The Illinois Railroad Museum today was hostings the 2011 SnowFlake special on the Chicago L, starting out at Forest Park on the Blue line off I-290 and Des Plains. So we start out, run back on the old CA&E main line (or what would have been if they had lived to build it).
Anyway, we pulled back into Forest Park, and they announced our first Photo oppertunity, we would board a normal road train, which would carry us to the closed Cental Ave. Station a few miles up the track. So about 50 of us got off to take the road train to Central, I told my little cousin that I would reboard at Central, which is only about 4 stops down. Once the road train left the station, they announced that only 20 people would be getting off because of safety concerns (Central has been closed for more then 30 years), and the rest of us would remain on the train, and continue on to Cicero one stop past the old Central station. I figure, ok, well my cousin should be fine for one extra stop. They count out 20, and of course, I was at the back of the line of 50, so I stayed, and we went on to Cicero.
We all got off at Cicero and figured we would get our camera's out and take pictures as the charter train pulled in to pick us up. We saw it coming, and noticed it was going quite fast for picking us up. Geroge, our motorman, blew the e-horn and went flying by at about 40 or so. So that left about 30 of us standing at Cicero trying to figure out what the hell we were suppose to do now. We all looked around and though, "well, maybe they will back up"
After about 5 minutes, and the next train to O'Hare coming into the station, we all grouped together and tried to figure out what to do. Several of us, inculding me, suggested asking the next motorman to radio ahead to the charter and ask what we needed to do now. One person suggested we all not get on the train, but since we were now behind our charter, not many people thought that was a good idea. He had one good point about sticking together.
So the Next Train pulls up, at which point, he comes to us and says get on, and we will meet the charter as it prepares to head south from the I-290 up the ramp to join the Douglas branch after turning around in the Racine middle track. And about this time, my uncle calls, and alerts me that my little cousin was concerned that I was no longer on the train. Now, a little point about Cicero to Racine, its about 6 or 7 stops down, about 10 minutes away. So my uncle is flipping out at me about leaving my cousin on what was suppose to be a 5 minute stop, I'm flipping out with 30 other people about how the hell were going to catch the charter again.
Finally, after much arguing with my Uncle that things were fine (and me hanging up because I was getting too loud for CTA policy), we arrived at Racine, I got back on the Charter, rejoined my Cousin, and the rest of the day went quite well. Apparently no one had told George that we were at Cicero, and he needed to stop, once he saw us, it was too late because he was going too fast.
So the Station of the day was Cicero. And the phrase of the day was "Lack of communication"
It was stressful then, but now, hours later, it was actually pretty damn funny.
Anyway, we pulled back into Forest Park, and they announced our first Photo oppertunity, we would board a normal road train, which would carry us to the closed Cental Ave. Station a few miles up the track. So about 50 of us got off to take the road train to Central, I told my little cousin that I would reboard at Central, which is only about 4 stops down. Once the road train left the station, they announced that only 20 people would be getting off because of safety concerns (Central has been closed for more then 30 years), and the rest of us would remain on the train, and continue on to Cicero one stop past the old Central station. I figure, ok, well my cousin should be fine for one extra stop. They count out 20, and of course, I was at the back of the line of 50, so I stayed, and we went on to Cicero.
We all got off at Cicero and figured we would get our camera's out and take pictures as the charter train pulled in to pick us up. We saw it coming, and noticed it was going quite fast for picking us up. Geroge, our motorman, blew the e-horn and went flying by at about 40 or so. So that left about 30 of us standing at Cicero trying to figure out what the hell we were suppose to do now. We all looked around and though, "well, maybe they will back up"
After about 5 minutes, and the next train to O'Hare coming into the station, we all grouped together and tried to figure out what to do. Several of us, inculding me, suggested asking the next motorman to radio ahead to the charter and ask what we needed to do now. One person suggested we all not get on the train, but since we were now behind our charter, not many people thought that was a good idea. He had one good point about sticking together.
So the Next Train pulls up, at which point, he comes to us and says get on, and we will meet the charter as it prepares to head south from the I-290 up the ramp to join the Douglas branch after turning around in the Racine middle track. And about this time, my uncle calls, and alerts me that my little cousin was concerned that I was no longer on the train. Now, a little point about Cicero to Racine, its about 6 or 7 stops down, about 10 minutes away. So my uncle is flipping out at me about leaving my cousin on what was suppose to be a 5 minute stop, I'm flipping out with 30 other people about how the hell were going to catch the charter again.
Finally, after much arguing with my Uncle that things were fine (and me hanging up because I was getting too loud for CTA policy), we arrived at Racine, I got back on the Charter, rejoined my Cousin, and the rest of the day went quite well. Apparently no one had told George that we were at Cicero, and he needed to stop, once he saw us, it was too late because he was going too fast.
So the Station of the day was Cicero. And the phrase of the day was "Lack of communication"
It was stressful then, but now, hours later, it was actually pretty damn funny.
now we know for next time."