ON THE

BI-LCommuterENewsletter, JVune 2009 EL We interrupt this commute... Most of the time your daily responders. Next, the dispatcher determine the fastest way to hours or will exceed their hours if commute on goes off with - notifies police and Metra man - resume service safely without their normal shift required a return out hitch. You make it to work on agers of the incident. Local police impeding the investigation or cre - trip. We can also encounter equip - time and you get home to enjoy and fire personnel are dispatched ating additional hazards. ment shortages if trains are time with your family. But what to the scene followed by Metra trapped on one side of an incident. about the times when something managers, Metra police and, in the Why not bus? Although we try to address these goes wrong, service is disrupted case of an incident on one of our In many such cases, passengers issues in ways that minimize dis - and you’re delayed? What are purchase-of-service carriers ask why Metra cannot immediate - ruptions, we are sometimes forced Metra and other agencies involved (BNSF and UP), personnel from ly dispatch buses to provide alter - to dispatch replacement crews, in an incident that disrupts our that carrier. nate transportation, or at least wait for equipment to arrive or service doing while you wait on allow people to get off the trains even annul a train, and this can the train or in the station? The crew’s job and find their own transportation. create additional delays. Those were some of the ques - On the scene, the train crew is Metra's first concern is safety. We tions asked by UP North riders responsible for communicating will not evacuate passengers if we Incidents are fluid after a suicide stopped all trains in with passengers and should do not have a safe way for you to If every incident were the same, late April. One passenger had a attempt to provide updates exit the train and a safe place for our emergency planning would good suggestion: “Maybe you through onboard announcements those evacuated to await alternate always go off without a hitch and could run a special edition of On every 15 minutes. The conductor transportation. service disruptions would be mini - the Bi-Level to explain emergency also communicates with the engi - Second, Metra does not own or mal. But crises are fluid situations; policies Metra has in place to han - neer and crew, first responders, operate a bus fleet. While we do therefore, any given event can add dle such conditions.” train dispatchers and Metra man - have contracts with bus compa - a new wrinkle to our best laid agers. Metra managers work with nies, buses are not standing by 24- plans and information can change So here goes... first responders with the goal of 7. We can often get trains moving rapidly. That’s why we continue to In the event of an incident that resuming service as soon as possi - before buses are able to arrive – work with the region’s freight rail - disrupts our service whether it’s a ble. Managers on the scene also especially during rush hour. Also, roads and emergency responders pedestrian fatality, bad weather, a provide information to our GPS when service on an entire train to educate and improve communi - hazardous material spill or an Center so that up-to-date station line is disrupted, tens of thousands cation, and why we continue to active police or fire scene adjacent and platform announcements are of riders are potentially affected. educate our crews so that they can to our tracks, Metra and our made and customer service staff at Frankly, in such cases, there are better respond to the situation and region’s emergency responders go our downtown terminals can assist simply not enough buses available our passengers’ needs. through a series of steps to maxi - passengers. in the entire region to provide So remember that while Metra mize safety for our passengers and effective alternate transportation. works hard to maintain one of the anyone near the scene. Our next Metra not in charge highest on-time performance goal is to reestablish service as When a service disruption Other factors records in the industry, our first soon as possible. involves injuries, fatalities or dam - The duration of an incident can priority is the safety of our passen - When an incident involving one age to property, the local police impact much more than the trains gers and crews. We understand of our trains occurs, the train’s and fire departments are in charge immediately affected. All railroads that any delays are frustrating and engineer first notifies the dispatch - of investigation and control the are subject to federal hours-of- that lack of information can make er responsible for that particular scene. They – not Metra – deter - service provisions that dictate how it more so. But when an incident rail line. The dispatcher then typi - mine when train traffic in the area long crews can be on duty and that disrupts service occurs, Metra cally stops all trains in the area of can resume. Metra and its contract how long they must rest before is utilizing all available resources the incident to ensure the safety of carriers work with the police and beginning their next shift. In some to restore service and provide the train crew and the emergency fire agencies during incidents to cases, a crew will exceed these accurate information.

