I rode the electric district from Van Buren Street to 55th/56th57th Street on the way to the Museum of Science and Industry in May 2018. As an Aussie and a bit of a train buff, here are a few observations. As a Sydneysider, I couldn’t believe how run down most of the infrastructure on this line was. Van Buren Street Station looked like something out of a dystopian movie set, real third world stuff. However, once on the train, I found it modern, efficient and clean and moved along at a reasonable pace. But it was disappointing to see so few people on the train, not surprising considering the state of the stations. Such a pity. In Sydney, such a train would have been heavily patronised, although our stations our vastly better, like a real first world country. Your ticketing system also seemed a bit ‘olde worlde’, with a conductor clicking tickets on the train. Having said all that, I enjoyed the ride. Just a pity there isn’t more of an effort to make the system more attractive. I also enjoyed your video. Thanks for posting.
Some of the stations are pretty much wooden decks above the ground (just the most minimal a train station can be). At least Van Buren Street looks like a real train station. I would agree, the manned ticket collection still exists in America and is inefficient.
The CN "Canadian National"/ IRR "Illinois Central Railroad" and SS "Southshore Line" run along this railroad. The Southshore Line runs along the Metra Electric Line North of Kensington 115th Street. The Southshore line runs to South Bend Indiana Eastbound. There is a railroad control tower on the left 34:55. Metra Electric runs all the way to University Park, IL on the main line. 19:00 Metra Electric South Chicago Branch to 93rd Street. From Union Station, in the city of Chicago, you can take Amtrak to Homewood, IL, and Kankakee, IL stations The two train stations are about half an hour apart from each other. The Amtrak Service runs from Union Station and goes all the way to New Orleans. 35:27 there is an electric substation on the right. In the future, Metra might use the bridge for the Metra Southeast Service 36:52 to Crete, IL. There is a solar power plant on the right 44:22. Interstate 57 Memphis to Chicago 46:44. 49:46 on the right and straight ahead is the Rock Island Line. It goes from Union Station to Joliet, IL.
![Metra HD 60fps: Electric District Train 822 Railfan Window Ride [University Park to Millennium]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QXOhi1wx28Y/mqdefault.jpg)
![Metra HD 60fps: Electric District Train 822 Railfan Window Ride [University Park to Millennium]](/img/tr.png)
Your in my home town lol. I use to allways ask you how to mod train sim years back. When you made the video.
I find the electric blue sky in this video very fitting for the line.
Metra repair shop on the left 5:03 and on the left as the train turns to the right 39:50.
Excellent Video 🤞🏾
I rode the electric district from Van Buren Street to 55th/56th57th Street on the way to the Museum of Science and Industry in May 2018. As an Aussie and a bit of a train buff, here are a few observations. As a Sydneysider, I couldn’t believe how run down most of the infrastructure on this line was. Van Buren Street Station looked like something out of a dystopian movie set, real third world stuff. However, once on the train, I found it modern, efficient and clean and moved along at a reasonable pace. But it was disappointing to see so few people on the train, not surprising considering the state of the stations. Such a pity. In Sydney, such a train would have been heavily patronised, although our stations our vastly better, like a real first world country. Your ticketing system also seemed a bit ‘olde worlde’, with a conductor clicking tickets on the train.
Having said all that, I enjoyed the ride. Just a pity there isn’t more of an effort to make the system more attractive. I also enjoyed your video. Thanks for posting.
Sounds like you had a blast man and G'day to you from Chicago
Some of the stations are pretty much wooden decks above the ground (just the most minimal a train station can be). At least Van Buren Street looks like a real train station.
I would agree, the manned ticket collection still exists in America and is inefficient.
The CN "Canadian National"/ IRR "Illinois Central Railroad" and SS "Southshore Line" run along this railroad. The Southshore Line runs along the Metra Electric Line North of Kensington 115th Street. The Southshore line runs to South Bend Indiana Eastbound. There is a railroad control tower on the left 34:55. Metra Electric runs all the way to University Park, IL on the main line. 19:00 Metra Electric South Chicago Branch to 93rd Street. From Union Station, in the city of Chicago, you can take Amtrak to Homewood, IL, and Kankakee, IL stations The two train stations are about half an hour apart from each other. The Amtrak Service runs from Union Station and goes all the way to New Orleans. 35:27 there is an electric substation on the right. In the future, Metra might use the bridge for the Metra Southeast Service 36:52 to Crete, IL. There is a solar power plant on the right 44:22. Interstate 57 Memphis to Chicago 46:44. 49:46 on the right and straight ahead is the Rock Island Line. It goes from Union Station to Joliet, IL.
8:44 bell shuts off
Needs more cowbell