Random Metra

[richii0909]

I like the SC-44... I have seen a lot lately and they are quiet, fast, and very aero dynamic. Also, they have modern lighting system with LED or Bi-Xenon which I'm sure it better for the engineer. Im not a big fan the MP locomotives, they take off slow and it seems like that leads to being late all the time I believe. I think its time for Metra to get together a list of requirements, specs, options etc and bid out a request for a custom locomotive. That will probably take some time to accomplish but maybe a better option, vs adapting something from someone else. I personally would choose the SC-44.

[NewFlyerMCI]

40 minutes ago, richii0909 said:

I like the SC-44... I have seen a lot lately and they are quiet, fast, and very aero dynamic. Also, they have modern lighting system with LED or Bi-Xenon which I'm sure it better for the engineer. Im not a big fan the MP locomotives, they take off slow and it seems like that leads to being late all the time I believe. I think its time for Metra to get together a list of requirements, specs, options etc and bid out a request for a custom locomotive. That will probably take some time to accomplish but maybe a better option, vs adapting something from someone else. I personally would choose the SC-44.

I think Siemens and Motive Power/Wabtec are the only people left making passenger locomotives in the USA. There definitely needs to be more competition, I'm surprised Alstom doesn't make diesel variants in the USA

[trainman8119]

Sorry to burst your bubble guys, but don't look for any big new locomotive purchases.

Word has it that all the 100 series engines will be sent to Progress Rail for rebuilds and not be retired.

Look for more of the type of purchasing similar to what they have done with the recent purchase from Progress for those

horribly long rehabbed freight engines.

 

According to some purchasing people, manufacturers will only fill orders for complete fleet replacement and not

fill orders of say 25, 30 or 50 locomotives. Thus Metra will continue to buy refurbished crap and hope it runs.

[NewFlyerMCI]

13 minutes ago, trainman8119 said:

According to some purchasing people, manufacturers will only fill orders for complete fleet replacement and not

fill orders of say 25, 30 or 50 locomotives. Thus Metra will continue to buy refurbished crap and hope it runs.

I think I see the advantage of this, but I'm not sure. May you explain why they would do this?

[trainman8119]

4 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

I think I see the advantage of this, but I'm not sure. May you explain why they would do this?

The manufacturers ??? I would guess job security and the ability to make mega $$$$

[richii0909]

13 minutes ago, trainman8119 said:

Sorry to burst your bubble guys, but don't look for any big new locomotive purchases.

Word has it that all the 100 series engines will be sent to Progress Rail for rebuilds and not be retired.

Look for more of the type of purchasing that they have done with the recent purchase from Progress for those

horribly long rehabbed freight engines.

 

According to some purchasing people, manufacturers will only fill orders for complete fleet replacement and not

fill orders of say 25, 30 or 50 locomotives. Thus Metra will continue to buy refurbished crap and hope it runs.

Oh wow.. I say some money is better than no money.. I would just go ahead and fill the order for a new ones. If they are going to rebuild them.. might as well rebuild 611 or 614.. put everything back in service then.. they got the money now.  Question.. when the 100 series engines go in for rehab.. what will fill in for them?? 

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 minutes ago, richii0909 said:

Oh wow.. I say some money is better than no money.. I would just go ahead and fill the order for a new ones. If they are going to rebuild them.. might as well rebuild 611 or 614.. put everything back in service then.. they got the money now.  Question.. when the 100 series engines go in for rehab.. what will fill in for them?? 

I imagine they'll be sent gradually, so as to not impact the fleet. Or they could lease locomotives?

[trainman8119]

1 minute ago, richii0909 said:

Oh wow.. I say some money is better than no money.. I would just go ahead and fill the order for a new ones. If they are going to rebuild them.. might as well rebuild 611 or 614.. put everything back in service then.. they got the money now.  Question.. when the 100 series engines go in for rehab.. what will fill in for them?? 

Probably the rebuilds that are now supposedly on order. The fleet is so bad now, it seems as though 1/2 aren't running on a daily basis anyway. (sarcasim)

[John7]

Do you have any proof that they'll be rebuilding all the f40 Locomotive's? I doubt they will since metra is getting 41(42 maybe) used locomotives. And they intend to purchase 8 new tier 4 locomotives. 

 

 

 

This is from "on the bi-level" from april of this year

[strictures]

6 hours ago, John7 said:

Do you have any proof that they'll be rebuilding all the f40 Locomotive's? I doubt they will since metra is getting 41(42 maybe) used locomotives. And they intend to purchase 8 new tier 4 locomotives. 

 

 

 

This is from "on the bi-level" from april of this year

I've ridden LA's Metrolink & their cars, with two platform level doors are far better than our gallery cars.  It's a far better design for everyone, not just the handicapped & those with strollers.   That design also eliminates the needs for lifts, which are a costly addition & require extra maintenance. 

And I'm still baffled why the platforms at Ogilvie, LaSalle & the stubs at Union are not raised up to the level of the bottom step of the gallery cars.  The claim that people will trip because they're not expecting it is absurd.

[richii0909]

19 hours ago, strictures said:

I've ridden LA's Metrolink & their cars, with two platform level doors are far better than our gallery cars.  It's a far better design for everyone, not just the handicapped & those with strollers.   That design also eliminates the needs for lifts, which are a costly addition & require extra maintenance. 

And I'm still baffled why the platforms at Ogilvie, LaSalle & the stubs at Union are not raised up to the level of the bottom step of the gallery cars.  The claim that people will trip because they're not expecting it is absurd.

