It would be hard to convert the metra to electric running since most of them share the tracks with freight, etc.

The Metra Electric line (originally Illinois Central) is entirely electric from Millenium Station downtown to its outer terminals. All the other Metra lines are entirely diesel from their city terminals at Union, Ogilvie, or LaSalle Street Station to the end.

On a related note, the Metra Electric uses high platforms with level-floor boarding and multiple-unit trains, like a metro except with larger gallery cars. The other Metra lines are more like a traditional railroad: diesel engines push or pull non-powered passenger cars, the stations have low platforms, and passengers must take four steps (including three steps inside the train) or a lift between the platform and the floor of the car. Thus, if Metra was to electrify a route, they would likely have to electrify the entire line all at once with high platforms at every station, or have new electric engines pull the existing non-powered cars.

Metra might do best listening to this proposal! It could be an easy and cheap way to upgrade capacity on the line.

P.S. Check your routes – do you have spare tunnel capacity ? I’ve seen in San Francisco at least one unused tunnel bore next to the in-service, double-track bore. That can save a bundle in construction costs.

I also like the idea of integrating the fare systems, although I think the original author’s suggestion of fare equalization is improbable; Metra covers much longer distances, making by-distance rates more logical than flat rates as with the CTA.

However, I think it would be logical to integrate Metra with the touch and go Chicago card, which carries a draw-down balance. For example, riders could touch in for CTA service, then do a touch-in & touch-out for the Metra operated service. Perhaps we could have a mobile device for the conductors on other Metra lines, as it is convenient to be able to pay on the train. (Admittedly, monthly prices could be a pain to coordinate.) This system could even be outsourced to improve buy-in, as in the case of the Hong Kong Octopus card, where you can even use the card to buy a chocolate in a train-station 7-11 or pay for parking, or the London Oyster card, which can also be used in many places for the National Rail long distance commuter service (similar to Metra). Now that would be a real Chicago card, and very convenient for hoards of Olympic tourists.

Further, thinking about the distances vs. time costs vs. fares is important. I think it would be entirely reasonable to charge more for gold line service, given it would provide faster trips. But this is a more general question- I have always wondered why CTA doesn’t allow the bus prices to stay lower while raising train fares. This maintains the social good of cheap bus transportation–and in Chicago, buses serve almost all the same areas as rail–and the extra charge helps to provide more money to the more expensive rail service. This happens in other places. Some cities charge more for rail trips at peak times, and this additional money helps to pay for more frequent service at those times. Seattle charges more for express bus service. With the Chicago Card and newer ticket machines, these differentials are much easier to charge, and the seamless transfer system already in place is doing similar work.

The University of Chicago stop is in a particularly disgraceful state, and in a particularly prime location. The Roosevelt Road stop used to be the worst of all, and finally got something approaching acceptability very recently.