Best way to get to DMC MW from Midway?

[Rich W]

You get shot in Chicago, not stabbed.

CTA Clinton station is on the backside of Metra's Ogilvie station -- you have to walk a couple of blocks around the station platforms to the frontside entrance. Get off Metra at the Pingree Road station, not Crystal Lake. You can see the motels across an undeveloped field, but again need to walk around it (there's a sidewalk along Pingree Road).

Bill Robertson
#5939

Please disregard Bill's first two sentences. There appears to be some lingering discussions of O'Hare vs. Midway, which may be causing confusion with recommendations regarding directions.

DaraSue said she wants to get from Midway Airport to DMC Midwest Shop. As I mentioned before and confirmed by Dave Swingle, take the Orange Line to the Washington/Wells stop, which is
the closest to the Ogilvie Station. Then take the Metra Northwest line to the Pingree Road Metra Station. This is by far the easiest and least expensive way to get there, especially at rush hour.

Note: With the alternate discussions of O'Hare, Bill may have been referring to the CTA Clinton Station (which is serviced by the Blue Line). The Orange Line does not access the Clinton Station.

Orange-Line-stops.jpg

[content22207_2]

Well....

Technically the Clinton station is closer to Ogilvie's front entrance by a couple of blocks (and you don't have to cross a river), but I'm not about to go to the mat over it. If you want to get off at Washington Wells, knock yourself out.

CTA doesn't charge anything extra to change lines, and the Pink Line will get you to Clinton just as well as the Blue Line (both Pink and Orange Lines go around the loop -- you can change trains at any number of stations).

Bill Robertson
#5939

[Rich W]

Well....

Technically the Clinton station is closer to Ogilvie's front entrance by a couple of blocks (and you don't have to cross a river), but I'm not about to go to the mat over it. If you want to get off at Washington Wells, knock yourself out.

CTA doesn't charge anything extra to change lines, and the Pink Line will get you to Clinton just as well as the Blue Line (both Pink and Orange Lines go around the loop -- you can change trains at any number of stations).

Bill Robertson
#5939

Unless Bill knows the possible actual steps saved by using the Front Entrance to the Ogilvie Station vs. using the other side entrances, I think Bill is getting way too side-tracked (pun intended).
And unless Bill plans to swim across the river (or maybe he has a fear of bridges?), I do not see "having to cross a river" as too much of a big deal. Just trying to keep the directions easy here.

So here are two options, based on information supplied:

You could take the Orange Line to the Washington/Wells stop and walk about 3 blocks to the Ogilvie Station (side entrance on Canal).

or

You could take the Orange Line to the "Loop", transfer trains to either the Pink Line or the Green Line (make sure you get the correct train heading West), wait for the correct train (at rush hour),
get on and stay on the Pink or Green Line for a few blocks (depending upon where you transferred), then exit at the Clinton Station and walk about 2 blocks to the Ogilvie Station (front entrance),
which is on Washington or walk a few more steps to enter one of the side entrances on Clinton or Canal. If you happened to transfer to the Blue Line, you will need to make sure to stop at the
other Clinton Station (South of Ogilvie Station), which would end up being another several blocks to walk.

Feel free to choose whatever option you feel is best.

[content22207_2]

As stated, I have no intention of going to the mat, but before the Great CTA Station Controversy of 2016 progresses too much further everyone needs to acknowledge the elephant in the room: Chicago has no equivalent of Grand Central or Penn Stations -- ie: there is no way to transfer from one rail system to another without going outside and physically walking from one facility to another. Official Chicago transportation maps even include pictographs of people walking around. New York may not be perfect, but it definitely has Chicago beat on that score.

No matter what itinerary Dara Sue ultimately chooses, it will include walking on city streets between disconnected rail facilities.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[dodint]

She can take an Uber.

[DMCMW Dave]

She can take an Uber.

City of Chicago is in cahoots with the cab companies and won't allow Uber pickups at the two airports.

[DaraSue]

The burning question: how likely am I to be murdered (by whatever means) for my (Pentium II freebie) duffel bag full of Harbor Freight tools on the way from whichever station to OTC?

[dodint]

City of Chicago is in cahoots with the cab companies and won't allow Uber pickups at the two airports.

Yup.

Twas a joke.

[DMCMW Dave]

The burning question: how likely am I to be murdered (by whatever means) for my (Pentium II freebie) duffel bag full of Harbor Freight tools on the way from whichever station to OTC?

Harbor freight is about a mile from the shop. Get the car first. Not much danger at all in Crystal Lake, but kind of out of the way to go to HF first.

[content22207_2]

Post #8 -- Harbor Freight tools are already packed as the first line of defense.

Not much use for actually fixing a car (Made in China), so Dara Sue may as well get some use out of them as shivs.

Bill Robertson
#5939