Metra Observations

[rotjohns]

So today I got to get on Metra. Now I'm not as heavy of a rider as I was several years ago, I average 1-2 trips per month and sometimes less than that. But I noticed a couple of observations today:

1. I noticed that there are finally advertising wraps outside of a car. The one I saw today was a Harris Bank car wrap. This is something I thought would've been jumped on by companies a long time ago. Are there any more ad wraps other than the Harris Bank I saw?

2. On my way back to Westmont, the car I was in was obviously a new car (6186 to be exact). The biggest change I saw was a digital scroll display above the doors showing the same announcements that the system does over the speaker. I'm guessing the 6100s are all this way.

[Busjack]

So today I got to get on Metra. Now I'm not as heavy of a rider as I was several years ago, I average 1-2 trips per month and sometimes less than that. But I noticed a couple of observations today:

1. I noticed that there are finally advertising wraps outside of a car. The one I saw today was a Harris Bank car wrap. This is something I thought would've been jumped on by companies a long time ago. Are there any more ad wraps other than the Harris Bank I saw?

2. On my way back to Westmont, the car I was in was obviously a new car (6186 to be exact). The biggest change I saw was a digital scroll display above the doors showing the same announcements that the system does over the speaker. I'm guessing the 6100s are all this way.

Don't know about the first.

However, the second is an ADA requirement, also on all 8500 series cab cars, which would be on the BNSF, as well as the Milw. and RI, and essentially for the same reason as the inside display panels in the CTA 5000s. Cars that have them usually have an ear symbol on the outside next to the wheelchair symbol next to the door.

BTW, the series of noncab cars starts with 6000, and most are on the UP. I guess the highest numbers in the series went to the BNSF to replace the oldest of the Burlington cars with the wide corrugations.

[rotjohns]

Don't know about the first.

However, the second is an ADA requirement, also on all 8500 series cab cars, which would be on the BNSF, as well as the Milw. and RI, and essentially for the same reason as the inside display panels in the CTA 5000s. Cars that have them usually have an ear symbol on the outside next to the wheelchair symbol next to the door.

BTW, the series of noncab cars starts with 6000, and most are on the UP. I guess the highest numbers in the series went to the BNSF to replace the oldest of the Burlington cars with the wide corrugations.

Yeah I've seen the 6000s too, but I saw a few others today on BNSF that were 6180 and higher. Since a lot of 8500 series are the 1st car on the train, I never knew they had to have the ADA requirement because I'm usually in the middle cars, which don't have them. The car I was in on the way to downtown was really old because it was squeaking terribly the whole time and had the rust color seats. It was a 700 series.

As far as the wraps, maybe it's only for BNSF for now. I saw it twice today, once at Union Station, and the other time was on a run back to downtown.

[Railwaymodeler]

I saw this Metra wrap in Waukegan a while back, and again a week ago. This is the Harris Bank car, as far as I know, there are a couple of them.

[twyztdmynd]

I saw this Metra wrap in Waukegan a while back, and again a week ago. This is the Harris Bank car, as far as I know, there are a couple of them.

Yeah, that's what I want to see while driving, A MOBILE DISTRACTION ! (Applies to buses too)

[rotjohns]

Yeah, that's what I want to see while driving, A MOBILE DISTRACTION ! (Applies to buses too)

That's the exact one I saw. But that's the idea of wraps, to get people's attention.

[trainman8119]

Yeah I've seen the 6000s too, but I saw a few others today on BNSF that were 6180 and higher. Since a lot of 8500 series are the 1st car on the train, I never knew they had to have the ADA requirement because I'm usually in the middle cars, which don't have them.

The 8500 series cab cars came in with the 6000 series gallery cars, therefore they are essentially the same cars with the same amenities. Everything new will have the current ADA requirements. The only real difference between the 8400 series cab cars and the 8500 series cab cars (from a passenger point) is the scroll signs over the vestibule doors and the larger windows. You could also include the updated uncomfortable seats Metra continues to put in new equipment. The 8500's replaced the 8200 series cab cars, with the first 45 or so being assinged to the Milwaukee Districts. The next 30 went to the Rock Island and the remaining few went to the BN. The UP initially had a few, but I think they were loaners. All of the older cab cars have been replaced on all lines.

