I rode this line a couple weeks ago as part of my goal of riding all the metra lines. I got on the first train outbound and took it to Manhattan, the conductor verified that that I was going all the way to Manhattan as it was very uncommon apparently. By the end I was the only person left on the train, and since the conductors were in the same car the one asked me what I was doing in Manhattan. After explaining I was just trying to ride all metra lines in their entirety, he asked if I actually needed to get off at Manhattan station. Since I did not, they just pulled to the train forward to where it sat while waiting for its next inbound run. It was only a couple hundred feet past the station, but I guess I got to ride on a bit of metra trackage that isn't usually open to the public. In the case of the scheduled train I took it would have gone to Manhattan either way because it had to go back inbound from manhattan the same day, so it didn't matter if anybody needed to get off there. That would just affect whether it stopped at the station or in its holding area. I am a bit curious why they don't just stay at the station while waiting to return, I've noticed this at other terminal stations as well. The train sits past the station and shows up only a few minutes before departure.
If u dont get hired by a metro somewhere it is a missed opportunity for current urban professionals to prepare expertise for the future. Clearly passionate and wide eyed you will move mass transit to a higher priority. Thanks kiddo keep up the incredible informative and interesting vids on transit. I love your stuff having been on many of these trains. I appreciate your effortz and I bet Metra and RTA loves it too.
I agree about the name Cannonball! It just makes a train service sound so epic! The LIRR has a Cannonball service of its own, during the Summer they run express trains between Penn Station (used to be Long Island City until 2013) and the Hamptons/Montauk. The Cannonball locomotives are the regular DE30AC engines used on the Montauk Branch, but those for the service have a seal at the very front with Montauk Point Lighthouse that signify that it's the Cannonball. Before 2001, they had parlor cars for the service but since then and the parlor cars were replaced with bi-level C3s, they have a Hamptons Reserve thing (well, pre-pandemic they did) where the last two cars are reserved seating with full bar service and complimentary snacks. As much as I don't like how these gallery cars just have doors in the middle unlike other multi-levels like Tri-Rail's, LIRR's and NJ Transit's, there's no denying that the tinted green windows are iconic and photogenic!
"I'm gonna have a nice time heading to Orland Park" "You gotta go to Laraway Road and Manhattan now-" *"DID I STUTTER?!"* What a deal for that Chicago dog meal! And looking at the locations of Laraway Road and Manhattan, I definitely understand why they're so low-used. You know how malls and stores tend to have big signs next to the road so you know they're there? Well, that's not the case for either of these. There's no sign saying Laraway Road station exists on Laraway Road, only one small sign on Calistoga Drive (the station approach road) all the way at the end of it where the parking lot begins. There's no sidewalk whatsoever, not even a pathway from the actual Laraway Road itself to the platform. Manhattan has a small sign too, though at least it's at the beginning of the station approach, plus they have a sidewalk unlike Laraway Road.
I think there should be a connection to RID to Joliet east of New Lenox. Manhattan is and expensive exercise in land banking the old Wabash (NS) for a freight interchange with the EJE before the latter’s acquisition by CN.
That’s the seating they’re switching to when they rebuild the gallery cars. I don’t know how extensive of a refresh they’re doing (or how much if the fleet they’re planning to do) but a few years ago they announced they would switch to those new seats
Opinions on the blue seats are certainly divided, but the renderings for Metra's new Coradia Multilevel railcars, which should start plying the rails in 2025, have seats that look a lot like the blue ones. The current order is for 200 Coradias (replacing one-quarter of the current fleet), with an option for an additional 300. If the option is exercised, odds are pretty good most Metra riders get the new seats, like it or not.
I hope that the other passenger going to Manhattan got the right Manhattan.I remember years ago going to Frankfurt an de Oder and in Germany and a fellow rail passenger, American or Canadian by his accent,was bemused as why it wasn't a grander city . he thought that he was in Frankfort am Main!I explained to said gentleman that Germany had 2 Frankfurts, the famous one and the one he was in which was formerly in Prussia and later the DDR!
Well, considering that the BIG Manhattan is probably 30 hours away by train, I doubt there would be much confusion. Same with Manhattan Kansas, the OTHER Manhattan. If anybody thinks they are going to either of the other Manhattans for $9 US, I worry for their intelligence.
Oh cool, you went through my hometown!! Glad to see it getting some rep, nobody really talks about it that much. But anyway, I take the SouthWest Service whenever I want to go downtown for the day and the rides are so relaxing for me that one of these days I think I'm going to ride it all the way to Manhattan and back. I find it really cool how you can be in a city environment and then a short car or train ride away you're in nature and endless cornfields, once you get to Orland Park it's definitely greener from then on haha.
Fellow Calvin grad here - the SWS service is my home line, but I haven't used the line since Covid. As you mentioned, the SWS is formerly the Wabash. The color of the old paper timetables - (do they still have those?) is blue, which harkens back to the Wabash Cannonball Livery. There are a few pieces of Wabash equipment on display at the Orland Park - 153rd Street station. I would recommend you consider videos on The Illinois Railroad Museum in Union, Illinois AND the South Shore Line to Michigan City / South Bend.
It’s very interesting on the randomness of metro stations, one can be smack dab in the downtown area, while another sits in the middle of empty fields.
Cannonball is an incredible name. I became very familiar with the Glenview Metra/Amtrak station on an Amtrak delay. It was a nice station with an Irish pub down the street. Lots of Metra trains rolled through.
I really wish Metra would bring back Saturday service to the Southwest Service, like they ran before the pandemic. Sadly, such Saturday trains haven't been brought back. Anyway in pre-COVID times, I did ride this line all the way south to Manhattan as I was curious. Luckily the train was early getting into Manhattan, since I wish I had slightly more time to explore that town. Also got off at Laraway Road, then biked north to New Lenox on the Rock Island line. I always get the sense that when Metra extended service south to Manhattan, that more growth was projected for this area then how much was actually built in the end. It's still a nice area, if underdeveloped. If you want another stretch of Metra that has VERY little development near the tracks, ride Metra between LaFox and Elburn on the Union Pacific West line. Also the part between Woodstock and Harvard, has very little development near the tracks.
as a frequent Metra rider, those seats at 2:22 are not a favorite! one reason is obviously you can't flip them, and two they are too tall. the black flippable seats are the way to go. (Plus, the black seats are really comfortable). I also think Metra only put those seats on some 7400 cars. they're not on any other car series.
Wow! The power of requesting an extension to service. Looks like a decent extension too as I got out my map of Chicago and environs from 1995 and Manhattan was off the bottom of the map. Orland Park 179th Street just made it. Back when I visited in 1995 I rode most of the Metra System as it was then, including a round trip to Joliet using the Orland Park and BNSF Racetrack lines. I stayed out at Arlington Heights and commuted daily from there during my four day stay. Great to see you again on RUclips. Cheers from Michael in Melbourne, Australia.😀
If you like rural feeling transit, you should absolutely check out the east end of the MetroLink Red Line if you’re ever in St. Louis. I can’t think of many other places in the US where you can take light rail through farm fields.
