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Metra service could expand to DeKalb
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Milwaukee Pilot Offline
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Post: #21
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
This was studied in the 80s, the 90s, the xxxxxxx.........gonna guess the story is a cut and paste with some names changed.....as most from the 80s are probably long gone.
01-10-2023 03:57 PM
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klake87 Offline
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Post: #22
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
I have taken that line for over 30 years on and off. Elburn and La Fox are just areas to store trains
01-10-2023 04:45 PM
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GeorgeBorkFan Offline
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Post: #23
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-10-2023 02:48 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  How did podunk towns like Elburn and La Fox get metra stops but not a city with a major university?

Look at Google images of Elburn stop and there's hardly any cars parked in their giant parking lot.

Elburn got it, as I understand, because the UP wanted Metra's coach yard out of UP's West Chicago yard. So, you put the coach yard at the end of the line. It couldn't be put in Geneva, and I assume some consideration was given to future growth.

In both locations, local governments provided the land for the construction of the stations and parking.
01-10-2023 06:52 PM
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NIUAlum90 Offline
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Post: #24
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
Don't forget the new Facebook building and the new factories might benefit from commuters.
01-10-2023 07:13 PM
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GeorgeBorkFan Offline
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Post: #25
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.
01-11-2023 12:21 AM
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HawaiiToNIU Offline
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Post: #26
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 12:21 AM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.

$200,000,000 isn't so bad.
01-11-2023 09:07 AM
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NIUfilmmaker Offline
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Post: #27
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
Metra has stated prior that the Chicago-to-DeKalb line is in their long-range plans, hopefully the time is now.
01-11-2023 09:39 AM
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epasnoopy Online
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Post: #28
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 09:07 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 12:21 AM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.

$200,000,000 isn't so bad.

Do most people in DeKalb travel to western suburbs and Chicago for work? I assume many aren't commuting to Chicago since that would be an awful daily commute unless you have hybrid work option.

I honestly have no clue. I always assumed there weren't many well-paying jobs in DeKalb/Sycamore outside of the university and maybe being a local teacher and police officer.
01-11-2023 01:11 PM
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7 Offline
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Post: #29
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:11 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 09:07 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 12:21 AM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.

$200,000,000 isn't so bad.

Do most people in DeKalb travel to western suburbs and Chicago for work? I assume many aren't commuting to Chicago since that would be an awful daily commute unless you have hybrid work option.

I honestly have no clue. I always assumed there weren't many well-paying jobs in DeKalb/Sycamore outside of the university and maybe being a local teacher and police officer.
I commute to Lombard
01-11-2023 01:27 PM
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epasnoopy Online
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Post: #30
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:27 PM)7 Wrote:  I commute to Lombard

I saw in the news this place called Gnarly Knots in Lombard. Not sure if you've been.

https://www.gnarlyknots.com/
01-11-2023 01:35 PM
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Big Red Offline
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Post: #31
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:11 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 09:07 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 12:21 AM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.

$200,000,000 isn't so bad.

Do most people in DeKalb travel to western suburbs and Chicago for work? I assume many aren't commuting to Chicago since that would be an awful daily commute unless you have hybrid work option.

I honestly have no clue. I always assumed there weren't many well-paying jobs in DeKalb/Sycamore outside of the university and maybe being a local teacher and police officer.

Many people that lived in the 'burbs and took Metra into the city never returned full-time to commuting in and have either stayed on remote work either full or part-time.

I'm sure Metra is hurting pretty bad on ridership right now during the week.
01-11-2023 01:35 PM
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epasnoopy Online
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Post: #32
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
I spoke to a friend who worked in DeKalb government and a few other townships.

They don't think this will happen due to multiple reasons, such as lower ridership in currently served metra areas and DeKalb not being part of the RTA region or paying public transit taxes.

I've heard DeKalb property taxes are pretty high. Would locals approve having higher property taxes to make this happen??
01-11-2023 01:40 PM
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sportsfan Offline
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Post: #33
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-10-2023 03:26 PM)MPython Wrote:  Greyhound stops twice a day in each direction at HSC AND HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS


quote='epasnoopy' pid='18714829' dateline='1673360405']
All good points, especially about the Metra schedule being infrequent. Think it could only benefit DeKalb to have a public transportation option.

I think the Greyhound bus that used to pickup/dropoff at the northwest corner of Annie Glidden and Lincoln Hwy (where the Jersey Mike's is now) was discontinued over a decade ago. That would be one very long metra ride to Chicago though. Chicago to Elburn is already 1 hr and 25 mins. Probably add another 15 mins for it to get to DeKalb.

Where would the DeKalb stop be? I thought those tracks in dowtown DeKalb are no longer in use. Assume it would use the same tracks that the Elburn stop uses. I doubt the Elburn and La Fox stops get much ridership since they're such small towns.
[/quote]

Do you mean the tracks in downtown DeKalb that cross Rt 38 on an angle?
Those tracks ARE the tracks that run thru Elburn and they are in constant use by freight traffic.
01-11-2023 01:44 PM
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GeorgeBorkFan Offline
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Post: #34
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:40 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  I spoke to a friend who worked in DeKalb government and a few other townships.

They don't think this will happen due to multiple reasons, such as lower ridership in currently served metra areas and DeKalb not being part of the RTA region or paying public transit taxes.

I've heard DeKalb property taxes are pretty high. Would locals approve having higher property taxes to make this happen??

The new tax would be an additional sales tax.
01-11-2023 01:45 PM
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GeorgeBorkFan Offline
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Post: #35
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:35 PM)Big Red Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 01:11 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 09:07 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 12:21 AM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.

$200,000,000 isn't so bad.

Do most people in DeKalb travel to western suburbs and Chicago for work? I assume many aren't commuting to Chicago since that would be an awful daily commute unless you have hybrid work option.