WWW.METRARAIL.COM 2 ON THE BI-LEVEL S O U N D I N G B O A R D Got a question, we’ve got an answer N THE I EVEL O B -L with no one else having brought Marines are not allowed to travel Published by Metra’s Media Weekend NCS trains it to the attention of the LITER - in uniform unless they are on Relations Department. Send let - I can’t tell you how conven - ATE portion of Metra's employ - military business. I would think ters, questions or feedback to ient it is to have a Metra station ees. that any service member home On the Bi-Level, Metra, 547 W. almost literally a stone’s throw Jackson, IL, 60661-5717. on leave would not want to be in away from my house consider - Or e-mail onthebilevel@ Fixed! It was a typo, but we uniform to go to a ball game or metrarr.com. ing I commute downtown every should have noticed it sooner. to take in the sites of the city. We can’t guarantee all letters weekday for work. The one We deserve your slap on the Do Metra employees need to be will be printed or answered. thing I can’t understand, howev - wrist. in uniform in order to get riding Please keep letters to less than er, is why there is no weekend privileges? 200 words and include your first service on the North Central Electric bathrooms Seniors ride for free. It’s time name, hometown and what line line. Has any serious thought you ride. (Names are not required Metra did the same for our mili - been given to offering such serv - but strongly encouraged.) We In the newsletter just printed, tary. BTW – the conductor reserve the right to edit letters for ice to your loyal customers in the board is talking about buying punched six times. So much for length and grammar. northwest Cook and Lake coun - new train cars for the Metra the half-price discount. ties? As you so proudly pointed Electric line. Instead of putting Linda Board of Directors out in the April issue of OTBL, bathrooms in these cars, can we UP West Carole R. Doris NCS is one of the fastest grow - have more seats? Chairman ing lines. While I don’t presume Sherwin First, thank you for stepping DuPage County to know the details of your cur - in and offering your ticket. That rent financial situation and Larry Huggins No. Metra Electric riders was generous of you. Vice Chairman strategic planning models, my have complained for years that Second, the conductor could Chicago instinct is that you are losing out their line is the only one in the have handled things better (like on extensive patronage by not Metra system without bath - not punching your ticket six Jack Schaffer extending this service at least to Treasurer rooms. We promised we’d put times). McHenry County Saturdays. them in when we bought new Third, it sounds like the John cars. We’re not about go back on Marines got some bad info from Arlene Mulder that promise. someone. It is indeed Metra’s Secretary We operate the NCS line on Suburban Cook County policy to allow service members tracks owned by Canadian Military policy traveling in uniform and present - Jim Dodge National. Unfortunately, our ing an active military identifica - Director agreement with them does not I had the privilege of sitting tion card to ride for half-price, Suburban Cook County allow us to use the tracks on among six Marines on my trip not free. We’re trying to balance James C. LaBelle weekends, when they want the home. What a shock when the our debt to our military with our Director way open for their freight trains. conductor asked them for tickets. financial obligation to the rest of Lake County They said they were told they our riders. Spelling problem Edward W. Paesel wouldn’t need one. The conduc - And BTW, Metra employees Director tor said that since they were in don’t get free rides on Metra. Suburban Cook County Would someone PUH- uniform the tickets would be LEEEEEZE correct the spelling half price, but because they did Highlands question Michael Smith on the track announcement Director not buy their ticket at the station Will County sign??? there is an additional $2 fee To this day I’ve always been I take the 4:54 Metra Electric each. I immediately handed my puzzled as to why the Hinsdale Caryl J. Van Overmeiren to Blue Island, and I thought it 10-ride to the conductor and told Hospital/47th St. stop has always Director was a one-time typo! MESEUM Kane County him to punch my ticket instead. been referred to as Highlands. CAMPUS... oh, c'MON!! That The gentleman next to me