I was very happy when they brought back the pre-Covid schedule back this past January for my work commutes, but I'm still very annoyed that SWS still does not have or plan to add weekend service.
@@Thom-TRA They claim it's due to ridership numbers but SWS is inching closer it feels like what it was in 2019. Plus would it really hurt their budget adding only a couple trains to the weekend?
@@Thom-TRA Heritage Corridor did test Saturday service, for a few months each of the last 2 years. I wish that could be made permanent, but that's just me.
Cool video. I grew up in Oak Lawn (left for college in 1976) and my dad used to take the Cannonball to work in downtown Chicago daily. Seeing the Sherman tank on 95th Street brought back childhood memories. I'll be returning soon and will be staying in Orland Park. I plan on taking the SWS from the 153rd St. Station to Union Station, and then the Red Line to Wrigley Field.
Regarding those seats, you were talking about earlier, I’m not sure if they’re actually newer. I say that because they are in the coaches with really thin windows. Usually when I ride Metra I sit in the coaches with the bigger windows. I could be wrong, but that’s what I think.
These cars were bought experimentally by Metra in the middle of the 2010s. They were used on a number of lines but did not prove very popular. They subsequently concentrated on the lines leaving the south concourse of Union Station. When I worked in the south suburbs I often rode in them.
Thank You For Sharing!! I really enjoy your channel. You Do Know Your Chicago Train's. Back In My Young Day's, I Had Some Great Times In Chicago. Its Where I Took My First Train Ride.
Surprised they don't have a small generator on the rolling stock to save the power outages as they attach the loco power. The sudden darkness reminded me of the old power arcs on the London Underground and Metropolitan lines and the old 750dc third rail line units in South East England and Liverpool/Merseyside. We have a few request stops in SW England marked x in timetables eg 1149x to indicate you tell the guard you want to alight or flag the train. I'm unaware of any requests to termini as indicated here although the practice is quite common in rural bus operation where the note d is used = only continues to drop off passengers on board. I love the comment 'We hit the brakes so hard I can smell them' reminds me of the InterCity West Coast service in mid to late 1990's when the push/pull IC Class 87 and Class 90 and BR MKIII stock used to have burning brake discs when travelling at higher speed. Something I don't miss now the line is run by Pendolino tilting Class 390's
Those seats are actually the first iteration trial run for a new seat design and were introduced around 2017-2019 for passengers to try out and review on some train lines to get feedback. Theres is now a second iteration trial run of another new seat design that has already happened and those train cars are now running on the Rock Island Line where you can find both the first and second trial run seat designs for the new passenger train cars Metra has ordered. It's honestly just comes down to luck as the trial has ended and are now placed in a random equipment rotation on the RI Line, but passenger can still ride in them. Just camp out at LaSalle Street Metra station and see if you can spot a departing train with the other seat design. In short. Metra has said that they cost the same as the current flip seating and are just as durable when compared to 99% of the train cars you see today. But instead of the back rest stopping at shoulder hight, the new seats will be able to provide full head and back support, the center arm rest, and cup holder. The new seats will be featured on the new 2025 Metra Alstom Coradia passenger cars, and will be a hybird of the first and seconds seat designs.
Impressive train and as always very good information. Trains in the USA and stations like Manhattan give a romantic feel about railtravel that i mis in the Netherlands.
I like these galley bi-level coaches. One time I rode a Metra electric train and I sat on the upper level. Kids would like these as if they bought a ticket and sat in a seat on the upper level, they would be at the same level as the engineer. I can't seem to see why can't Amtrak buy these for the Midwest service.
Every time I've rode the NCS to Antioch, a conductor will ask me where I'm getting off. It's not listed on the schedule but I assume they treat the last two or three stations as a flag discharge too. The yard is just past the last station so they will go there anyways but I assume they don't stop if they don't have to.
You should do a day in glen ellyn on the up w line. They have a restaurant called 2 toots and it is another restaurant that delivers food by train. There is also one in Bartlett. Des plaines and route 59 had one too but they both closed.
Thank you Thom for the video! I enjoyed learning about the South West Service! I like it goes from the big windy city to the countryside! The refurbished seats in the gallery cars look more comfortable than some of the seats we have on some UK trains. I do see some trains run express on part of the line 🙂
@@Thom-TRA I The South West service is on my Metra bucket list! The seats on my GA Class 720 are not too bad. I find the GWR class 800/802/Thames link Class 700 seats quite hard in my opinion.
Hi Thom, this video is awesome as all of your videos are. My mom has a relative who lives in Mount Prospect, IL. We've never been to Illinois but hope to travel there some day.
I remember when I rode the southwest service, I rode the entire route southbound with my mom on a Saturday that was making all stops. One time I was on a Metra BNSF train from Chicago, it had to move slowly because an empty Metra train partially derailed right outside of union station. I was sitting on the side where I could see it. I’m pretty sure it took off two cars and the one and only locomotive. It was supposed to be an express train also on a Saturday until it had to get cancelled after what happened.
Nice trip report. Here's a video put out by METRA of the Southwest line shot from the cab car. METRA also has videos on other lines as well. ruclips.net/video/ZsAyZlf3uZI/видео.html
I wonder why the Rock Island was never moved to Union. I wonder if moving SWS trains to LaSalle would give more for the Heritage Corridor or new/restored intercity services to Indiana and Ohio (since this is the south side so the CHI-St. Paul service should not have any effect)
Three reasons Rock Island Service never ended up at Union Station- 1) Moving Rock Island to Union would have meant far too many trains for the south tracks at Union to handle. Currently, the Rock runs forty trains in each direction-half to Joliet on the main line, half to Blue Island-Vermont on the Beverly Branch. Adding them into an already busy mix of Amtrak, BNSF, Southwest, and Heritage Corridor trains on the south tracks could make for massive conflicts. As the video mentions, Southwest Service trains will be diverted from Union Station to LaSalle Street Station as a result of the CREATE P2 project. The purpose is to free up slots for an anticipated increase of Amtrak regional passenger service. If Metra were to revive the idea of establishing the Southeast Service, those trains would also share Rock Island trackage (to about 91st Street) and terminate at LaSalle. 2) There is no reliable physical connection to get Rock Island trains into Union. There is an old turnoff from the St. Charles Air Line onto the Rock Island tracks at 16th Street, but it was only ever meant for equipment movements, not passenger routes. Plus, even if the turnoff were utilized, every Rock train would have to perform the backup maneuver on the Air Line, which, as many Amtrak riders are aware, adds 15-20 minutes to every trip. On a long-distance trip, an extra 15-20 minutes is not a lot of time. For a commuter train, it might mean thousands skipping the train and driving into town instead. Also, years ago, the Air Line had far more freights running on it, and Rock Island service would have been at the mercy of those freights. Currently, Amtrak, Metra, IDOT, and CDOT are seeking federal funds for the Chicago Hub Improvement Plan, which would include the St. Charles Air Line Connection, and would finally connect Rock Island and potentially Metra Electric tracks to Union Station without the need for the backup maneuver. The initial purpose is to get Amtrak trains off the CN-owned tracks between Chicago and Joliet and eastern Amtrak trains off the NS Chicago Line at least as far as Grand Crossing (and, if they can come to terms with the South Shore, all the way to Michigan City). In future, the Air Line Connection could provide the key to RER-type service between the Rock/Metra Electric to the south with Milwaukee District lines to the north/northwest, as well as an O'Hare Airport express connecting O'Hare with McCormick Place and Hyde Park. 3) Historically, when Amtrak started operations on "A-Day", May 1, 1971, the Rock Island did not relinquish their remaining intercity passenger trains to Amtrak, which owns Union Station, and chose to continue using LaSalle as their terminal station for the Peoria Rocket and Quad Cities Rocket, as well as commuter operations. Regarding more Heritage Corridor trains, the main problem isn't Union Station, but Canadian National, who have been difficult to deal with in expanding Heritage and North Central service. Metra has been trying to get assurances from CN that when Amtrak is able to move the Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle off the CN-owned tracks that Heritage also uses that those available slots will go to Metra. No assurances have come from CN thus far.
