ON THE BI-LEVEL Commuter Newsletter, November 2010 No fare increase in 2011 Theproposed2011-2015capitalprogramincludestheallocation Metra unveils next year’s budget; of$585millioninStateofIllinoisbondprogramproceedstoreplace plan also calls for no service cuts 160HighlinercarsontheMetraElectricDistrict.Thosenewcars alreadyhavebeenordered. TheMetraBoardofDirectorshasapprovedthereleaseofthe Statebondproceedsandothercapitalfundingwillbeallocated agency’sproposed2011ProgramandBudgetbookforpublichearing intheamountof$175.8milliontocompleteanumberofstationand andcomment. parkingimprovementsacrosstheMetrasystem. Metra’sproposed2011budgetincludes$634.2millionforopera- PublichearingsonMetra’s2011budgetwillbeheldonNov.3 tionsanda$407.5millioncapitalprogram.Nofareincreaseorcutin andNov.4atlocationsthroughoutthesix-countyregion.Alistofthe serviceisplannedin2011. dates,timesandlocationsofthesehearingscanbeseenonPage4. However,lower-than-projectedridershipandsalestaxreceipts Copiesofthebudgetareavailableforreviewonlineat www. coupledwithhigherinsuranceandmaintenancecostsforcedMetra metrarail.com andarebeingdistributedtomunicipalitiesandlibrar- totransfer$35millionfromits2010capitalprogramand$25million iesacrosstheregion. fromits2011capitalprogramtooperationsforuseonpreventive Followingthepubliccommentperiod,theMetraBoardwillvote maintenancein2011. ona nalbudgetatitsNov.12meeting.Thebudgetwillthenbefor- Theagencyalsoproposestocontinuetodelay llingvacancies wardedtotheRegionalTransportationAuthority,whichwillvoteon andtocombinejobfunctionstoreducecostsin2011. theregion’stransportationbudgetinDecember. Metra’s fi rst female engineer retires Aftera38-yearcareerinrailroading,includingmorethan22 yearsservingMetracommutersinnortheastIllinois,VallorieO’Neil retiredfromMetralastmonth. ShewashonoredbytheMetraBoardofDirectorsattheOct.15 boardmeeting,herlastdayonthejob. O’Neil,aStegerresident,joinedtherailroadindustryattheage of18asaclerkattheChicago,Burlington&Quincy,oneofBNSF’s predecessorrailroads.Sheworkedasaclerkforseveralyearsbefore enteringengineertraining.Foreightyears,O’NeilpilotedBurlington NorthernfreighttrainsbetweenChicagoandLaCrosse,Wis. ShewashiredasaMetratrainmanin1988andworkedseveral monthsasaconductorbeforeenteringMetra’sengineertraining program.Sheretrainedtolearncommuteroperationsandmadeher rstsolotriponJuly9,1989,becomingMetra’s rstfemalelocomo- tiveengineer. Inadditiontoengineserviceandconductor,O’Neilalsoheldthe Vallorie O’Neil operates a Rock Island train in her last day on the followingpositionsatMetra:AssistantRoadForemanandRoadFore- job Oct. 15. manofEngines,TrainmasterandSeniorTrainmaster. Beingawomaninamale-dominatedprofessionhasn’tpresented Anavidhorsebackrider,O’Neilislookingforwardtocontinue anyrealproblemsforO’Neil.“Imanagedtogainacceptancefrom ridingforfun.Shealsolookstospendmoretimewithfamilyand mostothercrewmembersandoperatingpersonnelratherquickly,and serveasamotivationalspeakerandmentortowomeninnon-tradi- I’vegenerallyenjoyedthecamaraderie.” tionaljobs. WWW.METRARAIL.COM 2 ON THE BI-LEVEL SOUNDING BOARD Got a question? We’ve got an answer On the Bi-Level Turn on the lights recon guredtoaccommodatebi gerstoo.Thanksfortheinsight, Published by Metra’s Media cyclesplussomeseatingforthose andtellthoseconductorstomake Relations Department. Send Whydoyourconductors(usu- whowishtositneartheirbike?It moreregularannouncementsdis letters, questions or feedback to ally,butnotalways)turnoutthe On the Bi-Level, Metra, 547 W. wouldeliminatealltheproblems couragingseathoggers!It’dhelp lightsonthetrainbeforeleaving Jackson, Chicago IL, 60661- ofbikesbeingcrowdedwithpas ushogbusterstremendously. 5717. Or e-mail onthebilevel@ UnionStation?Ifitisasafety sengersinthehandicappedareas Jason metrarr.com. issue,whydoesitonlyhappen andalsopeoplecouldbringthem We can’t guarantee all letters 80-90percentofthetime?And will be printed or answered. aboardprimeinboundmorning, AsuggestiontoKevinfor eitherway,whydosomeconduc- Please keep letters to less than outboundeveningcommutes.I serviceadvisorynoti cations:you 200 words and include your fi rst torsturnthembackonwithin realizebesidescostthereareother canalsoreceivenoti cationsvia name, hometown and what line seconds,whileothersleavethem potentialproblems,namelyinthe Twitter–searchfor@Metrafor you ride. (Names are not re- out(withallthepassengerssit- quired but strongly encouraged.) downtownterminals,but gure theentiresystemorindividual tinginpitchblackconditions)for We reserve the right to edit letter manyutilizingthiswouldbe lines.You’llhavesomecontrol for length and grammar. minutesonend,untilwe’recom- privilegeprobablywillhaveleft overthetimeframeandyoucan pletelyoutofthestation?It’svery agiveninboundtrainbeforeit sendnoti cationstoyourcell Board of Directors irritatingtohavework/reading