Eric95
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Everything posted by Eric95
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I'll echo @Pace831's sentiment - thanks for confirming this! Honestly surprised they're still there after all these years... I will update my spreadsheet as well (the Google sheet linked earlier in this thread).
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I can confirm through my own observation as well as official documentation I received from Metra through a FOIA request (within the last few months) that only 8718, 8738, 8743, and 8749 have been reacquired of the ex-CNW cab cars. The others (8701 and a few in the 8730-40s were mentioned) were only anecdotally reported (several years ago at that) and never verified. I'll concede it's possible they were bought for parts or something of that nature; if so, they've done a darn good job of keeping them out of sight.
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And in terms of the weight issue - that was always an issue with the MP36PH-3S/C's. I don't know the actual numbers, but I don't think the F59PHI's (which are what are being rotated into the UP pool now) are that much heavier per axle than the standard F40PH's.
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Good catch! I originally deduced which cars went to Nashville by process of elimination, and I think @Pace831 caught an error in my source data. VRE got rid of 25 cars around the same time. 5 went to Metra, 10 went to Nashville, and 10 went to the army. I got my data for which cars went to the army from this forum thread (about halfway down the page), and just assumed the 10 remaining went to Nashville. Seeing this information, I did a deeper dive. Thankfully, VRE has actually published its equipment roster for years, and the changes can be tracked through Archive.org's incredibly useful Wayback Machine for archived webpages. By going forward or backward in time, you can see each group disappear from the roster. Looking at an April 2008 version, the Nashville cars have left the roster, but the Metra and army cars are still there (the five cars that went to Metra disappear by September of that year). Looking there, it appears as if V457 (7854) DID go to Nashville, but V454 (7850) stayed on the roster and presumably went to the army. Since this lines up with observations and satellite imagery, I'm assuming the list I pulled off that forum was incorrect. I've updated my spreadsheet to reflect the switch.
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You as well! Appreciate the correction and further explanation on that VRE sale in '08 - I hadn't given much thought to it but it definitely helps clear up the timeline. Let me know if you if you find any more relevant info, MTDX or otherwise, as you keep searching.
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Ooh, thanks, I'll update my own list with that info. I don't have an exact location - my only evidence was this picture, taken in 2006. Couldn't make out the number on the second car, but it seems likely they're both scrapped at this point. Nope, MTDX - I've attached a PDF to this post, found while combing through old VRE board meeting proceedings, that show these five were sold to Dan Behr, who of course was the owner of MTDX. Whether MTDX was actually still active as a company, I don't technically know, but if nothing else, Mr. Behr was apparently still interesting in gathering rolling stock. Noting it as abandoned was probably an error on my part - the Bensenville location was probably taken from whenever I found this photo on Flickr of the former 8744 in WSOR paint. In terms of their path to WSOR, I'm really not sure - the older spreadsheet that I started from (dated around 2006 and of completely unknown source, though it has turned out to be *mostly* accurate) lists some of those cars having gone to Carrizo Gorge, and a couple having been at Northern Rail, which later went bankrupt and went through some whole fiasco with the bilevels destined for VRE that I never really sorted out. VRE 0710 Sale to D Behr.pdf
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I can't shed much light on the backstory of the MTDX cars, but I can update/add a few to your list. I've been keeping a large spreadsheet of ALL the ex-Pullman cars for a few years, so this information comes from a variety of sources. I've definitely heard that those cars in Bensenville are owned by Iowa Pacific but have no additional information on how that happened. Updates to cars on your list: 7658 - Not an MTDX car. Originally went to VRE, renumbered V430. Returned to Metra 2014, repainted and number restored, but never returned to service. Sat at M19A for awhile, donated to IRM sometime in October, and now resides there permanently. They have no plans to repaint and plan on using the car to add capacity for special events. 7665 - Now owned by National Railroad Museum in Green Bay. Restored to CNW colors, used for various excursion trains 7667, 7670 - Listed for sale on Ozark Mountain Railcar 5/2019; details and outcome unknown, may still be in Miami 8701 - I know this car was reported as returned several years ago, but I've NEVER seen it, and Metra's official Rolling Stock Reports don't show it as active. I'm not sure it was ever actually returned, or if it was, it's sitting in a shop somewhere as a parts source. 8720, 8724 - Heavily modified, now owned by a tourist railroad in Quebec (LMCX) along with several other non-MTDX bilevels 876? - Probably 8763, which was an MTDX car according to my info. No further details though. Additions to your list: 8715 - Presumably an MTDX car; was in Elk Grove Village in 2013 8722 - Was MTDX at some point; last spotted in Milwaukee around 2005, stripped, likely scrapped; one other car with it, number unknown 8730, 8731, 8739, 8740, 8742 - Originally went to VRE, but sold to MTDX in for $1 each in 2008. No idea where they went after that. I've also updated my own spreadsheet with the information you posted above, so thank you for that! If you're curious as the the info I've gathered, feel free to check out the spreadsheet. First tab is returnees only, second tab is the master list - link to Google sheet here.
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That would make sense - 7810 came back from Utah circa 2009, and it took them a couple of years to get all of those cars into service.
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I think that's a first... Also, thanks to this info and observations I made today, I can give a complete profile on the rest of this group: - 7659, 7661, VRE V425 (7663), VRE V412 (7675), VRE V429 (7653) - coupled together in Western Ave, somewhat hidden behind a line of retired Highliners; 7659 and 7661 have the new paint. - VRE V422 (7657) - also at Western, coupled behind 611 and 614
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For this specific car and why it was near Roosevelt Rd, I'm assuming it was just in transit. KYD is the last shop on the system that can still do paint for the Pullmans since they were still painting the old Highliners until just recently (California Ave hasn't had to since the last Pullmans were originally retired circa 2005), and all of the Pullmans that have come back that need any more than touch-up work have been sent to and from KYD for paint.