@@MisterUptempo the only Intercity routes I could think of that would use the south would be the IL routes terminating in Dubuque and Moline. Also what about commuter service paralleling the Hiawatha to the WI border?
@@history_leisure Regarding increases on intercity routes, Moline service would add 2 roundtrips initially, with the prospect of more if the route proves popular. Applications have been filed for federal funding to run 4 roundtrips between Chicago and Peoria daily. IDOT would, if UP ever relents and a connection to the Rock Island is finally built, like to add frequencies to the Lincoln Service. Once a suitable "South of the Lake" route has been found, MDOT intends to increase the number of Wolverine roundtrips. Advocates in MI are also seeking a second frequency of both the Pere Marquette and the Blue Water. Amtrak's 2035 plan foresees 8 roundtrips between Chicago and Indianapolis, 4 continuing to Louisville and Nashville, 4 continuing to Cincinnati. Passenger rail advocates have been pushing for service between Chicago and Columbus, OH, either via Indy or Ft. Wayne, while others have been promoting the idea of a daily Cardinal (as opposed to thrice-weekly now) and additional frequencies of the Lake Shore Limited, in order to serve Ohio in daylight hours. The Black Hawk will, if current plans are put into effect, use the north tracks, not the south. Had the initial plan of using CN's Freeport sub been followed, the Black Hawk would have used the south tracks. Unfortunately, CN has continued its pattern of hostility to passenger rail. Running parallel Metra service on the Hiawatha route would require approval of Canadian Pacific, as they own the tracks north of Rondout. With CP's recent acquisition of Kansas City Southern, I do not know whether that will translate into increased freight traffic on that line.
@@history_leisure Future Rockford-Chicago service, which hopefully gets to Dubuque one day, will terminate on the north stub end tracks, as the Hiawatha Service trains do today. On the south end tracks, current regional routes include the Lincoln Service, the Illini/Saluki, the Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg, all Michigan Service trains, as would future service to the Quad Cities. MDOT has made it clear they intend to increase round trips on all three Michigan Service routes once a South of the Lake solution has finally been arrived at. Also, if the UP-owned line between Joliet and Alton were ever fully double-tracked, UP would consent to another 5 Lincoln Service roundtrips daily. Longer-term Amtrak plans as well as regional Corridor ID plans point to Chicago-Peoria service, resurrecting the Hoosier State train, to potentially run 8 trains to Indianapolis daily, with 4 continuing to Cincinnati and 4 continuing to Louisville (and possibly Nashville), as well as Chicago-Ft. Wayne-Columbus service. Increased frequencies of current routes as well as new regional services absolutely necessitate the need to send the Southwest Service trains to Lasalle St. Station.
Given that there's nothing in Manhattan even as it is part of Chicago sprall, my question is why did this line not continue on to Kankakee? At least there are people, and a very nice station, hospital and downtown in Kankakee which is only about twenty minutes away???
@@Thom-TRA There's 1 train the Chicago South Shore and South Bend if you ride that train they have an agreement with Metra but they don't allow Metra tickets as they have their own system
Thank you for this great video ! As you know I am a huge fan of all the Metra routes worked by diesel locos. I wonder if you could have returned straight away from Manhattan rather than take a cab to New Lennox for the Rock Island line ? The new seating in the gallery car looked neat, but surely the facing seats are too close together? I hope you can soon take a ride to Kenosha on the former C&NW route ? Many thanks indeed .
"cannonball" should only be given to some express and fast train. Otherwise it loses it meaning. On the Manhattan, I am curiious if the train would end up in Manhattan to turn around anyways whether there are passengers or not. I have a question for you: I looked at the design of Chicago Union and am perplexed: why did they interrupt the tracks into two terminal stations with boarding from the middle instead of having through-running tracks and board from below or above? Is there a historicak reason for this? 2 separate railroads, one gong north and one going south and they decided to not connect to each other? (though there are connecting tracks).
When Union Station was built, it was intended almost exclusively for intercity passenger service, not commuter rail. In the golden age of passenger rail, the station was owned jointly by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Milwaukee Road, and the Burlington, with the Chicago and Alton (later the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio) as a tenant. There was no need for through-running. The north tracks were used by the Milwaukee Road and the Pennsy's Panhandle Route, while the south tracks were used by the Burlington, the Chicago and Alton, and the Pennsy for routes that ran on its main line (such as the Broadway Limited). Amtrak, Union Station's current owner, is attempting to transform an unused mail platform (from the days when the US Mail was carried by rail) into two passenger platforms servicing four through tracks. Those platforms would be accessed from below, and could see use by Amtrak regional trains, O'Hare Express trains, and Metra RER-type service. A concept drawn up by Amtrak for long-term improvements would entail building a new station at 300 South Riverside, where all platforms in the south train shed (including the converted mail platform) would be accessed from above.
@@MisterUptempo Thanks. Still strange that they would build such a grandiose station and not plan for through running trains even if it were just to get trains to/from yards/wye to turn around.
@@jfmezei Oh, there is a through track for equipment moves, but there is no platform to service it, and no way to access it from the concourse, even if there were one.
Thanks for the fine video. I'd like to hear more about the potential for more service if the service switches to LaSalle Street. This would seem to imply that the constraint is at Union Station, but currently there are half-hourly trains out of Union Station during rush hour, and about the same frequency inbound in the morning. Is there a proposal to have more than half-hourly rush hour trains, or is the plan to have more off-peak trains? What do the trains that travel all the way to Manhattan do after arrival? Do they deadhead back to 179th street?
They do deadhead back to 179th, I believe. The constraints at Union station are more that SWS trains get in the way of BNSF and Amtrak trains, so eventually it would come down to choosing which service to expand. Since Amtrak owns Union and Metra owns LaSalle, expansion on both would be more likely in this situation.
