Metra Electric Highliners

[T-Daug]

And yet, only 1333-34 have been delivered (in service Thursday 7-9).

As of 10/30/2015 (southbound #139) The newest Highliner I've seen in service is #1358 ...

If I had know that in advance I would have had some medication for the headache I was about to receive;

at the new cars radiate a really noxious odor (for a couple of months) not unlike a fresh box of Band-Aid's.

Another unfortunate side effect of having all the extra new cars is that almost every train seems to have

between 2 - 6 extra cars that go back and forth all day long as there is nowhere to park them.

 

 

[T-Daug]

Just a thought ...

Anyone else notice how electric district conductors seem to have become overly rude on non rush hour trains ...

1. Jamming passengers into as few cars as possible.

2. Kicking elderly passengers out of their seats for bicycles.

3. Setting up entire trains with as many 4 seaters as possible.

4. Locking the washroom door to make it look out of order.

I dared to ask about this and the response was that by asking the question,

I would be considered beligeriant and removed from the train and possibly arrested.

[Pace831]

Just a thought ...

Anyone else notice how electric district conductors seem to have become overly rude on non rush hour trains ...

1. Jamming passengers into as few cars as possible.

2. Kicking elderly passengers out of their seats for bicycles.

3. Setting up entire trains with as many 4 seaters as possible.

4. Locking the washroom door to make it look out of order.

I dared to ask about this and the response was that by asking the question,

I would be considered beligeriant and removed from the train and possibly arrested.

1. They've always done that on all lines, so passengers are not spread throughout the train which makes fare collection more efficient.

2. If that is the only bicycle space available and there are other seats elsewhere, a justifiable move. Kicking off the bicyclist when space is available is equally rude.

3. I don't know why they would do this, but wouldn't consider it rude since nothing is stopping me from flipping the seats back. The people who use all 4 seats for themselves are the rude ones.

4. If that's the case, there's probably a good reason you'd rather not go in that restroom.

I don't know how you phrased the question, but it sounds like you were belligerent. People are offended when someone tells them how to do their job. Unless you're a conductor too, you don't know what management has instructed them to do. Chances are the conductors are just following someone else's instructions, whether or not they make sense.

[trainman8119]

As of 10/30/2015 (southbound #139) The newest Highliner I've seen in service is #1358 ...

If I had know that in advance I would have had some medication for the headache I was about to receive;

at the new cars radiate a really noxious odor (for a couple of months) not unlike a fresh box of Band-Aid's.

Another unfortunate side effect of having all the extra new cars is that almost every train seems to have

between 2 - 6 extra cars that go back and forth all day long as there is nowhere to park them.

 

 

1358 is the newest car received and in operation.  Noixious odor other that backed up bathrooms, can't help you. 2-6 (mostly 6) go in and out as they need to have a daily inspection which requires inspection of both sides of the train. They get pulled out of the depot so the can have the sides opposite the platform to have their inspection and then are returned to a track in the depot. It has nothing to do with nowhere to park them, although extra storage is being built at Van Buren Street (who knows when that will be done). This has been going on since the beginning of time and has nothing to do with there being extra new cars. In fact, the older cars are being retired about as fast as the new ones are coming in and when all is said and done, there should be 15-20 extras around with another 12 of the old cars stored someplace (for a rainy day...don't know why they are keeping them).

[trainman8119]

Just a thought ...

Anyone else notice how electric district conductors seem to have become overly rude on non rush hour trains ...

1. Jamming passengers into as few cars as possible.

2. Kicking elderly passengers out of their seats for bicycles.

3. Setting up entire trains with as many 4 seaters as possible.

4. Locking the washroom door to make it look out of order.

I dared to ask about this and the response was that by asking the question,

I would be considered beligeriant and removed from the train and possibly arrested.

