Chicago/Milwaukee Commuter Rail Extension
(Chapters 4-7)

4. Signals

    CTC: Centralized Traffic Control
    ABS: Automatic Block System
    ATS: Automatic Train Stop
    DTC: Direct Traffic Control (dark territory) Kenosha to St. Francis

On the Kenosha Subdivision, Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) or Centralized Traffic System (CTS) replaced Automatic Block System (ABS) between Rogers Park and Hubbard Woods. Each is a type of signal system. CTC is the more modern. It allows one person to control signals and switching from a central location and allows movements in any direction on any track. On the Kenosha Sub, ABS signals face only in one direction. Because there is only one signal for each track and there is no signal for the wrong side of the track, when an engineer travels on the wrong track he is in "dark" territory where work rules require lower speeds. CTS can make schedules faster. The cost of CTS is decreasing.

Automatic Train Stop (ATS) is a safety system overlapped onto the CTC or ABS signal system. If the engineer doesn't acknowledge the ATS, it stops the train. If a railroad has ATS, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) allows unlimited speed. UP rules create a 70 mph limit between Kenosha and Chicago. UP could raise this to 79 or to any speed. The track is good for it.

Metra locomotives have gears with a 90 mph maximum....

5. Single Track Operations

Passenger service could run on a single track with no signals from Kenosha to south Racine, however, signals are required for travel one more mile north to downtown Racine. For minimum investment, a double track should be constructed at Oak Creek in addition to the existing 2 mile long siding but use single track and a new signal system elsewhere on the route. The threat is vandalism to switches or.....

The single track line from Kenosha to Racine is similar to the McHenry Subdivision....

6. Mileposts

StationMile Post
Milwaukee
Washington Street
St. Francis
Kenosha
Winthrop Harbor
Zion
Waukegan
North Chicago
Great Lakes
Lake Bluff
Lake Forest
Ft. Sheridan
Highwood
Highland Park
Ravania
Ravinia Park
Braeside
Glencoe
Hubbard Woods
Winnetka
Indian Hill
Kenilworth
Wilmette
Central
Canal
Evanston
Main
Rogers Park
Ravenswood
Clybourn
Chicago		84
83
79.9
51.6
44.5
42.1
35.9
33.7
32.2
30.2
38.3
25.7
24.5
23.0
21.5
20.9
20.5
19.2
17.7
16.6
15.8
15.2
14.4
13,3
12.7
12.0
11.0
9.4
6.5
2.9
0.0

7. FRA Track Standards

    49 CFR 213.4 and 213.9 set the following track standards:
    Track
    Class    		Maximum
    Freight
    Mph    		Maximum
    Passenger
    Mph
    6
    5
    4
    3
    2
    1
    Excepted    		110
    80
    60
    40
    25
    10
    10    		110
    90
    80
    60
    30
    15
    10

The National Avenue Railroad Spur from St. Francis north is FRA "excepted" track....

Go to Chicago/Milwaukee Commuter Rail Extension Survey Table of Contents

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