tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post1300537735278524984..comments2023-04-01T06:34:38.141-05:00Comments on Hyde Park Progress: Missing the Towerschicago pophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17055796523227869734noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-33932706558483218202009-08-04T21:45:17.623-05:002009-08-04T21:45:17.623-05:00While the retirement of the old interlocking machi...While the retirement of the old interlocking machines is inevitable, the real shame is the centralization of critical control functions. In the effort to save money METRA leaves itself vulnerable to a single point of failure that can completely kill service along the entire line. It also impacts the quality of service by replacing eyes in the field with "eyes" in a remote office park. If the communications go down or if the work piles up trains and passengers will be the ones paying the price. <br /><br />While the electro-mechanical interlocking machines are destined to be eventually replaced, there is nothing that says the operator can't play video games at the tower instead of the downtown office building.Jersey Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10170958563337725933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-48914660913226580102009-06-26T16:23:14.097-05:002009-06-26T16:23:14.097-05:00I know it's popular to highlight Doc's mis...I know it's popular to highlight Doc's mistakes (which, I agree, are frustratingly frequent), but in this case the filmmaker himself, who was to introduce the film, brought the wrong film (in a canister labeled "RR"). The error was only discovered when the cans were opened to prep the film. The same mistake would have happened at any professional theater. <br /><br />Plus, for the next few months anyhow, you can replicate the RR experience by sitting on the Metra platforms and watching the CN trains roll by.<br /><br />Keep an eye out for when the film will be shown, probably Autumn quarter.Steven Lucyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01337840533738033990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-39666911813218897462009-06-05T14:14:47.699-05:002009-06-05T14:14:47.699-05:00Those old signal/switch control machines are truly...Those old signal/switch control machines are truly beautiful, both visually and conceptually. From a design point of view, they represent conceptual grandeur: confidence that if a brilliant engineer thinks long and hard enough, he can come up with an integrated, coherent solution for an entire complex system.<br /><br />I feel this quality is lacking in a lot of civil engineering. We have too many zoning ordinances and not enough Plans of Chicago.<br /><br />If you want to see one of these boxes in action, go to 18th and Wentworth, and walk north on the dirt road, until you hit the tracks. There's a tower on your right. Knock on the door, and politely ask to see the machine inside.<br /><br />The machine inside has controlled the tracks since 1903, and has only required minor maintenance since. It will be replaced by a computerized system in a year or so, which I'm sure will break more often.Andrew Conehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12892219695774682834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-56164003620069953682009-05-24T22:28:30.310-05:002009-05-24T22:28:30.310-05:00Well, I went to DOC to see it, but they had receiv...Well, I went to DOC to see it, but they had received the wrong movie. I should have checked first; it's DOC, you know. This occurs less often than it used to, but it happens. The DOC guy said "RR" would be shown at a future date. Maybe.Richard Gillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02773215580457414540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-52196782499311735402009-05-24T17:16:24.754-05:002009-05-24T17:16:24.754-05:00The interior, at least, of that building is not "u...The interior, at least, of that building is not "unremarkable!" Way cool is more like it.<br /><br />Dick, did you see the movie "RR" at Doc Films last night (May 23)? I wish I could have gone.Elizabeth Famahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04931639156261179425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-8442231825666403602009-05-23T01:47:23.122-05:002009-05-23T01:47:23.122-05:00Despite any other cantankerousness on my part, I d...Despite any other cantankerousness on my part, I do very much dig Richard Gill's rail contributions in this neck of the woods.Ottohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05290441585366899781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4186587935097536129.post-82887630722904098922009-05-22T22:13:47.656-05:002009-05-22T22:13:47.656-05:00I always wondered that that building on 51st was. ...I always wondered that that building on 51st was. It must get a fair amount of use since they've done quite a bit of work on it in recent years. They've added equipment, fencing, a walkway, painted the doors, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com