@@Thom-TRA Thanks. A followup question: The Manhattan train station seems oddly placed in Manhattan. It's a long walk from the center of the village, just south of a junction where another line splits off to the southeast. Was the station placed where it is to avoid standing trains interfering with traffic to and from this other line? There's plenty of parking near locations closer to the center of the village, and so otherwise the station location seems unfortunate.
Love the Cannonball name... cool that you were able to flagstop request Manhattan... did you feel like the great and powerful oz? 😂 just FYI, many years ago when I lived near Sunnyside NY, I tried doing that once in NY City, asking Amtrak if I could stay on until Sunnyside Yard in Queens... no such luck.😂
Was the hot dog place in New Lenox worth it? Looking to kill a few hours in Chicago on a weekday morning/afternoon and thought about taking the RI out there and then connecting to ME at Blue Island-Vermont St on the way back into the city.
Hello Thom! This was a good one :) Been watching your videos for a long time now, never been to Chicago but these videos make me want to visit. So much transit there, for American standards.
@@Thom-TRA or the fall.. or the spring.. or of you are a cold weather person like me.. come anytime! (Bonus: in colder months there are less tourists/crowds.. so if you can handle and/or enjoy volunteering, come when the Temps drop! :) )
I just finished watching the cab ride video for this service on Metra’s RUclips channel. Great that this video popped up the next day! Good job, Thom! Thanks for sharing your train and bus ride adventures.
If you come back to ca you should do a video on the LA Metro light rail and Subway I like the video you did on Metrolink San Bernardino line I do use it to go and see my friend and her husband and daughter and her dad at times
I absolutely love your videos, I am a subscriber. I am a wheelchair user. I would be honored if you would include a few words about wheelchair accessibility in each train review. It doesn't have to be much, just "I see this row of seats looks to be removable, presumably if there are one or more wheelchair users" or some such. Could that be the reason behind the switch to new seats?
@@Thom-TRA Thank you so much! I used to live on Quincy Avenue in Riverside Illinois, about 50 feet from the Burlington tracks! Have loved trains ever since.
Hi Thom! I love your videos. I particularly like how you take time to explain each train you take. I learn many interesting facts from your videos! Keep up the good work! Best wishes from Chicago!❤
Thanks for watching and commenting! I like explaining, because it helps me to check I actually understand everything myself. Plus you never know how much background knowledge people already have!
Only thing I noticed you didn't mention was Little Englewood Station. It was the second busiest inter-city passenger station within the City limits but outside the loop, after Englewood Station. Almost nothing left today but the platforms. Was served by a whole bunch of passenger trains, like The Wabash, C&EI, Monon and more.
@@Thom-TRA you’re probably right. Once my friends were at Ogilvie and a woman asked them for directions to the train to Palestine. I’m sorry ma’am but you’re on the wrong continent. I’m sure she was just mispronouncing Palatine, IL though
I used to live by the SWS line in Chicago Ridge. Long before COVID, I used to ride it all the time with my dad. They also used to run limited service on Saturday until COVID ruined everything.
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I rode this line a couple weeks ago as part of my goal of riding all the metra lines. I got on the first train outbound and took it to Manhattan, the conductor verified that that I was going all the way to Manhattan as it was very uncommon apparently. By the end I was the only person left on the train, and since the conductors were in the same car the one asked me what I was doing in Manhattan. After explaining I was just trying to ride all metra lines in their entirety, he asked if I actually needed to get off at Manhattan station. Since I did not, they just pulled to the train forward to where it sat while waiting for its next inbound run. It was only a couple hundred feet past the station, but I guess I got to ride on a bit of metra trackage that isn't usually open to the public. In the case of the scheduled train I took it would have gone to Manhattan either way because it had to go back inbound from manhattan the same day, so it didn't matter if anybody needed to get off there. That would just affect whether it stopped at the station or in its holding area. I am a bit curious why they don't just stay at the station while waiting to return, I've noticed this at other terminal stations as well. The train sits past the station and shows up only a few minutes before departure.
That is a really cool story how you got to chill in the turnaround track with the conductors!
That’s also my goal
If u dont get hired by a metro somewhere it is a missed opportunity for current urban professionals to prepare expertise for the future. Clearly passionate and wide eyed you will move mass transit to a higher priority. Thanks kiddo keep up the incredible informative and interesting vids on transit. I love your stuff having been on many of these trains. I appreciate your effortz and I bet Metra and RTA loves it too.
@@Thom-TRA I see white Sox guaranteed rate field in your video
I agree about the name Cannonball! It just makes a train service sound so epic! The LIRR has a Cannonball service of its own, during the Summer they run express trains between Penn Station (used to be Long Island City until 2013) and the Hamptons/Montauk. The Cannonball locomotives are the regular DE30AC engines used on the Montauk Branch, but those for the service have a seal at the very front with Montauk Point Lighthouse that signify that it's the Cannonball. Before 2001, they had parlor cars for the service but since then and the parlor cars were replaced with bi-level C3s, they have a Hamptons Reserve thing (well, pre-pandemic they did) where the last two cars are reserved seating with full bar service and complimentary snacks.
As much as I don't like how these gallery cars just have doors in the middle unlike other multi-levels like Tri-Rail's, LIRR's and NJ Transit's, there's no denying that the tinted green windows are iconic and photogenic!
Southwest service is back and is now low key the most overlooked line in they system
"I'm gonna have a nice time heading to Orland Park"
"You gotta go to Laraway Road and Manhattan now-"
*"DID I STUTTER?!"*
What a deal for that Chicago dog meal! And looking at the locations of Laraway Road and Manhattan, I definitely understand why they're so low-used. You know how malls and stores tend to have big signs next to the road so you know they're there? Well, that's not the case for either of these. There's no sign saying Laraway Road station exists on Laraway Road, only one small sign on Calistoga Drive (the station approach road) all the way at the end of it where the parking lot begins. There's no sidewalk whatsoever, not even a pathway from the actual Laraway Road itself to the platform. Manhattan has a small sign too, though at least it's at the beginning of the station approach, plus they have a sidewalk unlike Laraway Road.
The first part made me laugh 😂 and yeah, the hot dog was a great deal
I think there should be a connection to RID to Joliet east of New Lenox. Manhattan is and expensive exercise in land banking the old Wabash (NS) for a freight interchange with the EJE before the latter’s acquisition by CN.
That’s the seating they’re switching to when they rebuild the gallery cars. I don’t know how extensive of a refresh they’re doing (or how much if the fleet they’re planning to do) but a few years ago they announced they would switch to those new seats
When I say on them it wasn’t the most comfortable for me
They must be going very slow 😂 I haven’t seen those seats since that one time
Those seats were a pilot program. They're not going with those permanently and are keeping the flippable seats with gallery cars going forward.
The flippable seats are a lot better imo
Opinions on the blue seats are certainly divided, but the renderings for Metra's new Coradia Multilevel railcars, which should start plying the rails in 2025, have seats that look a lot like the blue ones.