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Correct on the car - if it follows the other couple that are floating around, it will probably head back to Western Ave and eventually cycle into the Milw/NCS pool. As for the equipment shops, here's how I believe it works: All currently in-service equipment is OWNED by Metra, but is MAINTAINED by either Metra, BNSF, or UP. Equipment in the BNSF/SWS pool is operated and maintained by BNSF, whose yard and shops are just south of Union Station (it's the old CB&Q Zephyr Pit). Equipment in the Milw/NCS and HC pools are maintained by Metra at Western Ave (assuming previously a Milwaukee Road facility but don't know for sure). If you see a trainset oriented "backwards" north of Union Station, it's a HC trainset heading to or from Western Ave. Equipment in UP pool is operated and maintained by UP, at the California Ave coach yard and M19A shops (old C&NW facility) The UP and Milw yards & shops are very near each other, but only coincidentally so; they're not actually connected. They're both located just west of Tower A2. The Milwaukee mains separate the UP yard and shops (California Ave/M19A; between the UP and Milw mains) from the Milwaukee yard and shops (north of the Milwaukee mains). The division is clearly visible in this view: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8906339,-87.695674,16.22z.
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It USED to be a cab car, but has since had its cab deactivated. Even the ones that held on to their cabs haven't been used as such since the MK/Amerail cars were delivered in the late '90s, though I don't think the cab was actually removed until it went to VRE circa 2004. Metra car number is 8718 - that car came back as part of a group of 6 sometime in 2014 and has been in service on the UP lines since returning. Not sure if VRE or Metra is responsible for the seat swap.
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That makes at least 3 of the 7 cars (7659, 7661, 7664) that have been repainted. Would assume the others are forthcoming. Also, at least one of them (7664) has been spotted in service in the Milw/NCS pool.
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Yeah, I can't help but feel that scheme was poorly applied in this situation and just looks really tacky. That scheme looks good on the MP36's, marginal on the F40's (I'm not a fan), and downright ugly on the coaches. Be that as it may, I would guess the other 6 from the same group will also get that treatment. The only other 6-window coach we've gotten back besides that group of 7 is 7658, which, from what I've seen and heard, is sitting at M19A repainted into the regular blue/orange stripe scheme but in need of some repairs before it can go out that will likely require it be sent back to KYD. Sounds like it's been sitting there a couple years, so it must not be particularly high on the priority list.
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Another new development - apparently Metra has decided to put the MP36 paint scheme on the handful of Pullmans that were in full VRE paint... (PHOTO - William D. Robinson/Flickr) Per a post in a Metra-related Facebook group, this is car 7664 (one of the 7 in the final group back from VRE). First of the 1956 cars back in service. No idea which territory it will be assigned to yet.
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Yeah, I didn't pick that picture - that photo was posted further down the thread, and apparently the software picked it when I posted that link. It's the content of the thread that I was talking about. Still confused as to why it sounds like there were Pullmans in the BNSF yard according to richii0909 - maybe Heritage Corridor sets? Would still surprise me, since those are serviced at Western. And I don't think the BNSF has ever run Pullmans, as they tend to keep a pretty separate equipment pool from everyone else (with the exception of mixing with the SWS).
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If they were both VRE and both 4-window-per-side coaches, that would probably be 7798 and 7843. They're the last of that type (from VRE - still a few left from MARC) to re-enter service. If they had six windows on each side, they could be from the most recent group back (the older ones built in the late '50s). The one at KYD was probably taped up for painting (I believe KYD is the last yard that can do that type of paint since they had the old Highliners until recently) and I wouldn't be surprised if the other one is going for paint next. Side point - when you say "Union Station Yard," are you referring to Western Ave, or is there another yard I'm forgetting about?
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I saw the same post, but since I haven't seen it personally or heard of anyone else seeing it since it's initial sighting, I'm looking for confirmation.
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Those four are all somewhere on Metra property, but I haven't seen or heard of any of them being in service yet (full disclosure, I have no inside information here; all of this is based on my own observations and those of other fans). The other 7 from the Maryland group are all in service. Others that are in Chicago but not yet in service (as far as I know) are 7658, 7798, and 7843 (3 of the 6 brought back from VRE in 2014; other three are in service) and all 7 of the most recent group brought back from VRE about a year ago, which are split between 47th St and Western Ave and still in VRE paint (#'s 7653, 7657, 7659, 7661, 7663, 7664, 7675). If any of these have been spotted in service, let me know, as I've got a spreadsheet I'm using to keep track of them all. Also, has anyone actually seen 8701 or 8731? They were reportedly spotted a couple years ago but I've heard nothing about them since.
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New member here, but longtime "lurker," and I've been keeping track of these coaches for awhile. First, a huge thanks to andrethebusman for that list - I've been trying to nail down the MARC car numbers for quite some time... A couple clarifications: first, I'll echo busfan2847's post on the UTA cars - he is correct, thus a total of 14 cars came back from UTA. Also, per these two older topics, andrethebusman has mentioned that both 8701 and 8731 have come back as well. 8701 is supposedly the one back from MTDX, which makes sense, as I think 7658 is actually a VRE car (VRE number was V430). Per the above thread, 8731 is part of a group that includes 8730, 8739, 8740, and 8742. I'm not aware of any sightings of those other 4, so not sure if they came back or not. One other point to make: from the MARC batch, 7867-7869, 7871, 7881-7883, and 7885 are all actually former Rock Island cars (8 of the 10 the RI tacked on to a CNW Pullman order).