Since I am an Electric District Conductor, I'll answer your question:

1. Pace 831 is only partially correct. Yes, it does make fare collection easier. If there is no reason to open extra cars, then, they are not open. If you are referring to morning outbound trains, much of the problem stems from U of C students who wait until 8:19 1/2 to run for the 8:20 train. At 8:18 you have 20 open seats...by the time you close the doors, you don't. By the time you would open up a second car, nobody moves anyway and jams the front. On our particular train we figure Tuesday and Wednesdays are the worst days and we are trying to start out with 2 cars. It gets worse when there is something going on at Mc Cormick Place....much of the time without notice.

2. Unfortunately, the bike lobby is more active than the senior lobby. I, like many, don't believe bikes should be on the trains in the first place. That said, I personally won't kick anyone out of there seats unless it becomes a problem...I let them fight it out themselves, kind of the same with the silly quiet cars (another argument for another day).

3. 4 seaters is probably a set up done by the night crews. Most day trains are way too busy to even think of setting it up that way. Often on turnarounds, many won't flip seats and what you have is what is left over from earlier trips. If there are 4 seaters, most likely passengers feel the need to flip seats to make their own because they are who they are or a group of 3 or 4 sit together.

4. Trust me, if someone locked the washroom door, it is out of order. Usually plugged up or overflowing or has no water. Open the door and you will definitely have a hazmat situation. This is not done to "make it look" anything.

It would interest me to know what trains you are riding. I could probably get a little more detailed if I could figure out the crew is, but I think what you see above covers most situations.

[Pace831]

2. Unfortunately, the bike lobby is more active than the senior lobby. I, like many, don't believe bikes should be on the trains in the first place. That said, I personally won't kick anyone out of there seats unless it becomes a problem...I let them fight it out themselves, kind of the same with the silly quiet cars (another argument for another day).

The alleged purpose of allowing bikes on trains was to encourage car-free trips. I would like to see a survey of people who bring bikes on transit regarding the purpose of the trip and the purpose of bringing the bike along. From my own observation, a significant number of people with bikes 1) don't need them for their trip and 2) still would have taken transit if bikes weren't allowed. On the other hand, I've found bringing my bike with me useful a few times, where the entire trip depended on having access to the bike AND transit. CTA/Metra/Pace wouldn't have gotten my money if not for the bike. So basically, we need a cost-benefit analysis of allowing bikes on transit. Charging a "bike fare" should also be considered.

[MetroShadow]

The alleged purpose of allowing bikes on trains was to encourage car-free trips. I would like to see a survey of people who bring bikes on transit regarding the purpose of the trip and the purpose of bringing the bike along. From my own observation, a significant number of people with bikes 1) don't need them for their trip and 2) still would have taken transit if bikes weren't allowed. On the other hand, I've found bringing my bike with me useful a few times, where the entire trip depended on having access to the bike AND transit. CTA/Metra/Pace wouldn't have gotten my money if not for the bike. So basically, we need a cost-benefit analysis of allowing bikes on transit. Charging a "bike fare" should also be considered.

"Bike Fares" are not necessary and possibly counter-productive and discriminatory. Other agencies don't do this, and in fact WANT to promote people to use transit in first/last mile situations.

[Pace831]

"Bike Fares" are not necessary and possibly counter-productive and discriminatory. Other agencies don't do this, and in fact WANT to promote people to use transit in first/last mile situations.

I do understand that allowing bikes is intended to increase ridership by providing for the first/last mile. My question is whether it is worth the hassle that trainman mentioned, which presumably has to do with disputes over who gets to use the space and/or bicyclists not understanding or obeying the rules. On buses, loading and unloading bikes often causes delays. Both of these situations make the transit system less efficient and may discourage other riders. These instances are difficult to assign a monetary cost to. After thinking about it, I decided this cost is minimal and justifies allowing bikes on transit, to which you would seem to agree. I mentioned "bike fares" only as something that should be considered as part of the study I suggested. (If such a study already exists, I'm not aware of it). And finally, I don't understand how bike fares could be "discriminatory".