The current order is for 200 Coradias (replacing one-quarter of the current fleet), with an option for an additional 300. If the option is exercised, odds are pretty good most Metra riders get the new seats, like it or not.
I hope that the other passenger going to Manhattan got the right Manhattan.I remember years ago going to Frankfurt an de Oder and in Germany and a fellow rail passenger, American or Canadian by his accent,was bemused as why it wasn't a grander city . he thought that he was in Frankfort am Main!I explained to said gentleman that Germany had 2 Frankfurts, the famous one and the one he was in which was formerly in Prussia and later the DDR!
Well, considering that the BIG Manhattan is probably 30 hours away by train, I doubt there would be much confusion. Same with Manhattan Kansas, the OTHER Manhattan. If anybody thinks they are going to either of the other Manhattans for $9 US, I worry for their intelligence.
Oh cool, you went through my hometown!! Glad to see it getting some rep, nobody really talks about it that much. But anyway, I take the SouthWest Service whenever I want to go downtown for the day and the rides are so relaxing for me that one of these days I think I'm going to ride it all the way to Manhattan and back. I find it really cool how you can be in a city environment and then a short car or train ride away you're in nature and endless cornfields, once you get to Orland Park it's definitely greener from then on haha.
Fellow Calvin grad here - the SWS service is my home line, but I haven't used the line since Covid. As you mentioned, the SWS is formerly the Wabash. The color of the old paper timetables - (do they still have those?) is blue, which harkens back to the Wabash Cannonball Livery. There are a few pieces of Wabash equipment on display at the Orland Park - 153rd Street station. I would recommend you consider videos on The Illinois Railroad Museum in Union, Illinois AND the South Shore Line to Michigan City / South Bend.
Go Knights!
And I’ve done many videos about the South Shore Line, most recently in January!
It’s very interesting on the randomness of metro stations, one can be smack dab in the downtown area, while another sits in the middle of empty fields.
The Proposed Southeast Service should become a reality.
Cannonball is an incredible name. I became very familiar with the Glenview Metra/Amtrak station on an Amtrak delay. It was a nice station with an Irish pub down the street. Lots of Metra trains rolled through.
Bring back the cannonball!
Having one here in New York, I agree Metra should revive the Cannonball name
Cannonball a name of predecessor Wabash Detroit-StLouis train.
I remember as a kid catching the Wabash Blue Bird and Banner Blue from St Louis to Chicago (Englewood Station) over these tracks.
I really wish Metra would bring back Saturday service to the Southwest Service, like they ran before the pandemic. Sadly, such Saturday trains haven't been brought back. Anyway in pre-COVID times, I did ride this line all the way south to Manhattan as I was curious. Luckily the train was early getting into Manhattan, since I wish I had slightly more time to explore that town. Also got off at Laraway Road, then biked north to New Lenox on the Rock Island line. I always get the sense that when Metra extended service south to Manhattan, that more growth was projected for this area then how much was actually built in the end. It's still a nice area, if underdeveloped.
If you want another stretch of Metra that has VERY little development near the tracks, ride Metra between LaFox and Elburn on the Union Pacific West line. Also the part between Woodstock and Harvard, has very little development near the tracks.
as a frequent Metra rider, those seats at 2:22 are not a favorite! one reason is obviously you can't flip them, and two they are too tall. the black flippable seats are the way to go. (Plus, the black seats are really comfortable). I also think Metra only put those seats on some 7400 cars. they're not on any other car series.
Yes! Bring back “cannonball!”
Wow! The power of requesting an extension to service. Looks like a decent extension too as I got out my map of Chicago and environs from 1995 and Manhattan was off the bottom of the map. Orland Park 179th Street just made it. Back when I visited in 1995 I rode most of the Metra System as it was then, including a round trip to Joliet using the Orland Park and BNSF Racetrack lines. I stayed out at Arlington Heights and commuted daily from there during my four day stay. Great to see you again on RUclips. Cheers from Michael in Melbourne, Australia.😀
Yeah it goes farther south than any other line. Manhattan really feels like the country, not the suburbs.
Very educational video this is one of my favorite metra Lines and it runs past my house lol
If you like rural feeling transit, you should absolutely check out the east end of the MetroLink Red Line if you’re ever in St. Louis. I can’t think of many other places in the US where you can take light rail through farm fields.
I rode the MetroLink just last week! Sadly did not have time to go all the way to Shiloh
I was very happy when they brought back the pre-Covid schedule back this past January for my work commutes, but I'm still very annoyed that SWS still does not have or plan to add weekend service.
The lack of weekend service is very frustrating, same on NCS and HC
@@Thom-TRA They claim it's due to ridership numbers but SWS is inching closer it feels like what it was in 2019. Plus would it really hurt their budget adding only a couple trains to the weekend?
@@Thom-TRA Heritage Corridor did test Saturday service, for a few months each of the last 2 years. I wish that could be made permanent, but that's just me.
When I lived in tinley park I would take that train to the city station all the time
The last 2 stops are in an area that is growing, I will not be surprised if that in 10 years or so many more people will be riding to the last 2 stops
i sure hope that when the two lines share lasalle st station, there will be some kind of rehabilitation
Yeah it could use a little bit of a facelift
5:03 I think that abandoned station is actually 63rd St? Just from looking on Google Maps lol
Also 47th, Ashland, another, Western, Landers.
Another interesting video, I like how you do a study and try to be thorough, Thanks.
2:47 so I went to train station with my dad so
but one
at night time
, 🚆🇺🇲
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Metra ,🚆
Train 🚆
Cool video. I grew up in Oak Lawn (left for college in 1976) and my dad used to take the Cannonball to work in downtown Chicago daily. Seeing the Sherman tank on 95th Street brought back childhood memories. I'll be returning soon and will be staying in Orland Park. I plan on taking the SWS from the 153rd St. Station to Union Station, and then the Red Line to Wrigley Field.
So cool to hear from the child of an actual cannonball rider!
Regarding those seats, you were talking about earlier, I’m not sure if they’re actually newer. I say that because they are in the coaches with really thin windows. Usually when I ride Metra I sit in the coaches with the bigger windows. I could be wrong, but that’s what I think.
Wow!
The history of a train station can be some crazy stuff!
It's a SHOPPING MALL now?!
Yeah man those seats are in the Amerail cars. Metra installed those a few years ago
These cars were bought experimentally by Metra in the middle of the 2010s. They were used on a number of lines but did not prove very popular. They subsequently concentrated on the lines leaving the south concourse of Union Station. When I worked in the south suburbs I often rode in them.
Thanks for the explanation!
What cars are you saying were experimental? Galleries (aka bilevels) were introduced in 1950s.
Thank You For Sharing!! I really enjoy your channel. You Do Know Your Chicago Train's. Back In My Young Day's, I Had Some Great Times In Chicago. Its Where I Took My First Train Ride.
What was your first train ride?
Surprised they don't have a small generator on the rolling stock to save the power outages as they attach the loco power. The sudden darkness reminded me of the old power arcs on the London Underground and Metropolitan lines and the old 750dc third rail line units in South East England and Liverpool/Merseyside.