I honestly have no clue. I always assumed there weren't many well-paying jobs in DeKalb/Sycamore outside of the university and maybe being a local teacher and police officer.

Many people that lived in the 'burbs and took Metra into the city never returned full-time to commuting in and have either stayed on remote work either full or part-time.

I'm sure Metra is hurting pretty bad on ridership right now during the week.

You are right on the numbers. They have not recovered to pre-covid levels. With the changes you mentioned, I don't see how they ever will (until maybe population growth pushes the numbers up way down the line).
01-11-2023 01:47 PM
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HawaiiToNIU Offline
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Post: #36
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:47 PM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 01:35 PM)Big Red Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 01:11 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 09:07 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 12:21 AM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Just for a frame of reference, Metra's website says that the current construction project to add a third rail from Geneva to West Chicago is $100,000,000.

$200,000,000 isn't so bad.

Do most people in DeKalb travel to western suburbs and Chicago for work? I assume many aren't commuting to Chicago since that would be an awful daily commute unless you have hybrid work option.

I honestly have no clue. I always assumed there weren't many well-paying jobs in DeKalb/Sycamore outside of the university and maybe being a local teacher and police officer.

Many people that lived in the 'burbs and took Metra into the city never returned full-time to commuting in and have either stayed on remote work either full or part-time.

I'm sure Metra is hurting pretty bad on ridership right now during the week.

You are right on the numbers. They have not recovered to pre-covid levels. With the changes you mentioned, I don't see how they ever will (until maybe population growth pushes the numbers up way down the line).

The university has gotten noticeably smaller since my time there. Enrollment cut in half, thus I'm assuming means that faculty cut as well.

But at the same time gas is 2 -3x. It would be helpful for students and faculty to hope on the train to school. But that only further solidifies NIU as a suitcase school.

$400,000,000 isn't a bad number to create a new avenue of getting to DeKalb.
01-11-2023 01:59 PM
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Post: #37
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-10-2023 03:26 PM)MPython Wrote:  Greyhound stops twice a day in each direction at HSC AND HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS


quote='epasnoopy' pid='18714829' dateline='1673360405']
All good points, especially about the Metra schedule being infrequent. Think it could only benefit DeKalb to have a public transportation option.

I think the Greyhound bus that used to pickup/dropoff at the northwest corner of Annie Glidden and Lincoln Hwy (where the Jersey Mike's is now) was discontinued over a decade ago. That would be one very long metra ride to Chicago though. Chicago to Elburn is already 1 hr and 25 mins. Probably add another 15 mins for it to get to DeKalb.

Where would the DeKalb stop be? I thought those tracks in dowtown DeKalb are no longer in use. Assume it would use the same tracks that the Elburn stop uses. I doubt the Elburn and La Fox stops get much ridership since they're such small towns.
[/quote]

Refurbish the old depot, turn the existing empty spaces in the area into parking lots and demo some of the vacant, old properties for extra parking as well.

[Image: HMIPhIT.jpg]
01-11-2023 05:45 PM
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HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Offline
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RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
01-11-2023 06:44 PM
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HawaiiToNIU Offline
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Post: #39
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 05:45 PM)McCareins_Fan Wrote:  
(01-10-2023 03:26 PM)MPython Wrote:  Greyhound stops twice a day in each direction at HSC AND HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS


quote='epasnoopy' pid='18714829' dateline='1673360405']
All good points, especially about the Metra schedule being infrequent. Think it could only benefit DeKalb to have a public transportation option.

I think the Greyhound bus that used to pickup/dropoff at the northwest corner of Annie Glidden and Lincoln Hwy (where the Jersey Mike's is now) was discontinued over a decade ago. That would be one very long metra ride to Chicago though. Chicago to Elburn is already 1 hr and 25 mins. Probably add another 15 mins for it to get to DeKalb.

Where would the DeKalb stop be? I thought those tracks in dowtown DeKalb are no longer in use. Assume it would use the same tracks that the Elburn stop uses. I doubt the Elburn and La Fox stops get much ridership since they're such small towns.

Refurbish the old depot, turn the existing empty spaces in the area into parking lots and demo some of the vacant, old properties for extra parking as well.

[Image: HMIPhIT.jpg]
[/quote]

That would cost at least $800,000,000
01-11-2023 06:52 PM
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Big Red Offline
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Post: #40
RE: Metra service could expand to DeKalb
(01-11-2023 01:59 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 01:47 PM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 01:35 PM)Big Red Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 01:11 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  
(01-11-2023 09:07 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  $200,000,000 isn't so bad.

Do most people in DeKalb travel to western suburbs and Chicago for work? I assume many aren't commuting to Chicago since that would be an awful daily commute unless you have hybrid work option.

I honestly have no clue. I always assumed there weren't many well-paying jobs in DeKalb/Sycamore outside of the university and maybe being a local teacher and police officer.

Many people that lived in the 'burbs and took Metra into the city never returned full-time to commuting in and have either stayed on remote work either full or part-time.

I'm sure Metra is hurting pretty bad on ridership right now during the week.

You are right on the numbers. They have not recovered to pre-covid levels. With the changes you mentioned, I don't see how they ever will (until maybe population growth pushes the numbers up way down the line).

The university has gotten noticeably smaller since my time there. Enrollment cut in half, thus I'm assuming means that faculty cut as well.

But at the same time gas is 2 -3x. It would be helpful for students and faculty to hope on the train to school. But that only further solidifies NIU as a suitcase school.

$400,000,000 isn't a bad number to create a new avenue of getting to DeKalb.

I think that's a hell of a lot of money to make a new avenue of travel for a relatively small amount of people.
01-11-2023 07:39 PM
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