[Busjack]

"Bike Fares" are not necessary and possibly counter-productive and discriminatory. Other agencies don't do this, and in fact WANT to promote people to use transit in first/last mile situations.

 

I do understand that allowing bikes is intended to increase ridership by providing for the first/last mile. My question is whether it is worth the hassle that trainman mentioned, which presumably has to do with disputes over who gets to use the space and/or bicyclists not understanding or obeying the rules. On buses, loading and unloading bikes often causes delays. Both of these situations make the transit system less efficient and may discourage other riders. These instances are difficult to assign a monetary cost to. After thinking about it, I decided this cost is minimal and justifies allowing bikes on transit, to which you would seem to agree. I mentioned "bike fares" only as something that should be considered as part of the study I suggested. (If such a study already exists, I'm not aware of it). And finally, I don't understand how bike fares could be "discriminatory".

They certainly are not "discriminatory" because bike riders are not a protected class, and by that definition should be required to yield to those protected by the ADA. If nothing else, they should pay because the normal thing that would have been required (at least on old South Shore cars) is to stick them in the freight compartment. I've seen conductors tell passengers to get their luggage off the seats.

Metra certainly is not first mile last mile, and I doubt really wants to promote ridership, except during the weekend.

[T-Daug]

This is the newest Electric District Highliner.

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, T-Daug said:

This is the newest Electric District Highliner.

Getting close, as supposed to be up to 1386 (26 10 years ago, and 160 of these).

[trainman8119]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2015 at 1:57 PM, T-Daug said:

Saw #1368 fully assembled @ Rochelle plant 4th of July weekend. 

To date, still hasn't been delivered...only 1361 and 1360...no sign of 1359 or 1362

[andrethebusman]

Heard NS got into deep doo-doo with OSHA a few months back. This might have caused a substantial delay...

[andrethebusman]

How high are deliveries up to? Saw 1370 today.

[chgofan78]

16 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

How high are deliveries up to? Saw 1370 today.

Spotted 1379 last week in the yard.

 

[T-Daug]

Riding on 1379 this morning. Still that new car "band-aid" odor.

[chgofan78]

Just spotted 1386 sitting outside the Van Buren station.   Had no idea deliveries were done.   I wonder if a schedule change may be coming soon now that they have additional equipment to cover service.   

[Busjack]

8 minutes ago, chgofan78 said:

Just spotted 1386 sitting outside the Van Buren station.   Had no idea deliveries were done.   I wonder if a schedule change may be coming soon now that they have additional equipment to cover service.   

At least the inference left by trainman was longer trains, given lost seating capacity with bathrooms and the like. NICTD is doing a survey of capacity on ME tracks for the West Lake service, which indicates there may be issues.

You can rest assured that any additional equipment is for main line runs.

[andrethebusman]

There are now 6 or 8 old Highliners sitting on a near-derelict siding between 115th and 119th on east side of Rock Island Main. Delivered there last Saturday. A couple of weeks ago, the permanent-way dept was working on that siding, now we know why, to make it fit for car storage. Now figure those cars will be 100% covered by graffiti (and stripped inside) within a week or so.

[trainman8119]

Just got back on the district today, have been Rock Island way for the last month or so. I saw those cars

parked there at 119th Street on the main line. I believe those cars were the ones that were held on the

South Shore tracks at Randolph Street after they were retired. That track is empty and is being used by South Shore

trains again during the day.

[Pace831]

Press release that all the new Highliners have now been delivered.

[sht6131]

Saw some more old highliners sitting on a side track on the Milwaukee North just east of 294 last Tuesday.

[MetroShadow]

On August 25, 2016 at 5:17 PM, Pace831 said:

Press release that all the new Highliners have now been delivered.

Instagram confirms: 

 

[Busjack]

28 minutes ago, MetroShadow said:

Instagram confirms: 

Someone should tell the Instagram buddy that the ceremonial last trip was Feb. 12.

[andrethebusman]

Which is the train (or trains) that have seven cars? Looks odd with the end car facing same direction as the one next to it!