reachestheLoopinthemorning. phone.Standardmessagerates interruptedduringthattime,and Withtraf cmoreandmoreout apply. Carole R. Doris it’scompoundedbythecapricious Chairman ofcontrol,itwouldgivepeople Pete natureofit. DuPage County manyotheroptions. Phil Greg Thanksforthetips. Larry A. Huggins Vice Chairman Theconductorsdon’tturnout Chicago Asyoususpect,theproblemis Santa trains? thelights.Whenthetrainisin money.Wearenowusingevery Severalyearsagomykidsand thestation,thelightsandother Jack Schaffer carthatweown,sowecan’t IrodetheRockIslandSantatrain Treasurer systemsarepoweredby plugging dedicateanyexclusivelytobikes. andweenjoyedit.Istheregoing McHenry County thetrainsintotheelectricityat WearebuyingnewHighlinersfor tobeaSantatrainthisyear? thestation.Thatallowsusto Arlene J. Mulder theMetraElectricbutthatisto Tom Secretary idletheenginetosavefueland replacewornoutcars.Wedon’t Suburban Cook County limitemissions.Whentheyleave, havemoneytobuyanyextraones. Metranolongeroperates theenginesuppliesthepower. James V. Dodge Santatrains.However,many Sowhenthelightsgoout,it’s Director Technical help desk publiclibraries,parkdistrictsand becausewe’reswitchingfromthe Suburban Cook County YourlatestOTBLmentioned othercommunityagenciesandor plugged-inpowertothetrain. thereisnoMetraapp,butthey ganizationsreservegrouptravel James C. LaBelle Sometimesthat’sprettyseamless Director canusethewebsite.There’s tripsonMetraaroundChristmas soyoudon’tnotice.Sometimesit Lake County anotheroptiontoo:downloadthe sotheycanholdtheirownevents, takesfewmoments. Edward W. Paesel PDFofthescheduleandemailit primarily“PolarExpress”trips. Director More room for bikes? toyourself,or ndanappthatlets Youcancheckwithyourlocal Suburban Cook County yousavePDFs.Worksgreatfor organizationstoseeiftheyare Isitpossibleinthenearfuture me,andI’vehelpedotherpassen planningsuchanevent. Jack E. Partelow thattherewillbeMetracars Director Will County Willis E. Pennington Jr. About those quiet cars.... Director Cook County Wereceivedadelugeofe wonderfulriders.(Wereceived ortheresultsoftheirdoctorvisit mailsafterweaskedyouforyour morethan800andcounting...) foralltohear,butthenagain,we Caryl J. Van Overmeiren inputabouttheideaoftryingout Mostofyoubeggedforrelief didn’texpectto.Noonefesses Director Kane County quietcarsonoursystem.The fromyourrudeandnoisyfellow uptoannoyingothers,dothey? bottomlineisthis:wearegoing passengers.Others–asmallnum Whileoursurveywashardlysci William A. Widmer III toimplementapilotprojectearly ber–thoughtitwasbadideafor enti c,it’sclearthatquietcarsin Director nextyear.Westillhavetowork variousreasons.Wedidn’thear someform(inanyform,manyof Suburban Cook County outthedetails,andtodothatwe fromanyonewhosaidtheywant yousaid)wouldbehugelypopu willrelyonthemanythought edtopreservetheirrighttoloudly lar.Staytuned,wewillgetback fulemailswereceivedfromour recitenextweek’sshoppinglist toyoushortly(andquietly!). WWW.METRARAIL.COM NOVEMBER 2010 3 SOUND OFF “...the snarky, snotty observations by Metra’s customers about fellow commuters ... offer some of the best free entertainment around.” - SouthtownStar, March 13, 2009 What an answer Say what? I’mreadingtheresponsesto AttentionRockIslandcom SoundOffintheOctoberissue muters!Althoughyoumaythink ofOnTheBiLevel.Someofthe thatonlytypicalcommutersuse SoundOffsarecrazy,butthe yourline,thereisinfactarider responsesarenormallyprofes giftedwithasupernaturalability sional,polite,but rminputting amongus.Shewaslastspot peopleintheirplace.I’venever tedonFriday’strainNo.607. saidWowtoaresponseyet.Until Thisriderhasasixthsense–the TODAY.Whoansweredyour abilitytosensekneesbehindher SoundOffsthismonth?Sorude! seat,andreactemotionallyto IfIrespondedtopeoplewho thembeforetheymakecontact wroteinatmyjobthewaythis withherseatback!Althoughthe persondid,I’dbe red.Some rawextentofthisrider’sabilities thingtellsmesomethingchanged arenotknown,youmaybein thismonthanditwasn’tforthe thepresenceofthisphenomenon better. ofhumanevolutionifyousee Sayingsomeoneisfrom thefollowing:1)Theriderin Sel shville?Ortheunbeliev frontofyouscowlsandstares ablylongandruderesponseto atyouatrandomtimesduring theQuietCarcomment,geesh. yourtrip,2)Anin ammatory Whoeverrespondedtotheseis But does it work on answers that stink? statementismutteredinyour worsethanthepeoplewritingin. direction,alongthelinesof“Will ofrotten eshandIwasforced WestlineallthewaytoElburn Andifsomeonethoughtthese youPULEEEZEgetyourknees tochangecompartments.Please andI’mninemonthspregnant. responseswerefunny?They outtamychair?,”and3)You saveyourunfortunatevictimfor It’shardertogetinandoutof werewrong.Ugh. andyourfellowridersarestruck home. theregularseats,soItrytolook Natalie withconfusionduetoalackof Irene forthe rstrowseatfacingeach visiblecontactbetweentheknees Andwethoughtcellphone