The Ride

This week's question was: This week marks the anniversary of one of the worst Great Lakes shipping disasters. The gales of November came early. What was it?

The answer is the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which took place Nov. 10, 1975, killing all 29 on board. Until 1971, the Fitzgerald had been the largest vessel in the Great Lakes fleet. It had been carrying a load of taconite from Wisconsin. The sinking was memorialized by Gordon Lightfoot in the song 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

Several people got the right answer, but Laura Williams of Woodridge was the first both to answer AND give me a way to reach her so I could give her her prize. So congratulations to Laura, and if she can e-mail her t-shirt size, I can get it out to her.

People with 312 or 773 area codes calling the Regional Transportation Authority's travel hotline must now dial 11 digits. Residents from these area codes should dial 312 then 836-7000 when calling for travel directions, according to the RTA.
Callers outside those area codes but within the RTA's regional service area can continue to dial the 7-digit number, 836-7000.
The change comes after the recent installment of the new Chicago area code 872.
This new rule was supposed to start Saturday. The Ride tried both the 7-digit and the 11-digit number from a 312 number at 11 a.m. Saturday -- and both got through. RTA spokeswoman Diane Palmer said the new protocol may kick in later in the day.

CTA rail service between the Blue Line's Clark/Lake and UIC-Halsted stations will be temporarily suspended from 10 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Monday for track work.

Shuttle bus service will substitute for rail service. Allow extra time, folks.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will close Burnham Avenue from 143rd to State Street next Monday for work on the bridge over the Grand Calumet River. The work was originally supposed to start this past Wednesday, but got postponed. The work will take a month.

And no, this isn't the bridge Jake and Elwood jump over. That's at 95th Street.

All together now, CTA riders, Allow Extra Time!

Both the CTA Red Line and Blue Line will have service interruptions this weekend.

Northbound Red Line trains will be unable to stop at the Morse and Jarvis stations from 10 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Sunday due to track maintenance work. Southbound Red Line service is not affected.

The CTA press release includes these instructions: "During this time, northbound Red Line customers who want to exit at Morse or Jarvis should travel to Howard and board a southbound train to the appropriate station. Customers at Morse or Jarvis who want to travel north should board a southbound train to Loyola to access a northbound train."

Rail service between the Blue Line's Clark/Lake and UIC-Halsted stations will be suspended for track work from 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday.

Bus shuttles will operate as a substitute for rail service making stops adjacent to the Clark/Lake, Washington, Monroe, Jackson, LaSalle, Clinton and UIC-Halsted stations. Southbound buses will travel along Clark and Van Buren and northbound buses will operate via Harrison and Dearborn.

This article makes the fun argument that it's actually greener to have a cool car that you barely drive, than a frumpy one you drive all over the place. He advocates ditching the Toyota Camry, taking bikes or public transportation for your daily grind, and taking a Sunday drive in a really fun car, like a classic Porsche. The greener argument is actually for NO car, but if you have to get your driving kicks, you could argue it's better to do it just once a week in something groovy.

The state house executive committee today decided, unanimously and without debate, to roll back the controversial senior free ride program so it only applies to low-income seniors. according to Diane Palmer, spokeswoman for the Regional Transportation Authority. The bill still has to be voted on by both the full house and senate.

Speaking after a City Club luncheon today, RTA executive director Stephen Schlickman said that he was "pleased" to hear of the committee vote. The RTA board had announced earlier this month that it supported rolling back the free ride program, which would save the RTA about $37 million a year. All three transit area agencies are raising fares and/or cutting service for 2010 because of budget troubles.

Schlickman said the bill before the house would preserve free rides for 30 percent of seniors, who are low income. "I think that's appropriate public policy," Schlickman said. "All other seniors will still get half fare benefits."

This masked vigilante fought crime along with his faithful servant, Kato. He also inspired a nickname for a form of Chicago transportation.

The answer is the Green Hornet, comic book hero and the nickname for Chicago's old green streetcars. Many people had the right answer, but Margo Sliwa was first. If Margo can send me her address and t-shirt size by e-mail, I can send her the prize. My e-mail is mwisniewski@suntimes.com.