safety of train b/w oak park-downtown (Chicago: appointed, lawyer)

[moving_time]

Hi all. I'm considering a move to Oak Park. I'm a 27 year old mom who stays at home with a one year old.

Anyway, I stay home with our child and would want to take the train to museums and things downtown and to other places in chicago. Is the green line safe during the day other than rush hour (say anytime between 10AM and 3PM)? What about weekend days? I know it goes through some rough areas on that route...would the metra be better? I would be traveling alone with a toddler, which makes me more nervous than travelling alone would.

[noid_1985]

I've never had any problems on the Green Line during the day or night time hours, but I think the Metra is more family friendly and a lot more cleaner.

[Lookout Kid]

Most Oak Parkers I know insist the Green Line is mostly safe, but I'd personally avoid it late at night. The Blue Line seems even safer if you can walk south a few blocks. The Metra is good too, but is probably less convenient depending on where you want to go.

[chet everett]

Metra: more expensive, faster, dead-on time, much cleaner, healthy to eat on train, more expensive, no safety issues at all

El: cheaper, slower, not as reliable, some stinking flithy stations, no eating, drinking, radio playing allowed, minor to no safety issues

[Irishtom29]

Some years ago a lawyer I knew from Oak Park was shot dead on the Lake St. El and during rush hour too, the train was down around Crawford or Kedzie as I recall.

[chopsky]

As an non-Chicagoan, I was just wondering why the Metra is so much better than the El? Does it receive more funding?
Also, wouldn't the safety of the Metra station depend on what area it's in?

[chet everett]

The City of Chicago effectively runs the whole El system as part of CTA, whose board is appointed by the Mayor.

Metra rail is different model. The trains are owned by the "commuter rail division of the Regional Transportation Authority" which has a board appointed by the the various counties served, much more professional. Further because the trains run on track owned by the various railroads there are Federal RR hiring standards and NOT the old style patronage hiring.

Very good example of how even when political patronage is not technically allowed the "hang-over" of decades of such practices still leave their marks..

RTA | Overview (http://www.rtachicago.com/aboutrta/overview.asp - broken link)

[oakparkdude]

Well another factor is that Metra is more expensive than the CTA and there are no transfer between the CTA and Metra. Thus, there's a lot less "riff-raff" on the Metra trains. Its more geared toward office workers who commute to the Loop.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

Some years ago a lawyer I knew from Oak Park was shot dead on the Lake St. El and during rush hour too, the train was down around Crawford or Kedzie as I recall.

How many years ago? I've lived here for many years, follow the news ardently, and have not heard this story--which would have certainly been highly publicized. Can anyone else remember this happening?

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

How many years ago? I've lived here for many years, follow the news ardently, and have not heard this story--which would have certainly been highly publicized. Can anyone else remember this happening?

Not in the three years I've lived in Oak Park that's for sure.