To:    Corinna Gallardo-Jerbis

          Manager Customer Communications

From:   DG ‘Rusty’ Alderson

Date:  September 12, 2025

Re: Geneva Station:  Observations When Inbound Trains Arrive on Outbound Tracks Weekday Afternoons

 

 The 3rd track through Geneva became operative on July 15, 2025.

 

 I have since observed 70% of the inbound to Chicago weekday afternoon trains.

 

 During my observations an average of 20% of inbound trains came in on the outbound track (Platform 2/Track 3).

 

I observed most passengers came to the station at least 7 minutes or earlier before the scheduled train arrival.  They were in position to move to Platform 2/Track 3 when directed to by the Monitor and PA.

 

However, passengers who came about 1 minute or less before the scheduled arrival and who were expecting to board on Platform 1, upon seeing the inbound coming in on the outbound tracks, had to run down Platform 1 to the crossing gates at 3rd Street 

    to board on Platform 2.

        I observed some passengers who walked under the gates

        I observed some passengers who waited for the gates to go BACK UP    When the train stops ‘Short’ (50 to 70’ feet) before the 3rd Street Crossing for 15 seconds, the gates do go back up.

 

 I observed 

       Some cab cars stopped at the 3rd Street Crossing (gates stayed down)

       Some cab cars stopped ‘Short’ and when stationary for 15 seconds or longer, the gates went up allowing passengers to cross the tracks and board the train on Platform 2/Track 3.      

 

 Perhaps, if the Cab Car stopped CONSISTENTLY ‘SHORT’ and if there was a sign at the 3rd Street crossing informing passengers to wait for gates to go up after the train arrives, perhaps passengers would not make the decision to go under the gates. 

 

   __________________________

 

 Significant observations:

 

 September 4, 2025     2:37 train

          

While in conversation with several UP/Metra retirees adjacent to Platform 1, we all observed this situation involving 10 passengers.

 

Passengers hearing the “Board on Platform 2”  announcement began walking to cross the tracks to Platform 2/Track 3.  Then, before the passengers got to the 3rd Street Crossing, the gates went down.  Looking west and seeing the Inbound train (although it was at least 1/2 a mile away)  they made the decision to go under the downed gates. 

   

However, it wasn’t their Metra train that triggered the gates to go down.  It was a westbound freight train within a block of the 3rd St Crossing on Track 1 that activated the gates.  These passengers were looking west and not east …  They did not see the approaching freight train that fortunately was still one block from the 3rd St. Crossing — thus avoiding a catastrophic situation!

 

 

 

 September 8, 2025       2:37 train 

 

Two passengers arriving as the inbound train arrived were anticipating to board on Platform 1. They made the decision NOT to go under the downed gates.   They waited at the 3rd Street crossing hoping the gates would go back.  Since the cab car didn’t stop ‘short’, the gates didn’t go back up. After the train departed, they called an Uber.       Video