Tower or TRACON Tour?

[CcrlR737AMT]

I'm a huge fan of public transportation. The green liberal in me likes it, plus it's cheap. If we can make it happen without renting cars, it makes it a lot easier for people to afford.

They have daypass cards you can use for $5 a day and they have 2, 5, and 7 day passes at reasonable prices.

 

[H46Bubba]

if we told you, we'd have to kill you!

the only way you can get there is by blindfold.. the only way your getting in is if you know the password.

Ha ha, not this guy! I don't do blindfolds.:bandit:

 

[avi8tor]

I have been looking into the train (Metra). The Milwaukee district west line runs out to elgin, and according to mapquest the station is about 4.5 miles from the tracon center. If the hotel is downtown you could jump on the train at Union Station and take it out to elgin. What I was thinking was if we have enough JC members from chicago we could shuttle the people from out of town in our vechicles to and from the elgin station and the tracon center. I believe Metra has a weekend pass for $5 and you can ride all weekend on that pass. How does this sound to everyone? For the tower tour if the hotel is downtown the people could take the CTA Blue line right into ORD and we could all meet up for the tower tour. Not to sure about the cost for the CTA. Over the next couple of days I will find out prices for the trains, and route maps. I think this is a pretty good option. I guess the question is do we have enough chicago people that would be willing to shuttle the people from out of town to and from the elgin train station to the tracon facitity?

 

[CcrlR737AMT]

I have been looking into the train (Metra). The Milwaukee district west line runs out to elgin, and according to mapquest the station is about 4.5 miles from the tracon center. If the hotel is downtown you could jump on the train at Union Station and take it out to elgin. What I was thinking was if we have enough JC members from chicago we could shuttle the people from out of town in our vechicles to and from the elgin station and the tracon center. I believe Metra has a weekend pass for $5 and you can ride all weekend on that pass. How does this sound to everyone? For the tower tour if the hotel is downtown the people could take the CTA Blue line right into ORD and we could all meet up for the tower tour. Not to sure about the cost for the CTA. Over the next couple of days I will find out prices for the trains, and route maps. I think this is a pretty good option. I guess the question is do we have enough chicago people that would be willing to shuttle the people from out of town to and from the elgin train station to the tracon facitity?

The best option is to get the day pass. Depending on how many days you are staying or are going to ride the train then you can choose the pass. For Metra, it is different but the weekend pass is the best option.
here is the website for the CTA's fares
http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/fares.html

 

[Kristie]

I'm a huge fan of public transportation. The green liberal in me likes it, plus it's cheap. If we can make it happen without renting cars, it makes it a lot easier for people to afford.

:yeahthat:

unfortunately, the hotel's not going to be downtown.. they're just too expensive...but it will be near a station if i have anything to say bout it.

I think we might have enuff chicago members to help shuttle, it's just a matter of getting ahold of them and seeing if they're willing to help.

 

[flygirl813126]

I'm not sure that TRACON is really on 4.5 miles, I would have guessed farther. There really isn't a good way to take public transportation from the train station to TRACON, you would need rides. As far as I know DH and I will be in town, but not sure how many people we could take.

 

[Kristie]

as soon as i know when the tower and tracon tours are gonna be... i'll be asking for drivers...i'd like to start that conversation now, but without knowing times/dates.. it's kinda hard to get anyone to commit yet.

I have a feeling the Tower tour will probably be early early morning like 7am early!! but that's also good for bringing in goodies for hte guys/gals too

 

[E_Dawg]

I think we should keep it easy and relatively cheap, a nice tour of the tower can be accessed by public transportation for $4 bucks round trip on the L; whereas renting cars and driving well outside downtown will not only take all day but will cost a few $$. I have a truck that seats a TOTAL of 3, and a lot of people I know around here don't even own cars.

 

[Steelman43]

I'm new to the forum and live right near Elgin so I probably would be willing to help out. I have a minivan (I mean my wife has a minivan) that could seat five or six besides myself.

 

[Kristie]

awesome!!! thanks for the offer!

 

[blee256]

Then there is always the Dupage FSDO...

The FSDO, where is my crucifix?

 

[flygirl813126]

We go in and out out DPA semi-regularly and haven't ever had to talk with a FSDO.

 

[LuckyBambu]

Isn't the TRACON for Northern IL based out in Aurora?

In any event, I went out to a traffic control center in Aurora and that was pretty interesting. They showed us around the entire facility pretty much and described exactly how everything worked. We got to see the radar screens and the little strips of paper that they still print out just in case their computer systems ever went out.

They run Linux too.

 

[avi8tor]

Isn't the TRACON for Northern IL based out in Aurora?

In any event, I went out to a traffic control center in Aurora and that was pretty interesting. They showed us around the entire facility pretty much and described exactly how everything worked. We got to see the radar screens and the little strips of paper that they still print out just in case their computer systems ever went out.

They run Linux too.

Nah, the ARTCC is the one in aurora, and the tracon center is in elgin.

 

[Kristie]

Word behind the curtain tells me that the TRACON tour will be on June 9th in the early/mid morning (time not yet confirmed). There will be 15 slots only for those who want to go on the tour and we will need to either borrow some local folks & cars or take donations to get a rental van or something....

any ideas, let me know.

 

[Bumblebee]

if we told you, we'd have to kill you!

the only way you can get there is by blindfold.. the only way your getting in is if you know the password.

you're

now Kristie . . .:yar:

 

[Kristie]

 

[Bumblebee]

Matt, Mark and I were talking about getting one of those big bus style limos for the night (one night) so we can all hang together and just have fun . . . whaddya think???

 

[Kristie]

as long as everyone can pitch in to afford the cost, then there's no reason not to "go for it!"

 

[Bumblebee]

as long as everyone can pitch in to afford the cost, then there's no reason not to "go for it!"

That's what we were saying