The 6000 series cars replaced all of the Pullmans on the UP. After those cars were replaced, the BN got a number of them to replace some of their old rickety cars. Some stragglers find their way to the Milwaukee and the Rock Island from time to time.

[Busjack]

The 8500's replaced the 8200 series cab cars, with the first 45 or so being assinged to the Milwaukee Districts. The next 30 went to the Rock Island and the remaining few went to the BN. The UP initially had a few, but I think they were loaners. All of the older cab cars have been replaced on all lines.

The 6000 series cars replaced all of the Pullmans on the UP. After those cars were replaced, the BN got a number of them to replace some of their old rickety cars. Some stragglers find their way to the Milwaukee and the Rock Island from time to time.

I think the term "replaced" was used in two senses here. The 8200s still appear around, but are not used as cab cars, and hence are no different that 7200s in function. The Pullmans themselves are gone, except for those that were sold to others and then repurchased.

[trainman8119]

I think the term "replaced" was used in two senses here. The 8200s still appear around, but are not used as cab cars, and hence are no different that 7200s in function. The Pullmans themselves are gone, except for those that were sold to others and then repurchased.

That would be proper clarification. I stand corrected !!

[Guest ctafan630]

The 8500 series cab cars came in with the 6000 series gallery cars, therefore they are essentially the same cars with the same amenities. Everything new will have the current ADA requirements. The only real difference between the 8400 series cab cars and the 8500 series cab cars (from a passenger point) is the scroll signs over the vestibule doors and the larger windows. You could also include the updated uncomfortable seats Metra continues to put in new equipment.

Another big difference is that the 7400/8400 series cars have "door hooks" that were installed so that the inside vestible doors can stay open. The 6000/8500 series cars do not have these.

[twyztdmynd]

Any reason known for the big delays on MD North Line on Friday Dec 6th??? Twitter reported mechanical failure. What and where? Train to Deerfield nearly an hour late.

[sw4400]

UP-North passenger decides he's King Of The World(or in this case, Metra) and climbs a train that was stopped at Rogers Park... I guess he wanted to go on a thrill ride... Story

[Busjack]

UP-North passenger decides he's King Of The World(or in this case, Metra) and climbs a train that was stopped at Rogers Park... I guess he wanted to go on a thrill ride... Story

At least someone didn't try to drive a Nissan Rogue up there, which would seem to be a method of increasing gas mileage.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Wow, there's a thread for Metra too! Last week NBC aired footage of a Metra-Car accident in Des Plaines. Fortunately, the person in the car survived, and the debris was cleaned up before my trip to Chicago.

Another story came from my professor, who was riding between Crystal Lake and Woodstock. According to him, halfway between the stations, all the lights in his car went out. I'm assuming it was similar to Metra trains at Union Station when they're switching power, but the lights stayed off. His train then coasted to Woodstock, and everyone got off.

[Busjack]

...

Another story came from my professor, who was riding between Crystal Lake and Woodstock. According to him, halfway between the stations, all the lights in his car went out. I'm assuming it was similar to Metra trains at Union Station when they're switching power, but the lights stayed off. His train then coasted to Woodstock, and everyone got off.

The two are different. The locomotive is supposed to provide electrical power for the whole train, but they don't want it running while under the concourse, so they turn it off and plug it into an extension cord. If the story you relate is correct, the locomotive died en route.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

The two are different. The locomotive is supposed to provide electrical power for the whole train, but they don't want it running while under the concourse, so they turn it off and plug it into an extension cord. If the story you relate is correct, the locomotive died en route.

Thanks for the input. In elementary school, I rode some Metra lines out of Union Station for fun, and the two main things I remember were the black ceilings of the station, and the lights onboard going out for a bit while the trains got unplugged.

One of the other things about my professor's story is that it could have happened on an exceptionally cold day. If so, could that have affected the locomotive directly, or could it have a bad effect on the HEP cables (like the connection) too?

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

My Metra set last Wednesday sounded like its brakes were about to kick the bucket. Depending on how the engineer applied the brakes, the squealing started from up to about 15 MPH to stopping. Looks like that set is close to its 7 day replacement time.