3 3 ON THE BI-CLommuter NeEwsletter, FeVbruary 2009 EL MetraThas bheen souneding the need for capital alarm for several years about the massive shortfall in our capital budget. We tell everyone who'll listen, “We're at a crossroads.” What do we mean? Put sim - ply, unless unless the state cre - ates a funding program to address our needs, the system will fall into a state of disrepair, eroding the region's hard work and investment of the last 25 years. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to recover. Here are some questions and answers about the issue: Q: Didn't Metra raise fares last year? Didn't the Legislature also raise the sales tax to raise money for transit? A: Yes, and yes. But that The replacement of Highliner cars on the Metra Electric District is a top priority. money was needed to plug a expect to get about $1.3 billion capital budget into operations. passing the buck - we will say huge hole in our budget for oper - from Illinois if state lawmakers Q: So what will happen if the that the funding crisis hasn't ations. Metra still has a crisis in pass a capital bill. Even with that state doesn't come through? helped. its capital budget. amount, Metra will still be about A: We'll have to continue to Q: Why can't you just raise Q: What's the difference? $350 million short of its need. put things off. As just one exam - fares? A: The operating budget pays And to carry out four expansion ple, rail cars should be rehabbed A: As regular riders know, for fuel, electricity, salaries and projects on the drawing board - every 15 years, which means we Metra has raised fares, incre - all the other day-to-day costs of the suburban STAR line, the need to do 50 a year. But we've mentally and periodically, over running a railroad. The capital SouthEast Service line and been able to afford just 23 a year the years. But the fact is, you budget pays for new and reno - major upgrades to the UP West since 2005. Station renewal proj - can't pay for our capital needs vated rolling stock, repairs and and Northwest lines - Metra will ects also will be delayed. with a fare increase. Say we replacement of bridges and other need hundreds of millions more. Equipment failures and train increased fares 10 percent. That infrastructure and expansions. Q: Why is the need so great? overcrowding will become more would raise only about $20.5 Q: How big is the need? A: One reason is that it has frequent. We'll have more slow million, a far cry from our needs. A: Very big. Metra estimates been more than five years since zones due to an inability to per - Q: What are the biggest it needs at least $2.6 billion over the last state capital program form cyclical track maintenance. needs? the next five years just to main - expired. This has caused Metra Service quality and on-time per - A: One huge need is to tain a state of good repair. We to defer projects we couldn't formance will suffer. replace 160 or so Highliner cars can expect about $1.1 billion afford. The backlog is adding up. Q: Is that happening now? on the Metra Electric district. from the feds, unless President And it didn't help that our earli - A: While we would never These cars are simply beyond Obama and the Congress pro - er, operating crisis forced Metra blame our shortfalls entirely on a (Continued on Page 4) vide more in a stimulus bill. We to transfer $130 million from our lack of funding - that would be 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 ON THE BI-L EVEL and b) the railroad didn’t want Published by Metra’s Media Why Clybourn? Relations Department. Send let - to pay or couldn’t afford to pay ters, questions or feedback to Most aspects of Metra's to move them or build overpass - On the Bi-Level, Metra, 547 W. service and operations are es or underpasses. Jackson, Chicago IL, 60661-5717. logical. I am ignoring the Or e-mail onthebilevel@ left-handed track side About those flames metrarr.com. arrangement for the moment. We can’t guarantee all letters will be printed or answered. But on the UP North Line, My train buddy and I noticed Please keep letters to less than why is the first stop after that most of last week on the 200 words and include your first having left the downtown Milwaukee District West Line name, hometown and what line station called “Clybourn” train that some of the tracks you ride. (Names are not required when the street by that name around Western Avenue stop or but strongly encouraged.) We is over a half-mile away and further were on fire and were reserve the right to edit letters for Elston and Ashland avenues burning like the eternal flame in length and grammar. (neither of which are piddly D.C. for several days. Why is Board of Directors streets) are just down the stairs? Archibald Clybourn that? How come it burned over Tom several days and then stopped? Carole R. Doris Patricia Chairman DuPage County We get this question every named for settler “Peter” few years. You're right – Clybourn. His name was actu - Those were the gas heaters Lonnie W. Hill Clybourn Avenue is a few ally Archibald Clybourn, one of that we use on cold days to pre - Vice Chairman blocks away from the station. vent our switches from freezing Cook County early Chicago's most prominent But it didn't used to be. Early citizens. His family established up. There are a lot of switches Larry Huggins Chicago maps show Clybourn their homestead and a slaugh - near Western in particular. Treasurer ended its northwest diagonal terhouse (Chicago’s first) on the Chicago run from Division Street at the west bank of the river, near Tech is coming Arlene Mulder point where it meets Racine. It what is now the station, in Secretary then turned directly west, cross - 1824; he lived there until his With all the technology avail - Suburban Cook County ing the river and ending at death in 1872. able, when is Metra going to what it now Damen. When in start to offer automated alerts to Jim Dodge Director later years the northwest diago - Left-hand question... cell phones, etc.? And when is Suburban Cook County nal of Clybourn was extended Metra going to make their (eventually to Belmont), the Why do Metra trains run on schedules compatible with James C. LaBelle east-west section that crossed mobile software? Director the LEFT side of the railway? Lake County the river was renamed Bob Robert Clybourn Place. That section Edward W. Paesel was later given its current Not all of them do - it’s just Stay tuned. We’ve started the Director name, Cortland Street, after the bidding process to update our Suburban Cook County what are now the Union Pacific street that it almost lines up lines. The most plausible theory website and harness the latest Michael Smith with at Damen. is that the lines originally had a technology to aid our riders. Director A 1908 book on place names single track, with the depots on We’ll have more info later this Will County associated with the old Chicago the left side (as you head down - year. Jack Schaffer & North Western railroad says town). When a second track was Crossword solution Director the “Clybourn Junction” sta - added, it was easiest to put it to McHenry County tion used to be known as the right of the first track, since Clybourn Place, “from one of Caryl J. Van Overmeiren the depots were taking up space Director the streets of Chicago. ...The on the left side. Kane County word Place was dropped and But the first track remained the word Junction inserted, as it the inbound track, because a) William A. Widmer III was the junction of two lines of Director the depots were all on that side, Suburban Cook County railroad” (now the UP North and you want the sheltered wait - and UP Northwest). ing areas for inbound riders Philip A. Pagano However, that book errs since most people waiting at the Executive Director when it says the street was station are heading downtown, WWW.METRARAIL.COM FEBRUARY 2009 3 “...setting new standardsS Sof thOOoughtUlUessneNsNs, groDDuchin e ssOO, pettiFFness,FF eliti s m and self-absorption.” -Chicago Sun-Times, June 12, 1994 Pass support world. ting someone off while boarding Stop the idling By the way, the addition of the train. Well, my fellow riders, I wish to offer an opposing a crossword puzzle to On The I have to throw myself on your I’ve noticed that a lot of peo - opinion to the art critic “Sad Bi-Level was a masterstroke. I mercy, because I broke that rule. ple are sitting in their idling Eyes” regarding the student art am in your debt. While boarding one morning, I cars, waiting as long as possible on the Metra monthly passes. I Gratefully managed to cut a woman off. As to head to the platform. This find the new tickets absolutely Joe the train emptied, the woman looks like a lost opportunity of charming, and they are among waited for me.