also Ronald William A. Widmer III is absolutely insane! Since when handed over his 10-ride ticket Director is an illiterate given charge of an and told him to punch his for We asked the Hinsdale Suburban Cook County announcement sign? And no one them too. As he handed us our Historical Society, and the best Philip A. Pagano else notices this? It’s been over a tickets back he said those are the theory they found is that an early Executive Director week at least – maybe more, rules and he can not bend them. Hinsdale resident, John Reed, because I just noticed it myself I was also told that if a service named his home “Highlands” recently. member is not in uniform, even and the name soon caught on for I think the biggest shock is with a valid military ID, he/she the neighborhood and then the because it’s still there, obviously would not be given the discount. train station. WWW.METRARAIL.COM JUNE 2009 3

“...the snarky, snotty obserSSvatioOOns by UMUetraN’Ns custDoDmers abOOout feFFllow FcFomm uters ... offer some of the best free entertainment around.” - SouthtownStar, March 13, 2009

OTBL book? The first letter came in last is a local (the only local of the What do you think, riders of month, while the second is from four) I prefer it because of the the UP Northwest? Are you nice I was glad to see I could find the Fall 1985 issue of On the Bi- crew. I’m from a generation or oblivious? (We know those the current copy of On the Bi- Level, the third such newsletter that uses the word “nice” to aren’t the only choices.) Level on the website. I enjoy ever printed and the first to fea - really mean something good, reading the Sounding Board and ture passenger gripes. Things kind and positive – the crews Seathogs, Part 143 the Sound Off sections of the never change. on the other three trains are In your last issue you said newsletter. And now that I have Our answer then still applies really great but the 7:29 guys seathoggers “don’t care” and moved out of state, I can still be now (if you replace “cassette” are truly “nice” in the best pos - “they’re just hoping they can get able to read these sections. So, I with “iPod”): “Please remem - sible way. away with it.” They are getting had an idea. Why not take all of ber your fellow riders when tun - Actually from reading the away with it because you those pieces that people have ing in that favorite radio station “Sound Off” letters the (Metra) are allowing them to written in and publish them in a or cassette.” Northwest line seems to be gen - “get away with it.” By “allow - book? It is great entertainment erally well behaved in compari - ing” them to “get away with it” just reading a few per month. I Nice and neat son with some of the other you (Metra) are encouraging bet a whole compilation of those I take the Northwest line out lines, we seem to have fewer them. This also includes passen - you have received over the years of the Racetrack – I can take lapses in manners. Either that or gers who take over an entire seat would be a great seller. any train out of the four that get we’re just totally oblivious to with their “fast food” packages, Geoff there between 7:11 a.m. and everything around us. drinks, etc. And usually they will 7:56 a.m. and be at work by Julie leave their “mess” behind when Maybe. But it could also be nine. Even though the 7:29 a.m. UP Northwest they leave the train. repetitive and boring. Just com - Ronnie pare this letter: North To the passenger on Train 618 Did you know? We assume you (Ronnie) Metra Pacific Northwest Line, The people who designed our timetables way back when mean that we (Metra) are possibly getting on in Mount picked colors for the timetables based on each line’s history. “allowing” them (seathoggers) Prospect: They even made up names for each color. (The North Central to “get away with it” because Your music (if you can call Service wasn’t around back then.) our conductors are lax about music what sounds like cement- asking them (seathoggers) to cutting saw) is very loud. Either Union Pacific North Line: The old C&NW (now owned by stop being rude. No doubt our the listening device is not work - UP) used green and yellow. So those colors were natural for conductors could do more, but ing properly or your hearing has its timetables. “Flambeau Green” is named for the Flambeau they do have more important been badly damaged and you 400 train to Wisconsin. duties. And we (Metra) are