WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board is seeking nominees for its newly formed Passenger Rail Advisory Committee, with nominations for the 18 positions due by Feb. 5.
“The Board seeks to fill all PRAC positions with active and engaged transportation professionals to help us more fully understand the complexities of passenger rail issues,” STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman said in a press release. “The Board has benefitted greatly from the energetic engagement of the members of our existing advisory committees … and I am confident that members of the new PRAC will provide the same kind of advocacy for their concerns with passenger rail that will significantly contribute to the Board’s fulfilling its new and ongoing passenger rail responsibilities. Indeed, there are several pressing areas of concern in passenger rail for which the Board will need broad, diverse, and insightful perspectives. We expect to fill these positions and have discussions commence as soon as possible. I look forward to productive conversations regarding effective and efficient passenger rail.”
The new group will become the board’s fourth advisory committee, joining the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council, Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Council, and National Grain Car Council. Information on each of those groups is available here. The passenger committee’s duties will include providing information, advice, and recommendations on issues including improving efficiency on passenger routes; reducing disputes between passenger operators and host freight railroads; and improving regulatory processes related to passenger rail.
The advisory committee’s membership will include two representatives from Amtrak; two representatives from commuter rail operators who use facilities owned or used by Amtrak, another intercity passenger operator, or freight railroads; two representatives from non-Amtrak intercity passenger operators, either existing or under development; one representative from a state that funds state-supported intercity passenger rail; one representative from a state served only by long-distance trains; two representatives from Class I freight railroads; one representative from a Class II or III freight railroad; one representative from a rail labor union; two representatives from passenger rail advocacy organizations; one representative from a rail shipper or customer advocacy group, an individual shipper, or an individual customer; and three at-large representatives with relevant experience, such as passenger equipment manufacturing or transportation planning. Additional details, including terms for representatives, are available in the STB decision requesting nominations. That document also includes the information on where and how to submit a nomination. Self-nomination is permitted.
Ok Charles, here goes. For all those not familiar with Tower A2 and the crossing it controls: The Metra Milw District (North Line to Fox Lake, West Line to Elgin/Big Timber Road, CPKC C&M Sub to MKE) from CUS and the UP Geneva Sub from Ogilvie Transportation Center are on a 7-track ROW approaching A2 from downtown. The two lines from their respective terminals converge just west of where N. Ogden Ave goes under both.
The UP Geneva Sub are the north four tracks and numbered from north to south, I think, 4,3,2,1. The Metra Milw District (CPKC C&M Sub) are the south 3 tracks, numbered north to south 1,2,3. The UP goes across A2 aligned east/west, the Metra Milw aligned southeast/northwest at approximately a 45degree angle.
OpenRailwayMaps.org designates all four UP tracks west of A2 as main tracks out to Kedzie Interlocking where the Rockwell Sub joins from the south but I somehow doubt revenue passenger trains use Tks. 3 or 4. between A2 and Kedzie. A2 controls the east entrance of California Ave Coach Yard where the Metra UP trains layover. There is a turnout to the yard from Tk4 west of the crossing and a Tk4/Tk3 crossover east of the crossing. The equipment trains between California Ave and Oglivie use Tks. 3&4 between A2 and the UP’s Halsted Street Interlocking just west of where the Geneva and the Harvard Subs meet.
The Metra Milw trains use Western Ave Coach Yard just west of the Western Ave Station platforms. A2 controls Tower A3, the east end of Western Ave Coach Yard, with access from Tks. 1&2 only and Tower A4 at the west end of Western Ave with access to Tk1 only.
Metra Milw Tks. 1&2 cross the UP on moveable point frogs. The Tk3 crossing is all double slip switches.
The tower has a 1932 Union Switch & Signal lever machine that controls the above switches. A small console on the operator’s desk controls the UP Main Line Tk4/yard lead turnout to California Ave Coach Yard and some switches and the associated signaling off that lead to/from other yard tracks. I don’t know what machines control A3 and A4. I was in the tower once and just don’t remember. A railfan friend that sent me photos of A2’s interior when he was visiting Chicago some time after I retired and moved away and was let in for a look by a friendly operator. His photos did not include the A3 or A4 machines.
Andy from the R & N would be a good member.
I nominate Bob Johnston
I’ll second that!
As to the primary subject, “fill all PRAC positions with active and engaged transportation professionals.” This would include consultants and lobbyists, but not the poor schlubs who pay to ride the trains.
The PCC&StL (Panhandle) came up from the Southeast and ran North along Western Ave, then East on joint track with Milw, then turned South at Canal St. and entered Union Station from the North. This is why there were Position Light Signals between A-2 and CUS. The SC&S Branch linked PCC&StL with PFW&C and allowed Panhandle trains into the South end of CUS. In later Penn Central days, the SC&S Branch was famous for terrible track but was still used by passenger trains.
Tower A-2’s nomenclature dates to Milw. Rd days, i.e. 2 miles from CUS. Back when tower operators welcomed fans upstairs to watch the action on both CNW and Milwaukee Rd.
“A” refers to the north line to Milwaukee. “B” refers to the west line, west from Pacific Junction toward Elgin. At least that’s my understanding. Curtis Larson or Mark Shapp will have much more to say.
Tower A2 is also the location of a METRA stop called Western Avenue. Both Milwaukee District METRA lines and the Hiawatha and Empire Builder pass here.
Many decades ago, Penny’s “Panhandle” trains also passed, meaning PRR trains accessed Union station at both the north and the south sides. A nearby grain miller, torn down just in the last couple of years, was served by occasional NS locals, in heritage to PRR.
Curtis or Mark should explain how the A2 junction works, how so many trains get through at speed without delay, given the many diamonds and the extreme skew. METRA UP West trains cross the tracks used by all Milwaukee Road descendants, METRA Milwaukee West, METRA Milwaukee North, the Hiawathas and the Empire Builders. In all my travels, I’ve never once had to sit and wait. We’ve all seen trains sit and wait at diamonds with a small fraction of the daily train count.
OMG, another committee, another bureaucracy.
Bringing together 18 men and women with diverse views brings you 18 men and women with diverse views.
If the US Congress actually did its job (fat chance!) we wouldn’t need this committee.