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76.6% of the people working in either the Midtown or Downtown CBD commute by transit. 37% of Seattle CBD workers commute by transit (respectable).
Table 6 ranks MSAs by percentage of regional employment in the CBD. New York leads by a long shot. 5 of the nation's "legacy" transit cities are in the Top 10. Philly ranks 14th, which is at least one reason that its transit ridership lags behind Boston's.
Yup, and the people living in cities that the urbanistas deride as "sprawl" also get to live in a place they can enjoy instead of being crammed together like hamsters with zero personal space.
While some people here find it hard believe that some people actually enjoy "sprawl" and prefer to live in it, you're suffering for the opposite issue: there's are also people that actually enjoy being in dense, urban areas. There are also plenty of people that aren't that particular either way.
76.6% of the people working in either the Midtown or Downtown CBD commute by transit. 37% of Seattle CBD workers commute by transit (respectable).
Table 6 ranks MSAs by percentage of regional employment in the CBD. New York leads by a long shot. 5 of the nation's "legacy" transit cities are in the Top 10. Philly ranks 14th, which is at least one reason that its transit ridership lags behind Boston's.
While some people here find it hard believe that some people actually enjoy "sprawl" and prefer to live in it, you're suffering for the opposite issue: there's are also people that actually enjoy being in dense, urban areas. There are also plenty of people that aren't that particular either way.
Perhaps but the numbers do not support the claims about the "benefits" of high density housing.
For Metra, do the trains run 30 minutes to an hour behind schedule with delays?
As for the El, that is an example of a neglected system over the years, that rail system needs a massive overhaul to be on part with modern technology.
Also 7-8 minutes between trains sounds like it's normal schedule than it does delays, so I am confused with that point you are trying to make.
Though I will ask, are those Metra and El trains full during those rush hour commute times?
No, Metra is on time but it is commuter rail so the trains are 20-30 mins to an hour apart. Problems on one train don't effect others as much esp. outside of rush since there maybe 20-30 mins between trains. The only trouble Metra has is with Extreme cold(It messes with switches and other equipment).
The El only has 7-8 min. head ways between trains. This means that a delay on one train will effect the others down the line. The train can be delayed for many reasons beyond an aging system or old equipment.
Just rail, though after Sandy I had to rely on the bus for a while. There were good days and bad days with the bus due to traffic. My commute to work is 45 minutes. Between trains? We have a more complicated commute than most, our first train it is a 10-12 minute walk to, which the train shows up a couple minutes later depending on how fast we initially walked. Our second train it takes us about 5 minutes to get from the surface down to the platform, then it is no more than a minute or two wait, then the third train it is about another 5-7 minute walk to the next train which we have to wait no more than a minute or two, and then there is another 10 minute walk to work.
Your route isn't typical of public transit users elsewhere. In general there are jobs outside of the CBD of Chicago, lots of them and so an rail line might not be close, even when you do use the train you could be out of walking distance to station.
For instance lets say you worked at the Ford Plant in Chicago or the Former Nabisco bakery(don't know who owns it now). The EL is not near it, nor near Beverly, even in the "Transit friendly" north side, you still need buses ether to get to an train or to get to another bus.
No, Metra is on time but it is commuter rail so the trains are 20-30 mins to an hour apart. Problems on one train don't effect others as much esp. outside of rush since there maybe 20-30 mins between trains. The only trouble Metra has is with Extreme cold(It messes with switches and other equipment).
The El only has 7-8 min. head ways between trains. This means that a delay on one train will effect the others down the line. The train can be delayed for many reasons beyond an aging system or old equipment.
Well with Metra, if you know the schedule why would one stand waiting for a train for 30 minutes to an hour when they could just plan that into the time they leave for the Metra? My wife and I catch the same trains every morning because we plan our time when we leave the house.
It sounds like the an El train could be delayed for a few minutes without messing up all the other trains, plus there are ways to correct rail delays. If it is that common in Chicago, then there are specific reasons for that that they should be addressing.
Hmm. The LIRR occasionally gets congestion related delays but most of the lines merge into one trunk line, whereas Metra doesn't. But even Metra has far higher frequencies than 20-30 minutes during rush hour for just one line:
The schedule design seems less friendly to inter-suburb trips at rush hour compared to say, Metro North, which has local trains, sometimes requiring a transfer.
7-8 minutes should cause delays much unless the scheduling gets well out of whack. A few NYC subway lines have 2 minute headways on rush hour, where people blocking the doors can risk causing delays. The Red line has a 3-6 minute rush hour headway.
Part of the reason for high off peak frequency is the trains are short; some are run in a 2 car configuration. Without a driver, it doesn't cost more to run trains more often if you shorten them.
Your route isn't typical of public transit users elsewhere. In general there are jobs outside of the CBD of Chicago, lots of them and so an rail line might not be close, even when you do use the train you could be out of walking distance to station.
For instance lets say you worked at the Ford Plant in Chicago or the Former Nabisco bakery(don't know who owns it now). The EL is not near it, nor near Beverly, even in the "Transit friendly" north side, you still need buses ether to get to an train or to get to another bus.
Chicago's rail is designed to get people in and our of the Loop, had the system continued to develop rather than been reduced and basically ignored during the mid century, Chicago would have a much more complex system roday.
Well with Metra, if you know the schedule why would one stand waiting for a train for 30 minutes to an hour when they could just plan that into the time they leave for the Metra? My wife and I catch the same trains every morning because we plan our time when we leave the house.
It is commuter rail, you won't be waiting around for the next train. However if there is 30-1 hour between trains it could be faster to drive.
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It sounds like the an El train could be delayed for a few minutes without messing up all the other trains, plus there are ways to correct rail delays. If it is that common in Chicago, then there are specific reasons for that that they should be addressing.
Like what ban baby strollers which are slow to get on board? Cancel Cub games? Tell the throngs of people who are overloading the train go elsewhere? When there is only about 7-8 mins between trains and if each stop takes 1-2 mins. longer than planed, delays will creep in.
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