We have a few request stops in SW England marked x in timetables eg 1149x to indicate you tell the guard you want to alight or flag the train. I'm unaware of any requests to termini as indicated here although the practice is quite common in rural bus operation where the note d is used = only continues to drop off passengers on board.
I love the comment 'We hit the brakes so hard I can smell them' reminds me of the InterCity West Coast service in mid to late 1990's when the push/pull IC Class 87 and Class 90 and BR MKIII stock used to have burning brake discs when travelling at higher speed. Something I don't miss now the line is run by Pendolino tilting Class 390's
Those seats are actually the first iteration trial run for a new seat design and were introduced around 2017-2019 for passengers to try out and review on some train lines to get feedback. Theres is now a second iteration trial run of another new seat design that has already happened and those train cars are now running on the Rock Island Line where you can find both the first and second trial run seat designs for the new passenger train cars Metra has ordered. It's honestly just comes down to luck as the trial has ended and are now placed in a random equipment rotation on the RI Line, but passenger can still ride in them. Just camp out at LaSalle Street Metra station and see if you can spot a departing train with the other seat design.
In short. Metra has said that they cost the same as the current flip seating and are just as durable when compared to 99% of the train cars you see today. But instead of the back rest stopping at shoulder hight, the new seats will be able to provide full head and back support, the center arm rest, and cup holder. The new seats will be featured on the new 2025 Metra Alstom Coradia passenger cars, and will be a hybird of the first and seconds seat designs.
I’ll have to look for the new seats!
The Southwest Service line is literally not too far from my house in Hometown, Illinois.
if you want some rural scenery, the up nw line to harvard past cary gets pretty rural.
Impressive train and as always very good information. Trains in the USA and stations like Manhattan give a romantic feel about railtravel that i mis in the Netherlands.
It definitely feels like back in the old days
I have ridden cars like this on the Metra UP-North
I like these galley bi-level coaches. One time I rode a Metra electric train and I sat on the upper level. Kids would like these as if they bought a ticket and sat in a seat on the upper level, they would be at the same level as the engineer. I can't seem to see why can't Amtrak buy these for the Midwest service.
Amtrak did use Gallery Cars at one point but they were retired in the 1990s
Every time I've rode the NCS to Antioch, a conductor will ask me where I'm getting off. It's not listed on the schedule but I assume they treat the last two or three stations as a flag discharge too. The yard is just past the last station so they will go there anyways but I assume they don't stop if they don't have to.
A better might have been to build a connection east of Mokena to run to Joliet.
Cool video on southwest service here in Los Angeles Metrolink doesn't do anything like
I rode to laraway road for only $3.75 yesterday
That's great!
You should do a day in glen ellyn on the up w line. They have a restaurant called 2 toots and it is another restaurant that delivers food by train. There is also one in Bartlett. Des plaines and route 59 had one too but they both closed.
You should do a Thom in the midwest in manhattan! It's a nice and small town that has a restaurant that you can see the SWS trains!
Maybe! Don’t know if I’ll go back so soon, still have so many other places k want to see!
Do one In Naperville!
Thank you Thom for the video! I enjoyed learning about the South West Service! I like it goes from the big windy city to the countryside! The refurbished seats in the gallery cars look more comfortable than some of the seats we have on some UK trains. I do see some trains run express on part of the line 🙂
They were actually pretty comfortable! Reminded me a lot of the seats on Dutch trains
@@Thom-TRA I
The South West service is on my Metra bucket list! The seats on my GA Class 720 are not too bad. I find the GWR class 800/802/Thames link Class 700 seats quite hard in my opinion.
thank you again for another informative well made video on trains
You’re welcome!
Hi Thom, this video is awesome as all of your videos are. My mom has a relative who lives in Mount Prospect, IL. We've never been to Illinois but hope to travel there some day.
Definitely come visit sometime! But may I recommend the summer and not the winter…
I have some sort of cup holders in the car that you were roding
If you haven't done so already ride the Metra UP North to Kenosha and then you can ride the Kenosha Transit trolley.
I tried today, but luck was not on my side…
I remember when I rode the southwest service, I rode the entire route southbound with my mom on a Saturday that was making all stops. One time I was on a Metra BNSF train from Chicago, it had to move slowly because an empty Metra train partially derailed right outside of union station. I was sitting on the side where I could see it. I’m pretty sure it took off two cars and the one and only locomotive. It was supposed to be an express train also on a Saturday until it had to get cancelled after what happened.
Union Station is a mess today too with all the cancelled Amtrak trains!
@@Thom-TRA man that too?! What a bummer.
Really enjoyed this video so much!!! Yes, let’s bring back the Cannonball and run it alllllll the way to Decatur!!!!!
I wonder if there were really commuters all the way from Decatur or if it was used for other trips
@@Thom-TRA not commuters… but hopefully someday the Illini and Saluki will be high speed rail and there will be commuters from Champaign!!!
I know this is unrelated to Metra but Should the CTA Brown line be grade separated by an Elevated Right of way
My opinion is no, it shouldn’t because it calms vehicle traffic in a rare way. I would change my mind if it were part of a line extension though
@@weenisw It would future-proof a Brown line extension to Jefferson Park
@@weenisw it would also eliminate the risk of kids stepping on the 3rd rail
Also I’m glad Metra still using old Amtrak F40PH’s till this day I still love those unique locomotives!
Just found this - love it thank you!
Thank YOU!
@@Thom-TRA Take me with you on the next train adventure!
Great video, thank you.
Thanks!
Nice trip report. Here's a video put out by METRA of the Southwest line shot from the cab car. METRA also has videos on other lines as well. ruclips.net/video/ZsAyZlf3uZI/видео.html
About the seats: some old gallery cars have been rehabbed with this new seat design.
I’m actually making a video about this soon!
Also, for some reason the Manhattan station is quite a bit south of downtown Manhattan?
I wonder why the Rock Island was never moved to Union. I wonder if moving SWS trains to LaSalle would give more for the Heritage Corridor or new/restored intercity services to Indiana and Ohio (since this is the south side so the CHI-St. Paul service should not have any effect)
Three reasons Rock Island Service never ended up at Union Station-
1) Moving Rock Island to Union would have meant far too many trains for the south tracks at Union to handle. Currently, the Rock runs forty trains in each direction-half to Joliet on the main line, half to Blue Island-Vermont on the Beverly Branch. Adding them into an already busy mix of Amtrak, BNSF, Southwest, and Heritage Corridor trains on the south tracks could make for massive conflicts.
As the video mentions, Southwest Service trains will be diverted from Union Station to LaSalle Street Station as a result of the CREATE P2 project. The purpose is to free up slots for an anticipated increase of Amtrak regional passenger service. If Metra were to revive the idea of establishing the Southeast Service, those trains would also share Rock Island trackage (to about 91st Street) and terminate at LaSalle.
