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Chicago transit system

SField

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I just took Chicago transit for the first time... Jackson to Chicago on the red line. GROSS.

I literally couldn't believe how awful it was. Are all of the stations that bad? I thought Manhattan could be ghetto in places but some of the stations I saw were like post-apocalyptic bad.
 

countdemoney

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Originally Posted by SField
I just took Chicago transit for the first time... Jackson to Chicago on the red line. GROSS.

I literally couldn't believe how awful it was. Are all of the stations that bad? I thought Manhattan could be ghetto in places but some of the stations I saw were like post-apocalyptic bad.


The el could use some cleanup, but the Red is very much the worst of the lines. Many folks cab or bus the route you took.
 

countdemoney

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Originally Posted by Connemara
Are you talking Metra trains or the El?

All the el trains are named after colors.

Metra doesn't run jackson/chicago either.
 

kwilkinson

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IMO, CTA is pretty impressive for the most part.
Now, almost all of the underground stations I've been in are pretty gross. There aren't that many though, at least the route that I take. As far as I know, most or all of the underground ones are either downtown or south. The above ground stations are all pretty nice.
 

unpainted huffheinz

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The ones that are under construction look a little worse than usual, but the CTA is one massive deferred maintenance project. Daley in particular has done little to improve it.
 

unpainted huffheinz

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Originally Posted by kwilkinson
IMO, CTA is pretty impressive for the most part.

It's impressive that it runs a lot slower now than ten years ago. Daley is fucked in the head if he thinks the CTA could handle the Olympics.
 

kwilkinson

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Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz
It's impressive that it runs a lot slower now than ten years ago. Daley is fucked in the head if he thinks the CTA could handle the Olympics.

Is it really that slow? I hear people from NYC say this all the time. I've spent some time in NYC in my day and didn't notice a considerable difference.
 

unpainted huffheinz

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Originally Posted by kwilkinson
Is it really that slow? I hear people from NYC say this all the time. I've spent some time in NYC in my day and didn't notice a considerable difference.

My under 8 mile morning commute takes 50 minutes.
 

kwilkinson

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Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz
My under 8 mile morning commute takes 50 minutes.

Yes, my commute is 40 minutes, including the transfer. That's just Wrigleyville/East Lakeview (Sheridan Red Line) down to Chicago on the Brown. I'm asking comparatively with NYC, is it really that slow?
 

SField

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Manhattan is at least quite a bit cleaner, compared to what a I saw. If you are tall, the ceilings are so low that you could easily hit your head. There is a layer of filth and grime so thick that the well fed bacteria practically ride around on bicycles down there. The steps down to the catacombs are made of plywood and everything looks extremely makeshift. The platforms are so shallow that they simply are not safe for a large rush hour.

I agree. If the IOC saw what I saw today they'd be mortified. Aren't there plans to bring at least the red line to 1st world conditions?
 

kwilkinson

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Originally Posted by SField
I agree. If the IOC saw what I saw today they'd be mortified. Aren't there plans to bring at least the red line to 1st world conditions?

Damn son, that's harsh. While you're in town, ride around some more. It isn't that bad. Fullerton, Belmont, Sedgwick, most of the stations are pretty nice.
 

unpainted huffheinz

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Originally Posted by kwilkinson
Yes, my commute is 40 minutes, including the transfer. That's just Wrigleyville/East Lakeview (Sheridan Red Line) down to Chicago on the Brown. I'm asking comparatively with NYC, is it really that slow?

Compared to how fast you can get around Manhattan it is. Trains come frequently, and there are multiple routes that can get you the same place (or close enough). Boston's 'T' can be really slow too - particularly the Green line that has to stop for traffic.
 

kwilkinson

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Originally Posted by unpainted huffheinz
Compared to how fast you can get around Manhattan it is. Trains come frequently, and there are multiple routes that can get you the same place (or close enough). Boston's 'T' can be really slow too - particularly the Green line that has to stop for traffic.

That's one thing I hate. I wish they had trains every 5 minutes instead of every 10 or 12. And even with so few trains, they still get backed up where the red and brown cross at Belmont, and some other places. I wouldn't mind if my commute got cut in half.
Still about as fast as driving, for me though.
 

countdemoney

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Part of the reason the red gets so nasty is its length. It goes a long time before getting cleaned. As for the stops, the underground ones often collect homeless and especially drunks in the colder months.
 

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