CTA Blue Line from O' Hare to Downtown Chicago questions

[aviationwiz]

This question applies for anyone who's been to Chicago and taken the Blue Line Train that runs from O' Hare to Downtown Chicago.

Here's my question. How safe is it? Is it mostly businsessmen and other acceptable people, or are there a lot of gang-type people or other hooligans? Safe enough for a white teenager travelling alone?

For the record, I'm talking about during broad daylight, in the afternoon, not at night or anything, and no, I'm not the type to provoke fights or anything like that.

[Ian]

Yes, you're perfectly safe. Just don't do anything dumb like counting a stack of $100 bills or something.

[MonteLDS]

almost any major transist system is safe. just dont do anything stupid

[Ian]

Avi, my sister lives down there. If you want I can have her come and protect you while you're on the train.

[CowboySlim]

Hey, Wiz, I lived in Chicago. You will be OK.

OTH, that, as many fixed rail public transportation lines, was built on the false premise that business men would stay in downtown Chicago hotels and schlep their luggage back and forth on the trains.

WRONG! They stay at the business hotels that then were built surrounding the airport or take rental cars to their hotels.

95% of the train riders that go to the airport are airport workers.

Slim
Who wise to the ways of the elected liars that tax him to provide essentially free services to the end users.

[CowboySlim]

Oh yeah, Wiz, I moved away in '62.
That was back when I used to visit my aunt and uncle in SLP, Minn.
They lived at 2941 Dakota.

10-4?

[aviationwiz]

Roger that, I know where that is, pretty close to my school.

Hopefully I can convince my parents to let me fly down alone, my friends want to take Amtrak, and I, of course, want to fly. Especially being Amtrak is 8 hours each way, prone to more delays, and only slightly less expensive.

[CowboySlim]

10-4, I used to take the train between MPLS and Chicago in the '50s.

Except then it wasn't the Amtrak.
It was the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Pacific RR and the train was the Hiawatha, or
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RR and the train was the Zephyr.

They had real dining cars and we would have roast beef dinners cooked on board and white tablecloths with real flowers.

Had real club cars with bartenders and ............

Wooo..woooo, all aboaaaarrrrdddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear the train a'comin', it's comin' 'round the bend.
it's the Orange Blossom Special, bringin' my baby home,
wooooo.....woooooo

I'd make a compilation/mix CD of Box Car Willie train songs to play on the trip.

Furthermore, you'll need a new handle: RailroadWiz