2) There is no reliable physical connection to get Rock Island trains into Union. There is an old turnoff from the St. Charles Air Line onto the Rock Island tracks at 16th Street, but it was only ever meant for equipment movements, not passenger routes. Plus, even if the turnoff were utilized, every Rock train would have to perform the backup maneuver on the Air Line, which, as many Amtrak riders are aware, adds 15-20 minutes to every trip. On a long-distance trip, an extra 15-20 minutes is not a lot of time. For a commuter train, it might mean thousands skipping the train and driving into town instead. Also, years ago, the Air Line had far more freights running on it, and Rock Island service would have been at the mercy of those freights.
Currently, Amtrak, Metra, IDOT, and CDOT are seeking federal funds for the Chicago Hub Improvement Plan, which would include the St. Charles Air Line Connection, and would finally connect Rock Island and potentially Metra Electric tracks to Union Station without the need for the backup maneuver. The initial purpose is to get Amtrak trains off the CN-owned tracks between Chicago and Joliet and eastern Amtrak trains off the NS Chicago Line at least as far as Grand Crossing (and, if they can come to terms with the South Shore, all the way to Michigan City).
In future, the Air Line Connection could provide the key to RER-type service between the Rock/Metra Electric to the south with Milwaukee District lines to the north/northwest, as well as an O'Hare Airport express connecting O'Hare with McCormick Place and Hyde Park.
3) Historically, when Amtrak started operations on "A-Day", May 1, 1971, the Rock Island did not relinquish their remaining intercity passenger trains to Amtrak, which owns Union Station, and chose to continue using LaSalle as their terminal station for the Peoria Rocket and Quad Cities Rocket, as well as commuter operations.
Regarding more Heritage Corridor trains, the main problem isn't Union Station, but Canadian National, who have been difficult to deal with in expanding Heritage and North Central service. Metra has been trying to get assurances from CN that when Amtrak is able to move the Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle off the CN-owned tracks that Heritage also uses that those available slots will go to Metra. No assurances have come from CN thus far.
@@MisterUptempo the only Intercity routes I could think of that would use the south would be the IL routes terminating in Dubuque and Moline. Also what about commuter service paralleling the Hiawatha to the WI border?
@@history_leisure Regarding increases on intercity routes, Moline service would add 2 roundtrips initially, with the prospect of more if the route proves popular. Applications have been filed for federal funding to run 4 roundtrips between Chicago and Peoria daily. IDOT would, if UP ever relents and a connection to the Rock Island is finally built, like to add frequencies to the Lincoln Service.
Once a suitable "South of the Lake" route has been found, MDOT intends to increase the number of Wolverine roundtrips. Advocates in MI are also seeking a second frequency of both the Pere Marquette and the Blue Water.
Amtrak's 2035 plan foresees 8 roundtrips between Chicago and Indianapolis, 4 continuing to Louisville and Nashville, 4 continuing to Cincinnati. Passenger rail advocates have been pushing for service between Chicago and Columbus, OH, either via Indy or Ft. Wayne, while others have been promoting the idea of a daily Cardinal (as opposed to thrice-weekly now) and additional frequencies of the Lake Shore Limited, in order to serve Ohio in daylight hours.
The Black Hawk will, if current plans are put into effect, use the north tracks, not the south. Had the initial plan of using CN's Freeport sub been followed, the Black Hawk would have used the south tracks. Unfortunately, CN has continued its pattern of hostility to passenger rail.
Running parallel Metra service on the Hiawatha route would require approval of Canadian Pacific, as they own the tracks north of Rondout. With CP's recent acquisition of Kansas City Southern, I do not know whether that will translate into increased freight traffic on that line.
@@MisterUptempo I Think there should be a Metra line to South Elgin/Burlington IL using the former IC commuter route to Addison IL
@@history_leisure Future Rockford-Chicago service, which hopefully gets to Dubuque one day, will terminate on the north stub end tracks, as the Hiawatha Service trains do today.
On the south end tracks, current regional routes include the Lincoln Service, the Illini/Saluki, the Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg, all Michigan Service trains, as would future service to the Quad Cities.
MDOT has made it clear they intend to increase round trips on all three Michigan Service routes once a South of the Lake solution has finally been arrived at.
Also, if the UP-owned line between Joliet and Alton were ever fully double-tracked, UP would consent to another 5 Lincoln Service roundtrips daily.
Longer-term Amtrak plans as well as regional Corridor ID plans point to Chicago-Peoria service, resurrecting the Hoosier State train, to potentially run 8 trains to Indianapolis daily, with 4 continuing to Cincinnati and 4 continuing to Louisville (and possibly Nashville), as well as Chicago-Ft. Wayne-Columbus service.
Increased frequencies of current routes as well as new regional services absolutely necessitate the need to send the Southwest Service trains to Lasalle St. Station.
Given that there's nothing in Manhattan even as it is part of Chicago sprall, my question is why did this line not continue on to Kankakee? At least there are people, and a very nice station, hospital and downtown in Kankakee which is only about twenty minutes away???
Kankakee would be sharp dogleg east,
Thom I have rode all the Metra trains as my main train was the UP West Line
That’s awesome! I’ve been on all of them as well
@@Thom-TRA There's 1 train the Chicago South Shore and South Bend if you ride that train they have an agreement with Metra but they don't allow Metra tickets as they have their own system
I knew you were going to Manhattan, IL
Thank you for this great video ! As you know I am a huge fan of all the Metra routes worked by diesel locos. I wonder if you could have returned straight away from Manhattan rather than take a cab to New Lennox for the Rock Island line ? The new seating in the gallery car looked neat, but surely the facing seats are too close together? I hope you can soon take a ride to Kenosha on the former C&NW route ? Many thanks indeed .
With rideshare prices what they are now, not a bone in my body that would even think of taking the car farther than I already did!
Fabulous video so enjoyed watching new sub from 🇬🇧 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿
"cannonball" should only be given to some express and fast train. Otherwise it loses it meaning.
On the Manhattan, I am curiious if the train would end up in Manhattan to turn around anyways whether there are passengers or not.
I have a question for you: I looked at the design of Chicago Union and am perplexed: why did they interrupt the tracks into two terminal stations with boarding from the middle instead of having through-running tracks and board from below or above? Is there a historicak reason for this? 2 separate railroads, one gong north and one going south and they decided to not connect to each other? (though there are connecting tracks).
When Union Station was built, it was intended almost exclusively for intercity passenger service, not commuter rail. In the golden age of passenger rail, the station was owned jointly by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Milwaukee Road, and the Burlington, with the Chicago and Alton (later the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio) as a tenant. There was no need for through-running.
The north tracks were used by the Milwaukee Road and the Pennsy's Panhandle Route, while the south tracks were used by the Burlington, the Chicago and Alton, and the Pennsy for routes that ran on its main line (such as the Broadway Limited).
Amtrak, Union Station's current owner, is attempting to transform an unused mail platform (from the days when the US Mail was carried by rail) into two passenger platforms servicing four through tracks. Those platforms would be accessed from below, and could see use by Amtrak regional trains, O'Hare Express trains, and Metra RER-type service.
