^And we're on the list. Mind you, I'm still quite in love with NIMY Rails.
Observed on Indeed today by intrepid eyes, a couple mission-critical jobs are suddenly available at Bi-State. General Manager Metrobus, Risk Manager, Director of Labor Relations.
From Google Earth: Metrolink Red Line extension work has progressed very far. The station outside Mid-America Airport appears close to completion and the whole track has been laid from Shiloh-Scott to new station. It does not appear construction has formally began on Metro-Bike Link greenway expansion yet though. They have some fly-overs placed, but no cycle track it appears.
Looks like the Midamerica station may be opening tomorrow (monday)?
What: Governor Pritzker will deliver remarks at the MetroLink expansion celebration.
When: 2:00 PM CT
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
Where: MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, 9656 Air Terminal Dr, Mascoutah
https://gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com/s/f740f267-2989-429f-9224-d03e99671bd6?preview
What: Governor Pritzker will deliver remarks at the MetroLink expansion celebration.
When: 2:00 PM CT
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
Where: MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, 9656 Air Terminal Dr, Mascoutah
https://gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com/s/f740f267-2989-429f-9224-d03e99671bd6?preview
In all of their wisdom, Metro ran a single car train tonight after the Blues game. It was uncomfortably packed and some people were unable to get on. One of the dumbest things I've ever seen.
Additionally, they are already proclaiming the single car plan a success based on their station messaging. If I had to bet, we will be getting mostly single car service with 2 cars during rush times next year when they make their decision.
Just keep adding reasons to leave this place.
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Additionally, they are already proclaiming the single car plan a success based on their station messaging. If I had to bet, we will be getting mostly single car service with 2 cars during rush times next year when they make their decision.
Just keep adding reasons to leave this place.
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There SHOULD NOT be single train operations on nights when there is anything at Enterprise Center.StlAlex wrote: ↑3:11 AM - 7 days agoIn all of their wisdom, Metro ran a single car train tonight after the Blues game. It was uncomfortably packed and some people were unable to get on. One of the dumbest things I've ever seen.
Additionally, they are already proclaiming the single car plan a success based on their station messaging. If I had to bet, we will be getting mostly single car service with 2 cars during rush times next year when they make their decision.
Just keep adding reasons to leave this place.
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Their announcements explicitly say they will NOT single car during concerts/sporting events.
I mean, of course they did. But they promised they wouldn't.
I mean, of course they did. But they promised they wouldn't.
Dear Metrolink: there's a concert at Enterprise tonight. Here's a calendar (if you guys really care.)jwisch wrote: ↑2:38 PM - 6 days agoTheir announcements explicitly say they will NOT single car during concerts/sporting events.
I mean, of course they did. But they promised they wouldn't.
https://www.enterprisecenter.com/events
Is there any saving or operational efficiencies actually gained by having one car instead of 2 or 3?dweebe wrote: ↑2:56 PM - 6 days agoDear Metrolink: there's a concert at Enterprise tonight. Here's a calendar (if you guys really care.)jwisch wrote: ↑2:38 PM - 6 days agoTheir announcements explicitly say they will NOT single car during concerts/sporting events.
I mean, of course they did. But they promised they wouldn't.
https://www.enterprisecenter.com/events
In their little BS PSA they talked about saving a comically small amount of money in the grand scheme of Metro's budget, something like $400k-$4mil a year.
For me so far I haven't encountered an actual single car in the wild yet (a good thing, and I usually just take Metrolink to commute twice a week) but I feel like I'm going insane having to listen to some video announcement from Metro's COO on the platform going on and on about the single car pilot and how good it is.
For me so far I haven't encountered an actual single car in the wild yet (a good thing, and I usually just take Metrolink to commute twice a week) but I feel like I'm going insane having to listen to some video announcement from Metro's COO on the platform going on and on about the single car pilot and how good it is.
Might want to rename the thread Metrolink Contraction...not Expansion...
Well it's a question and the answer is mostly a resounding "no".pop_scientist wrote:Might want to rename the thread Metrolink Contraction...not Expansion...
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Their dumb little survey doesn't work either https://bsdstl.org/singlecarsurvey
We got a $195M expansion to MidAmerica Airport that won't get used much I wager. At the same time they're trying to save money with the single car, they're taking on more infrastructure to take care of and stretching thinner due to more miles to provide service on.pop_scientist wrote: ↑5:32 PM - 6 days agoMight want to rename the thread Metrolink Contraction...not Expansion...
Which will most likely be the last light rail expansion in our lifetimes.quincunx wrote: ↑6:53 PM - 6 days agoWe got a $195M expansion to MidAmerica Airport that won't get used much I wager. At the same time they're trying to save money with the single car, they're taking on more infrastructure to take care of and stretching thinner due to more miles to provide service on.pop_scientist wrote: ↑5:32 PM - 6 days agoMight want to rename the thread Metrolink Contraction...not Expansion...
