Metra Electric Highliners

[geneking7320]

On 12/18/2022 at 10:46 AM, Busjack said:

One could, but only if it wasn't used as the operator's cab. The 1200s were based on the 8500s, which have the high level cabs, and, as noted by @busfan2847, the NICTD cars came later.

Looks like the Alstom cars will have 4 doors, but here Metra is buying something "off the shelf," instead of something based on the Burlington cars (withdrawn spec. said they had to be compatible with everything).

BTW, from the Metra facebook link I posted under South Shore, it looks like a third door was not added to 1201.

Here is what I think happened:

1) Metra wanted new EMUs for the Electric District

2) Metra wanted said EMUs to be as compatible as possible with the current gallery specs of its push pull train.

3) FRA rules (speculation here) likely prohibit doors at the cab end of a car [to make it more crashworthy] therefore the 1200s were created.

4) NICTD liked the bilevel gallery and was able to get a third door.

I think more doors are better than fewer and if NICTD thought of it Metra should have too (given the original Highliners had 3 doors). I was hoping there was something written that explained their reasoning for just having center doors only.

Just my $0.02

BTW, When I first visited IRM (back in 2006) I happened to meet an engineer who operated the old Pullmans, original Highliners and the first high cab Highliners. ?

[artthouwill]

58 minutes ago, geneking7320 said:

Here is what I think happened:

1) Metra wanted new EMUs for the Electric District

2) Metra wanted said EMUs to be as compatible as possible with the current gallery specs of its push pull train.

3) FRA rules (speculation here) likely prohibit doors at the cab end of a car [to make it more crashworthy] therefore the 1200s were created.

4) NICTD liked the bilevel gallery and was able to get a third door.

I think more doors are better than fewer and if NICTD thought of it Metra should have too (given the original Highliners had 3 doors). I was hoping there was something written that explained their reasoning for just having center doors only.

Just my $0.02

BTW, When I first visited IRM (back in 2006) I happened to meet an engineer who operated the old Pullmans, original Highliners and the first high cab Highliners. ?

I think your point about Metra wanting to keep the same specs for the EMUS and the gallery cars is why Metra didn't order a third door.  NICTD had to order the third door to facilitate boarding at stations like Gary Metro and Miller with low level platforms.  These doors have traps and can be used for low level and high level boarding.

If I recall correctly,  NICTD ordered their 14 Highliners on a piggyback when Metra first ordered the 26 initial EMUS for the ME.  It would have been nice if Metra had ordered the third door for their subsequent purchase of EMUs but cost may have been a factor.  Metra had no need for the third door other than to facilitate faster boarding and alighted.  Apparently with ME losing ridership  in droves before the pandemic,  Metra may have felt the cost was unjustified  if they ever considered it st all.  They saved money by installing restrooms in only half of the cars as opposed to all the first 26 having them.

[Nitro]

On 12/19/2022 at 2:47 PM, artthouwill said:

I think your point about Metra wanting to keep the same specs for the EMUS and the gallery cars is why Metra didn't order a third door.  NICTD had to order the third door to facilitate boarding at stations like Gary Metro and Miller with low level platforms.  These doors have traps and can be used for low level and high level boarding.

If I recall correctly,  NICTD ordered their 14 Highliners on a piggyback when Metra first ordered the 26 initial EMUS for the ME.  It would have been nice if Metra had ordered the third door for their subsequent purchase of EMUs but cost may have been a factor.  Metra had no need for the third door other than to facilitate faster boarding and alighted.  Apparently with ME losing ridership  in droves before the pandemic,  Metra may have felt the cost was unjustified  if they ever considered it st all.  They saved money by installing restrooms in only half of the cars as opposed to all the first 26 having them.

There is a similar case like this in New Haven where ridership had dropped because of Covid. One of the FRA rules also state that the doors have to be wide enough to allow everyone to disembark on the train, Thanks to FRA refusing to enforce that standard this isn't so. Now ConnDOT and the MTA are proposing service cuts to the New Haven Line and CT Rail.

[Nitro]

Kawasaki M8s vs Nippon Sharyo Highliner IIs which train is better in every way?

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, Nitro said:

Kawasaki M8s vs Nippon Sharyo Highliner IIs which train is better in every way?

Moot question. Metra isn't buying any more ME cars and Sumitomo closed the Rochelle plant.

[Railguy]

Rochelle factory is already converted to a non railroad manufacturing plant. Such a shame since it coild have been a win for Illinois if it was taken over by anotwr Rail manufacturer

[Busjack]

42 minutes ago, Railguy said:

Rochelle factory is already converted to a non railroad manufacturing plant. Such a shame since it coild have been a win for Illinois if it was taken over by anotwr Rail manufacturer

I'm not so sure about "wins for Illinois" if you have this plus potentially another plant at 135th St. closing in a couple of years.  I guess these plants are big open spaces suitable for other purposes, but the jobs promised by politicians don't last.