Why Do These Metra Trains Run on the Left?

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The Metra Union Pacific West Line is the descendant of Chicago's first railway line, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. This line is 43 miles long, connecting Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center with Elburn, IL. It is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad (though operations will be transferred to Metra in 2024), and just like the other two UP commuter lines, trains run on the left-hand side. Why is this? Watch the video to find out!
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Date of filming: March 4, 2023
Camera: iPhone 12

Пікірлер: 180

@Thom-TRA

When I said farthest west, I meant to say second farthest. I read over it in my script and didn’t catch it in my check. Oops.

@roberthansen2008

I can't stand that when the train stations are locked like that. You know they should open them up leave them open from the first train daily until the last train daily. It gets cold in the winter time and you have to stand out and wait for a train or when it's raining out really bad. Get it together metra!

@legerdemain

That station is a short walk from the Elmhurst History Museum, which is heavily rail focused. I'd recommend it to anyone finding their way to the area.

@christophernoble6810

Also Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden,Slovenia, Ireland and parts of Austria all run on the left.

@chrishtheenby

another instance of left-hand running in the US I'm aware of (because it's my daily commute) is between Los Angeles Union Station and Fullerton... but only in the morning! All metrolink and amtrak trains on this stretch run left-handed for the first half of the day and right-handed for the rest of the day so regular commuters like myself disembark at the same platform in the evening that we used to board in the morning

@robinrussell7965

I took this train on my bike camping trip and got off in somewhere DuPage County. A bit of a challenge dragging the bike up the stairs. And the conductor made sure that I tied up my bike securely.

@timothynoel786

Wow! I'm impressed that you not only called the color correctly, Kate Shelley Rose. Also that you knew the story of her heroics! Good job!!

@ChescatProductions

I am VERY used to ogilvie, I’ve been to the French market multiple times and seen a bunch of power moves, some big, some small, and UPY GP15s switching the station, and of course, the Metra trains leaving and coming.

@HSMiyamoto

NCTD Coaster between Oceanside and San Diego, CA, also runs left-handed, and for much the same reason; minimize the number of people running across the tracks to catch a departing train. Ironically, two of those stations now have an overpass or underpass with a big fence between the tracks preventing anyone from running across the tracks, but the old practice remains.

@landon176

Here’s a secret about me. When I go on metra, I leave on a train in between 10am and 11am.

@ztl2505

Should have kept the sound for Ogilvie. As soon as you walked in I heard the dozen overlapping announcements in my head lol

@AverytheCubanAmerican

So it wasn’t called Ogilvie until 1997! It was originally called the Chicago and North Western Terminal, which was built to replace their Wells Street Station across the North Branch of the Chicago River. It was designed by Frost and Granger, the two behind the 1903 design of LaSalle! But like you said, it was demolished. However Metra purchased the train shed in 1991 and despite the many challenges like replacing all the tracks, new electrical and plumbing systems, and removing the original lead paint, they spent 800,000 man-hours and $138 million on repairs.

@vaughnshinkus4178

Idk if you’re aware of this, I’m sure you are, but next time you come to Philly you should go to Reading Terminal Market. It’s similar to but larger than (I assume) albeit much more crowded than the French Market, and is located under the elevated train shed of the former Philadelphia terminus of the Reading Railroad (who’s lines were taken over by SEPTA and converted to regional rail) and features a wide variety of authentic cuisine and some of the best in Philly. Highly recommend.

@bernardtheaubreycoxandcoolgame

Thank you for showing All the best of metra

@ByzantineCalvinist

I grew up along the west line. Born in Oak Park, raised in Wheaton. Barely noticed the shift to Amtrak because it didn’t affect the commuter trains constantly coming through our town. But twice a day the Kate Shelley 400 passed through Wheaton without stopping on its route between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa. That ended in 1971. There are so many rail fans in Wheaton, with many focussing on our defunct electric interurban, the Chicago Aurora & Elgin, of which I have dim early childhood memories.

@thefareplayer2254

South Florida could learn a thing or two about railroad crossing safety from Elmhurst.

@dp92492

I took Metra to DesPlaines a couple of weekends ago. On the way back to the city, i kept freaking out thinking i was on the wrong side while i was waiting lol. Perfect time to find this video!

@Elmhurstrailfanner

bruv this throws me back to all the elmhurst videos i would watch when i was little and seeing elmhurst in the backround with metra's really threw me back bro thx for the throwback also amazing video!!!

@norlockv

One typically waits for the inbound trains to be sure you catch your train. Those arriving from the city would go home or work, not hang around the station house.

@kr46428

Wow, you got me reading up a bit on the UP -> Metra switchover and it sounds like years of corporate litigation in the making. Nothing says "I'm right and you're left" like a good old American lawsuit.