The state of Illinois paid 66 percent of that $192 million cost ($127m, via the Rebuild Illinois Capital Program). [Link]pop_scientist wrote: ↑7:16 PM - 6 days agoWhich will most likely be the last light rail expansion in our lifetimes.quincunx wrote: ↑6:53 PM - 6 days agoWe got a $195M expansion to MidAmerica Airport that won't get used much I wager. At the same time they're trying to save money with the single car, they're taking on more infrastructure to take care of and stretching thinner due to more miles to provide service on.pop_scientist wrote: ↑5:32 PM - 6 days agoMight want to rename the thread Metrolink Contraction...not Expansion...
If Missouri would pay for two-thirds of the cost of any proposed transit expansion on this side of the river, that would be a game changer.
An O'Fallon extension wouldn't be particularly hard in the next 20 years.pop_scientist wrote:Which will most likely be the last light rail expansion in our lifetimes.quincunx wrote: ↑6:53 PM - 6 days agoWe got a $195M expansion to MidAmerica Airport that won't get used much I wager. At the same time they're trying to save money with the single car, they're taking on more infrastructure to take care of and stretching thinner due to more miles to provide service on.pop_scientist wrote: ↑5:32 PM - 6 days agoMight want to rename the thread Metrolink Contraction...not Expansion...
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I want to echo some of the frustrations with Metro.
I want Metro to succeed. But there's a lack of accountability, which Metro takes full advantage of with vague and shifting timelines and limited information. They don't seem to consider the number of riders or experience of riders when making decisions. And they're showing that they can't expand the Metrolink system in a transparent and timely manner. Metro needs to be more accountable. That accountability should come from taxpayers, politicians, local media, employers, institutions, and interest groups like CMT, so that it's held to a higher standard and its assets are optimized for the region's benefit.
- The MidAmerica extension is significantly behind schedule. In 2024 service was to start in late Spring 2026, in 2025 it slipped to Summer 2026, in January it slipped to late Summer 2026. Now it's October with no indication from Metro of when service will start, only vague references to the next "few weeks" or " few months" in the press. The recent "construction is over!" ribbon cutting ceremony was a farce. Metro has been testing the line for 6 months. It's been 3.5 YEARS since construction started. What's taking so long?
- Metro closed Lambert Terminal 1 station on Oct. 12th for "planned construction and maintenance work" and will close Terminal 2 station on Nov. 2nd for "track maintenance work." Construction on both will continue until the vague "mid-December." Why are they doing this during some of the busiest air travel days of the entire year? If the work was "planned," why not plan it for January and February - the lowest transit ridership and air travel time of the year? This CMT announcement makes it sound like between Oct 12 and Nov 2, riders going to Terminal 1 will need to take the train to North Hanley, then board a shuttle train to Terminal 2, then board a shuttle bus to Terminal 1. Was the rider considered at all during that planning?
- The move to adding single-car trains does feel like a cram down. Metro has once again given themselves a vague end date for the program "Spring 2027."
- The Blue Line will only run between Shrewsbury and Forest Park from Nov. 2nd until Dec. 23rd, for repairs to the Union Station tunnel. Those repairs will continue to require periods of limited Blue Line service until "Winter 2028."
I want Metro to succeed. But there's a lack of accountability, which Metro takes full advantage of with vague and shifting timelines and limited information. They don't seem to consider the number of riders or experience of riders when making decisions. And they're showing that they can't expand the Metrolink system in a transparent and timely manner. Metro needs to be more accountable. That accountability should come from taxpayers, politicians, local media, employers, institutions, and interest groups like CMT, so that it's held to a higher standard and its assets are optimized for the region's benefit.
A lot of it has to do with the sheer lack of timelines and transparency on why they are doing things. The Union Station tunnel is a great example. No solid timeline on how long this debilitating work will last and seemingly no real care for keeping service up while there's high demand after large events that go late into the night.
They want to save money with the single car trains, but they are significantly underutilizing their ability to sell advertising and no one talks about raising taxes to help fund the system better.
Even little things like moving their commercial retail office from 8th and Pine to North County for some unknown reason. They just do so many unforced errors and at a seemingly increasingly high rate.
They want to save money with the single car trains, but they are significantly underutilizing their ability to sell advertising and no one talks about raising taxes to help fund the system better.
Even little things like moving their commercial retail office from 8th and Pine to North County for some unknown reason. They just do so many unforced errors and at a seemingly increasingly high rate.
Yep they have no watchdog, don't have much public pressure, and as a result, don't care. While the bi-state nature of the agency does allow for some benefits obviously, I think it insulates them from accountability, its unclear which politician we could vote for to improve Metro's governance.
I think most of the BoA and Mayor care about good public transit and would be responsive to a public pressure campaign against the single cars and management of construction. If they’re not hearing it from y’all, they’re not going to ask questions of Bi-State.