A concept drawn up by Amtrak for long-term improvements would entail building a new station at 300 South Riverside, where all platforms in the south train shed (including the converted mail platform) would be accessed from above.
@@MisterUptempo Thanks. Still strange that they would build such a grandiose station and not plan for through running trains even if it were just to get trains to/from yards/wye to turn around.
@@jfmezei Oh, there is a through track for equipment moves, but there is no platform to service it, and no way to access it from the concourse, even if there were one.
Great video !!!!! I always wanted to ride the SWS
Thank you! You should, the frequencies are a little better so it’s not as much of a hassle.
Thanks for the fine video. I'd like to hear more about the potential for more service if the service switches to LaSalle Street. This would seem to imply that the constraint is at Union Station, but currently there are half-hourly trains out of Union Station during rush hour, and about the same frequency inbound in the morning. Is there a proposal to have more than half-hourly rush hour trains, or is the plan to have more off-peak trains?
What do the trains that travel all the way to Manhattan do after arrival? Do they deadhead back to 179th street?
They do deadhead back to 179th, I believe.
The constraints at Union station are more that SWS trains get in the way of BNSF and Amtrak trains, so eventually it would come down to choosing which service to expand. Since Amtrak owns Union and Metra owns LaSalle, expansion on both would be more likely in this situation.
@@Thom-TRA Thanks. A followup question: The Manhattan train station seems oddly placed in Manhattan. It's a long walk from the center of the village, just south of a junction where another line splits off to the southeast. Was the station placed where it is to avoid standing trains interfering with traffic to and from this other line? There's plenty of parking near locations closer to the center of the village, and so otherwise the station location seems unfortunate.
Love the Cannonball name... cool that you were able to flagstop request Manhattan... did you feel like the great and powerful oz? 😂 just FYI, many years ago when I lived near Sunnyside NY, I tried doing that once in NY City, asking Amtrak if I could stay on until Sunnyside Yard in Queens... no such luck.😂
I can picture their annoyance 😂
Was the hot dog place in New Lenox worth it? Looking to kill a few hours in Chicago on a weekday morning/afternoon and thought about taking the RI out there and then connecting to ME at Blue Island-Vermont St on the way back into the city.
It was delicious and so cheap
There should be the canon ball again
I agree they should rename it
I have been waiting for you to make a video of the southwest service
I hope I did not disappoint
You did not
Your train videos are awesome
Thom, it was Norfolk & Western :)
Aussie fan here. Really enjoy your programs. Do u think u might visit Australia and make programs about our railway services?
I’d love to! I visited Sydney and Melbourne back in 2006, but obviously no RUclips videos back then!
Hello Thom! This was a good one :) Been watching your videos for a long time now, never been to Chicago but these videos make me want to visit. So much transit there, for American standards.
You should definitely come visit! But take my advice, come in the summer…
@@Thom-TRA or the fall.. or the spring.. or of you are a cold weather person like me.. come anytime! (Bonus: in colder months there are less tourists/crowds.. so if you can handle and/or enjoy volunteering, come when the Temps drop! :) )
I just finished watching the cab ride video for this service on Metra’s RUclips channel. Great that this video popped up the next day! Good job, Thom! Thanks for sharing your train and bus ride adventures.
If you come back to ca you should do a video on the LA Metro light rail and Subway I like the video you did on Metrolink San Bernardino line I do use it to go and see my friend and her husband and daughter and her dad at times
I actually have a few videos of the LA metro on my channel!
@@Thom-TRA so you have I just haven't seen video let but I will do that
I enjoyed the video👍👍
You're adorable
$3? You can’t get anything but a slice of pizza for $3 these days. That’s a great deal! The train ride is nice too 😂
I was stunned when I saw the prices
bring back the cannonball
So they've never restored Saturday service post pandemic?
Nope…
How did you tell the train ware to go?
Watch the video and you’ll find out!
I absolutely love your videos, I am a subscriber. I am a wheelchair user. I would be honored if you would include a few words about wheelchair accessibility in each train review. It doesn't have to be much, just "I see this row of seats looks to be removable, presumably if there are one or more wheelchair users" or some such. Could that be the reason behind the switch to new seats?
I try to always do that! Forgot to in this video. Thanks for the reminder!
@@Thom-TRA Thank you so much! I used to live on Quincy Avenue in Riverside Illinois, about 50 feet from the Burlington tracks! Have loved trains ever since.
Hi Thom! I love your videos. I particularly like how you take time to explain each train you take. I learn many interesting facts from your videos! Keep up the good work! Best wishes from Chicago!❤
Thanks for watching and commenting! I like explaining, because it helps me to check I actually understand everything myself. Plus you never know how much background knowledge people already have!
I watched all of the video and I liked it. The SWS is a amazing line.
Those seats look way more comfortable than the other even newer style seats I had on UPNW last weekend. They had little padding and also did not flip.
I like this video. What kind of car did you get for Lyft just out of curiosity?
Ooh, I wish I remembered. It’s the dark gray car you see driving off at the 12:17 mark
It’s a Hyundai Palisade. My aunt has one of those. Plus I rode 2 of those for Uber
I admit they finally upgraded on their gallery passengers cars especially the seating and wheelchair accessibility.
What line are you gonna do next?
I guess you’ll just have to wait and see!
Only thing I noticed you didn't mention was Little Englewood Station. It was the second busiest inter-city passenger station within the City limits but outside the loop, after Englewood Station. Almost nothing left today but the platforms. Was served by a whole bunch of passenger trains, like The Wabash, C&EI, Monon and more.
I can always count on you to provide great extra information!
@@Thom-TRA Yeah, I've been described before as like a bowl of chili. Good going down but will come up to bite you a bit. LOL.
Do you think anyone ever got confused and boarded a Manhattan bound SWS Metra mistaking it for NYC bound Amtrak Lake Shore Limited?
I don’t think so. The train to New York would say New York. And leaves at 9:30 PM.
@@Thom-TRA you’re probably right. Once my friends were at Ogilvie and a woman asked them for directions to the train to Palestine. I’m sorry ma’am but you’re on the wrong continent. I’m sure she was just mispronouncing Palatine, IL though
Ha! Ha!
How did you film this on a weekday and it was posted on a weekend?
Do I have a surprise for you:
I don’t post my videos the same day I film them! I need some time to edit
Oh
What train do I take from union station to Tinley park
You have to walk to LaSalle Street station and take the Rock Island line.
Ok thanks man :)
Bro I got recommended
Cool BNSF & derail car to bad there wasn't time to Metra Manhattan Yard.
How you can make money on a $3 hot dog with fries is insane
I used to live by the SWS line in Chicago Ridge. Long before COVID, I used to ride it all the time with my dad. They also used to run limited service on Saturday until COVID ruined everything.
I think these places should do what they did with the Heritage corridor last summer: promote local tourism and run weekend trains!
3 bucks for a Chicago dog and fries! That’s a deal. Thanks for another great video.
It was good, too!