hard - need to set the loudness very Union Pacific Northwest Line: “Viking Yellow” is named ly “encouraging” them loud. I am sure you enjoy a for the Viking train to Minnesota. (seathoggers). Hardly an OTBL comfortable ride on Metra – I Union Pacific West: With green and yellow already used, issue goes by without a letter would too if it was not for that they opted for “Kate Shelley Rose,” named for a teenage girl about the issue. Heck, we screeching noise that comes out from who saved a train from disaster in 1881. (Metra) have even devoted cover of your audio apparatus. Milwaukee District North: “ Orange” is named stories to the problem (“Weeding A Rider for the ’s famed Hiawatha trains. Milwaukee District West: “Arrow Yellow” is named for the out seathogs,” March 2005). And really, this is a problem that To this letter: Arrow train to Nebraska. BNSF Railway: “Kelly Green” or “Cascade Green” is in the vast majority of cases can be solved by you (Ronnie, or any Even though people who lis - named for the color used by the BN. other rider) politely but firmly ten to radios use ear plugs, they Heritage Corridor: “Alton Maroon” is named for the color asking them (seathoggers) to sometimes play their devices so used by the Alton Railroad. move it (their crap). They loud that we can hear them all SouthWest Service: “Banner Blue” is named for the Wabash (seathoggers) are rudely putting over the car. Music players have Railroad’s Banner Blue train. the onus on you (Ronnie or any a right to play their music, but Rock Island District: “Rocket Red” is named for the other rider) to take the initiative, we passengers who want peace Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad’s Rocket trains. but they (seathoggers) will usu - and quiet also have rights. Metra Electric: “Panama Orange” is named for the ally comply, albeit grudgingly, A Rider Central Railroad’s Panama Limited passenger train. when asked. E-MAIL US AT [email protected] 4 ON THE BI-LEVEL JUNE 2009 Spring travel notes

Huggins, Schaffer elected to new positions “Family Fares” allow up to three children under age 12 to ride free with a fare-paying adult. The Metra Board has installed two of its members into new posi - Families can realize further additional savings with Metra's $5 tions, electing Director Larry A. Huggins as vice chairman and Weekend Pass for unlimited Saturday/Sunday rides or 10-Ride tick - Director Jack Schaffer as treasurer. ets saving 15 percent off one-way tickets, which can be used in con - The unanimous votes came at the board’s May 1 meeting. junction with Family Fares. Mr. Huggins, a member of the board since 1997, replaces Director Riders can take advantage of a special three-day $5 unlimited-ride Elonzo Hill, who died in February. Mr. Huggins was appointed to ticket on Friday, July 3, Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5. This the Metra Board in 1997 by the city of Chicago and was elected special fare includes free transportation for up to three children treasurer of the board in August 2006. He is president and chief under 12, per one fare-paying adult. executive officer of Riteway Construction Services Incorporated and is a leader in development, management and general contracting for commercial, municipal and residential properties. Metra wins worker safety award Mr. Schaffer, who was appointed to the board in 2006 by the Metra has won the E.H. Harriman Memorial bronze medal for chairmen of the Kane, Lake, Will and McHenry county boards and is employee safety during 2008. The Harriman Award, named after now the McHenry County appointee, was elected to replace Mr. Edward H. Harriman, a pioneer in railroading, is given to the top three Huggins as treasurer. He is the owner of Liberty Outdoor railroads in each class with the fewest Federal Railroad Administration Advertising and Liberty Self Storage, both located in Crystal Lake. reportable injuries. The honor marks the 11th time since Metra's formation in 1984 that Summer family fares to start June 15 it has been recognized for its record of employee safety. Metra’s record earned the 2008 bronze medal in “Group B” classifi - Metra will extend its popular “Family Fares” program to include cation (railroads with more than 4 million but less than 15 million weekdays, starting Monday, June 15, through Friday, September 4. employee-hours). Normally available only on weekends and holidays, Metra’s

WWW.METRARAIL.COM