Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on September 2, 2010 at 7:50am

And now on the CCM List:

> Original plan using METRA is on again. I've talked to METRA and they
> have deleted the Jazz Fest bike restriction for this year. Thanks to
> . for relaying an announcement he heard while waiting for
his
> train this morning.

so it may be that what you saw was an error of lack of omission from a
previous year's content... ?

The website still lists Jazz Fest as a blackout...perhaps if someone wants to ride on the train this weekend they should give them a call?

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 2, 2010 at 7:59am

Just got off the phone with Metra.

Me: I was wondering if there are any blackout dates for bikes on the trains this weekend.
Metra: No, there are none.

Looks like it's a mistake with updating the website.

jamimaria said:

And now on the CCM List:

> Original plan using METRA is on again. I've talked to METRA and they
> have deleted the Jazz Fest bike restriction for this year. Thanks to
> . for relaying an announcement he heard while waiting for
his
> train this morning.

so it may be that what you saw was an error of lack of omission from a
previous year's content... ?

The website still lists Jazz Fest as a blackout...perhaps if someone wants to ride on the train this weekend they should give them a call?

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Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on September 2, 2010 at 10:24am

Metra has corrected their web-page

>Looks like it's a mistake with updating the website.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on September 2, 2010 at 10:53am

Nice, I'll be taking mine on tomorrow....

bicycle_poet said:

Metra has corrected their web-page

>Looks like it's a mistake with updating the website.

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Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on September 2, 2010 at 12:29pm

Hey all, it looks like they've corrected the error but just in case, we put in a call to see if we can get any additional info.

For now, looks like bikes are good for this Labor Day/Jazz Fest Weekend!

Will keep in touch if any feedback surfaces.

Thanks much,
Ethan, with Active Trans

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Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on September 2, 2010 at 12:37pm

Hey Bicycle Poet & Serge,

First off, good idea! Yes, it's something that's been brought up and could happen but I'd imagine that it would be in the next two to five years rather than 2011. We're trying to balance a ton of resources/work right now but we do have this idea in our bucket list of Metra ideas.

Second, on the CalTran front, what we found out from Metra that bike-only cars would most likely not happen any time in the near future.

Not because they don't want it to happen, but because their current engines are maxed out at 12 cars (I think...it's whatever the most number of cars per train is right now). They would have to get rid of an entire passenger car and currently that's not an option.

We will continue pushing for less blackouts and more access, of course. Shifting the culture/system of a large entity like Metra takes time and we'll continue to work towards improvements.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Serge Lubomudrov said:

And, such a survey might (just might) eventually persuade Metra to dedicate one car per train to bikes and bicyclists, similar to the CalTrain.


bicycle_poet said:

Ethan, has Active Trans or Metra/RTA ever executed a survey to get some numbers on the Bikes On Metra program? I use Metra with my bicycle all year long, and have been since the program launched. My overall experience tells me that the numbers are growing, but I think it would be very helpful to all interested parties to see raw data.

Such a survey might show, among other data points: # of bikes per Metra line per day, peek usage days-of-week, peek usage hours, and average and total bikes per day, week, and month across the entire system.

If Active Trans is interested in initiating such a survey with Metra/RTA, I would personally be interested in assisting with the effort.

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Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on September 2, 2010 at 12:46pm

I think it probably has to do with the length of the platforms, not the engines. They can (and sometimes do) run two engines, but adding engines isn't an issue because engines don't have to park next to the platform -- cars (including bike cars) do.

Active Transportation Alliance said:

Not because they don't want it to happen, but because their current engines are maxed out at 12 cars (I think...it's whatever the most number of cars per train is right now).

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Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on September 3, 2010 at 3:34am

Potentially, that's what Phil Pagano told us in the meeting. We'll be following-up/meeting with new people soon and will keep plugging away.

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans

bicycle_poet said:

I think it probably has to do with the length of the platforms, not the engines. They can (and sometimes do) run two engines, but adding engines isn't an issue because engines don't have to park next to the platform -- cars (including bike cars) do.

Active Transportation Alliance said:

Not because they don't want it to happen, but because their current engines are maxed out at 12 cars (I think...it's whatever the most number of cars per train is right now).

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Permalink Reply by Lee Roy on September 3, 2010 at 5:50am

I was working on Saurday 8/28 in Palatine. A customer came in and said he was not allowed on the train for Tall Ships. I said that had to be a mistake because that is not a black out date. The conductor just kept repeating "NO BIKES". He bought a lock for their bikes and took the next train in. What's the deal with that?

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 5, 2010 at 7:58am

A few of us have called Metra as well, and they've said that there are no blackout dates this weekend. :)

H3N3 said:

I mostly ignored this discussion here and on the listservs, but suddenly it seems I need/want to take my bike on Metra tomorrow.
I vaguely recall someone somewhere reporting the jazz fest thing was a mistake . . . I'm looking at this link and there is nothing there in regard to the current weekend?

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Maher on September 5, 2010 at 10:24am

I tried to take a bike on Metra last night but was told, "No bikes this Saturday or Sunday."

Suck.

Not too bad for me - I biked the 10 miles back home and drove in, but there were two other cyclists who were stuck for the night.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on September 5, 2010 at 11:44am

did you tell them it isn't on the website?

Bob Maher said:

I tried to take a bike on Metra last night but was told, "No bikes this Saturday or Sunday."

Suck.

Not too bad for me - I biked the 10 miles back home and drove in, but there were two other cyclists who were stuck for the night.

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