Posts Tagged "metra"

Working at the Metra Train Car Wash

Today, the train slowed and I noticed out of the corner of my eyes that there was an actual train car being washed. The light was reflecting off the window something awful, but I got a few seconds of the process on video.

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Metra/Ventra Woes

Other riders in my train were experiencing the same thing. And it slowly dawned on everyone that our ability to “pay” for our tickets was compromised. We heard an announcement talking about the app issues, and everyone basically got to ride the train for free.

What struck me was that this was like a mini-Y2K event for Metra/Ventra. The February 1 timeline resulted in a significant before/after shift, and perhaps they could have done a bit more QA before the big day.

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Do Not Use

While waiting to disembark at Millennium Station… I was looking down, and noticed this outlet.

Or should I say: this forbidden outlet. Which is off limits to us “norms,” but apparently is only good for the conductors.

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Riding Home Alone

On the way home, I found myself one of the few (only?) passengers in my Metra car. Not just the one I was in, but the adjoining section to boot.

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Pandemic Reminder

There was a very big shift that happened in March of that year. And I guess this small Metra pass is a tangible representation of that particular time. The pass has long expired, of course. But I think I’ll likely hold onto it, regardless. It still has some small bit of value to me, even after all this time.

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Waiting at the Edge of the Millennium (Station)

On the way in to work yesterday, I happened to be sitting in the frontmost car. We were stopped for a long while, just as we were entering Millennium Station. In fact, we were stopped so long… I decided to amble over to the front window, just to take a peek at the station.

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I Wonder What That’s For

Spotted this small little switch/box, on the side of the Metra train that arrives across from our platform each morning. There’s a predictable cadence to the trains that show up before ours (an express whooshes by, the South Shore stops, and this guy pulls up across the way).

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Not in a Rush

Most days, I tend to be worried about getting to work on time. But after the talk, I hung back a little and opted to wait until others got off the train. I was fighting muscle memory in some aspects, but it also felt like the right thing to do.

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Track Marks

Spotted these marks on the Metra tracks near 55/56/57, and wondered what they were for. My best guess is that they indicate some area for repair, but I’m really not certain.

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