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February 8, 2007 | Issue 4-11

DES PLAINES, Ill. – A commuting systems analyst just leaned over a Metra train station platform for the 17^th time in six minutes. Area resident John Wilkerson is hoping the train will be in sight soon. After first leaning over to peer down the track at 10:31 AM, he has since continued the effort at a rate of 2.83 leans per minute (LPM).

“I know it’s not scheduled to be here for another eight minutes,” said the anxious Wilkerson. “I’m just out of people to Blackberry.”

The Metra trains are consistently on time, especially the Union Pacific Northwest line Wilkerson is awaiting. However, regular train riders recall numerous occasions in which the leaning commuter was extremely anxious about his daily commute.

“I remember that day in ‘02, when the train was about five minutes late,” said Henry Hicks, a train station regular who removes cans and bottles from nearby trash receptacles. “He must have leaned over that platform at least 60 or 70 times.”

Although Hicks cited one of Wilkerson’s worst leaning offenses, he wasn’t present for the granddaddy of them all: the December 2, 2004 blizzard that delayed inbound trains for over 30 minutes. That day, Wilkerson was seen leaning over the platform 179 times over a 40 minute span, for a Metra record 4.48 LPM.

Mindy Jackson, Metra spokeswoman, said that leaning over the platform can be a dangerous and deadly habit.

“Mr. Wilkerson is by no means setting a good example,” she said. “Metra has established a long-standing 95 percent on-time rating, and anybody crossing the yellow safety lines to check on trains is subject to penalties.”

As this article goes to print, no bans, fines, or warnings have been issued to Wilkerson, although the ticket seller inside the Des Plaines station has been told to watch for leaning violations.