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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I guess the hope at this point is that next year a Gov Crowley and a D-controlled legislature significantly increase state funding for MCTS?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I've felt like I'm missing something, with lots of stories about how the project will now be moving forward, but uh...when. Doesn't seem anything has changed in that regard.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Nor, as far as I can tell, any real schedule for beginning let alone completing the needed construction.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Jim Doyle 03-11, right? Bit exactly the most exciting Dem, though.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

MKE does. Smaller version of PHL.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Sturtevant? If memory serves, an underpass was initially proposed but was either flat out opposed by the railroad or made so difficult that it was easier/cheaper to build the overpass.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

And that's a route that's mostly grade separated in the immediate CHI and MKE urban areas already!

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Tough because of federal or state policies or something less official?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Haven't heard anything about those being used in quite a while, but yeah, would certainly help expand capacity.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Yep. As is, the Borealis trip can be really hard to book for CHI-MKE trips. This would probably be the same, unless we get more and/or longer trains.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Ever make the connection between Metra and WCL bus at Kenosha? I did once but it's frustrating that the bus schedules don't match up better with trains.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Guess maybe we can expect a new commuter rail service to show up in about 7 years?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Any idea if the cab cars can be used or still require lots of testing? Haven't checked lately but thought the CA cab cars weren't yet in service.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Really looking forward to reading and digging into this! Looks like exactly what I've been curious about, how to get from here to there, so to speak.

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Richard M. Nixon @dicknixon.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

I don't think I've ever said this in public, because it's not our place, and it's thrown around too much anyway. So I hope it carries more weight. That is: he's lost his goddamn mind.

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Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

The dishonesty of “conservatives” about the killing of Renee Good makes me want to quote Lincoln: “When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty -- to Russia where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”

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Bill @bill-of-lefts.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Indict Jonathan Ross

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Popehat @kenwhite.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

The Republican Party is no longer American in any meaningful sense of the term, to borrow the language of the Claremont Institute.

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Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

MINNEAPOLIS, United States -- Paramilitary forces under the command of President Trump expanded their campaign of terrorism to a new major American city, attacking a school and killing an unarmed civilian attempting to flee the violence.

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Democrats @democrats.org · 08/01/2026

Yesterday, an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good. We know what we saw: A mother, a daughter, a wife, and a U.S. citizen killed in her own community.

A photo of Renee Nicole Good with the following quote:

"Renee was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. She was extremely compassionate. She’s taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being."

Mother of Renee Nicole Good, the U.S. citizen
shot and killed by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026

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Democrats @democrats.org · 07/01/2026

ICE shot and killed a woman on camera today. We all saw the video. The Trump administration is lying.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Roughly aligns with the holyland, although not sure that'd be a good name for tourism purposes

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

So so frustrating. Definitely fewer than half my trips on Ventures, whether Hiawatha or elsewhere in the Midwest, have had those working properly

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Every single congressional Democrat needs to be out there, right now, insisting that Pete Hegseth resign right now and announcing that he will be held accountable for committing war crimes. If you do not demand accountability here and now, they will only become more emboldened.

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Sam @samd.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Democrats need to develop a strategy to prosecute the war criminals in the Trump administration regardless of the inevitable blanket pardons that Trump will give out

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Ha, that's wild. I graduated HS in 1997 and that sort of thing definitely seemed like something from before my time.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Official or unofficial but tolerated?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

I only mention the 30 because it seems like it's oddly overlooked when looking at improvements and such despite being the busiest toute

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

I wonder if MCTS or the county generally needs to have a specific plan, a specific ask, not just "more transit funding from the state" generally?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Seems like Route 30 should be included too, no?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Yep, should go for relatively small increases each year rather than holding steady as long as possible then jumping higher like this

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

Hmm, that'd be awfully hard to run with the existing equipment. One way runtime of 5:40. Would need very early first departure and very late last arrival.

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

The free speech activist who built a list of professors he worked to get fired for their speech must be celebrated for his support of free speech, and anyone who quotes his speech accurately in context will be fired and/or face state punishment by the champions of free speech, do I have that right?

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David Roberts @volts.wtf · 11/09/2025

The fact that right-wingers commit the vast bulk of domestic terrorism in the US is well-established by numerous expert investigations & reports. But the right *accuses* the left more often, makes more *noise* about it, so they've bullied reporters into framing this as a "both sides" problem.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Definitely the case with KC as well. The state effectively controls KCPD, not the city, and requires the city spend a certain portion of its budget on PD. So KC isn't blameless but the problem lies more with Jefferson City instead.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Yep! We really need Midwest states, individually or as a group, to order more equipment. To expand capacity on existing trains and to be able to run more trains.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Even if all flights to ORD were replaced by buses wouldn't those airports remain for flights to ATL, DFW, DTW, MSP, etc? (Not Kankakee but certainly Madison, probably others)

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

I can only guess that it's at least perceived to be easier to clear security (also maybe cheaper parking?) at the outlying airport.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Isn't the appeal here that you clear security at Trenton airport and arrive Philadelphia airport inside security?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Amfleet II (long distance) cars only have 2 doors. Amfleet I cars, which have sometimes been used on Midwest trains, have 4 doors.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

I've heard it suggested because that order was such a fiasco with the failed N-S bilevels and then so delayed that all sorts of corners were cut to stay within the original federal grant amount so maybe they can't automatically open doors and deploy steps on all cars? Or it's Amtrak being stupid?

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

So frustrating. I'd love to know more about Venture car doors and what is or is not possible.

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Eric Schierer @ericschierer.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Good to hear. I had forgotten about it until recently when I was on the Missouri River Runner and saw the extensions blocked off and wondered if it was still unresolved.

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