’d ask about sorry and assure you that in Other than being a bit shaken them; there’s no need for you lit- the subsequent weeks I have and needing a Band-Aid on my tle idiots to wave them around been healing and becoming elbow, I was fine. I really appre- while shouting, disturbing all the must more adept at dealing ciate the kindness and concern other customers. with my lack of mobility. I that Will showed, particularly to With love, especially remember this inci- a grown man who should have Kate dent because last winter I known better than to run on a helped push either this lady’s wet platform. Note to those kids: What Kate little car, or a look-a-like, out Dan is trying to say is you were being of the drifted snow in the rude and obnoxious. same lot. But rest Thanks for your letter, and A bracing story assured Madame that thanks for the reminder by the time snow that it’s always worth- I routinely read Sound Off begins to fall I will be while to slow down, take to get both entertained and completely healed and it easy, and stay safe.

E-MAIL US AT [email protected] 4 ON THE BI-LEVEL OCTOBER 2009 Fall travel notes

Metra works with WIU on training Take Metra to Chicago Bears games Metra last month entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Metra and the CTA are a winning combination for Bears’ fans who ride Western Illinois University’s Center for the Application of Information Metra and arrive at our Ogilvie Transportation Center or Union Station Technologies (CAIT) to provide computer-based training courses for terminals. Just hop aboard the CTA’s #128 Soldier Field Express for only employees throughout the Metra system. $1 each way. The #128 Soldier Field Express will depart from Ogilvie CAIT will work with Metra’s Workforce Education and Training team Transportation Center (southbound on Clinton at Madison) and from to create two interactive online courses and ultimately assist Metra in the Union Station (at Jackson and Canal) and run express to Soldier Field. creation of a strategic plan and documentation for the implementation of a Service starts 2 hours prior to kickoff and resumes for 1 hour after the comprehensive online training system. CAIT will also provide online game on a load-and-go basis. hosting and maintenance services for these courses. The Metra Electric has added a “Bears Extra” train for all Sunday kick- In addition to improving Metra’s ability to track and document its train- offs. Regular daily train service will conveniently serve the December ing programs, the use of online training will increase Metra’s flexibility in weekday games. Just get off at 18th Street and walk to the game. For all scheduling training sessions for its employees and cut costs by eliminat- games, the Bears Extra will depart Museum Campus/11th Street after the ing the need to staff training classes. The first two courses developed with game. CAIT will cover drug and alcohol awareness for Metra supervisors and For fans arriving at LaSalle Street Station, walk east on Van Buren to railroad operating practices for transportation, track, signal and mechani- State Street and take the #146 bus south to Soldier Field. Regular CTA cal employees. fares apply to #146.

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