At 12:37 p.m. July 10, Metra failed to notify waiting passengers of the Union Pacific West Line from Elburn to Chicago to board the train. The scroll message board only stated that we were at the Geneva station. In the past, this message board gave boarding information.
An announcement was heard saying the train would be arriving in nine minutes, but no boarding information was given.
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For whatever reason, the vast majority of waiting passengers chose to wait on the south platform. Only upon seeing the lights of the train did the passengers see that the train was indeed on the north track; therefore, loading on the north platform.
A large group of people began to rush to the north side platform. The pedestrian gate was lowered at this point in time, but disgruntled riders ignored them and crossed the tracks anyway. A very dangerous situation.
I complained to one of the conductors whose response was, "The crew did its job."
On our return trip to Chicago, another conductor told me, "It happens all the time." To my mind, this communication breakdown was totally inexcusable and unprofessional. The thing most bothersome to me is that, based on what I was told, this was not an isolated incident.
Gary Snyder
St. Charles