Yeah the La train cars are pretty interesting indeed! I think the reason the platforms are not raised is because the lines run at ground level. Now on ME line it’s raised and the stations are above ground level also. 

[richii0909]

On 6/8/2019 at 7:53 AM, John7 said:

Do you have any proof that they'll be rebuilding all the f40 Locomotive's? I doubt they will since metra is getting 41(42 maybe) used locomotives. And they intend to purchase 8 new tier 4 locomotives. 

 

 

 

This is from "on the bi-level" from april of this year

Here is a response from a question asked on the bi level May edition 

 

 

 

     Looks can be deceiving. While the locomotives you see every day look the same  from the outside as what’s been operating on our lines for decades, we are actually in the middle of a major rehab program to overhaul our F40PH fleet with remanufactured engines and emission upgrades to name a few of the improvements. Of the 27 locomotives that have returned to service following rehab, 14 are assigned to the BNSF, more than any other Metra line. By the time you read this, one more rehabbed locomotive will be assigned to service on the BNSF, bringing the number to 15. As for the locomotives purchased from Amtrak that we’ve been placing into service since late last year, they are equipped with different components. For efficiency’s sake when it comes to parts and maintenance, the current plan is to assign those to our Milwaukee District lines.

 

 

*****
 

[NewFlyerMCI]

4 hours ago, richii0909 said:

Yeah the La train cars are pretty interesting indeed! I think the reason the platforms are not raised is because the lines run at ground level. Now on ME line it’s raised and the stations are above ground level also. 

The ME has all high level platforms?

[chicagocubs6323]

29 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

The ME has all high level platforms?

ME's cars have higher doors so yes they all do.  

[strictures]

47 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

The ME has all high level platforms?

The Blue Island Branch is at grade, so the coaches are designed to also have low level boarding.

[Pace831]

9 minutes ago, strictures said:

The Blue Island Branch is at grade, so the coaches are designed to also have low level boarding.

Blue Island branch stations have high level platforms. The steps for low level boarding are intended to be used by crews and for emergency evacuation.

[NewFlyerMCI]

1 hour ago, chicagocubs6323 said:

ME's cars have higher doors so yes they all do.  

 

45 minutes ago, strictures said:

The Blue Island Branch is at grade, so the coaches are designed to also have low level boarding.

It's been a while since I've been on any commuter rail line with completely high level platforms, I'm so used to trapdoors. It's especially at one station near me, the trains are never completely consistent about where it stops at our one low-level platform (peak is generally front of train, but after 7pm, it's the discretion of the conductor, who never announces it until we're there. I've seen many a people trapped on the train.)

16 minutes ago, Pace831 said:

Blue Island branch stations have high level platforms. The steps for low level boarding are intended to be used by crews and for emergency evacuation.

Sounds like the Penn Line. Several of the high level platforms have 1 or 2 car length at-grade platforms for when the trains has to unexpectedly alight/board on the middle track

[richii0909]

6 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

The ME has all high level platforms?

Yeah they do its a level platform and cars have no steps other than a cut out stair case for grade/ground level. I actually hate the ME line due to call of hassles to get to the platform and to exit the station. The station I get on you have to go through two - three ramps and or about a 20 step stair case. Then when you get down town you have another long steep ramp or 25 step stair case and then about a 15 step stair case out to the street. It sucks exp when your trying to catch a train, leaving or going. Union station is the same way, but I understand as it accommodates a lot of different trains... and their platforms are super long. I think the best or easiest stations are OTC and Lasalle street station.

[WCR]

23 hours ago, richii0909 said:

Here is a response from a question asked on the bi level May edition 

 

 

 

     Looks can be deceiving. While the locomotives you see every day look the same  from the outside as what’s been operating on our lines for decades, we are actually in the middle of a major rehab program to overhaul our F40PH fleet with remanufactured engines and emission upgrades to name a few of the improvements. Of the 27 locomotives that have returned to service following rehab, 14 are assigned to the BNSF, more than any other Metra line. By the time you read this, one more rehabbed locomotive will be assigned to service on the BNSF, bringing the number to 15. As for the locomotives purchased from Amtrak that we’ve been placing into service since late last year, they are equipped with different components. For efficiency’s sake when it comes to parts and maintenance, the current plan is to assign those to our Milwaukee District lines.

 

 

*****
 

Are there plans to overhaul the former Amtrak fleet?

[NewFlyerMCI]

4 hours ago, WCR said:

Are there plans to overhaul the former Amtrak fleet?

The Horizon's have about 20 years left, assuming they weren't rehabbed when they got sent in to be made accessible, which would mean they have more years than that. Specific plans can be found here.

[WCR]

1 hour ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

The Horizon's have about 20 years left, assuming they weren't rehabbed when they got sent in to be made accessible, which would mean they have more years than that. Specific plans can be found here.

I was referring to the Metra F59PHIs.

[NewFlyerMCI]

24 minutes ago, WCR said:

I was referring to the Metra F59PHIs.

Ah, my bad. As far I know, none. Other than the paint job and probably a routine maintenance check, they started as-is, which I guess was sort of the point of buying them used. I assume they were rehabbed by Amtrak/LOSSAN around 2010, they're about 20 years old and are only supposed to last another 5 years

[cat1554]

Metra Electric's announcement for "Museum campus/11th street" has voice cracks

"Mu SE um CAM pus/11th street"

[NewFlyerMCI]

Going through RTAMS data, anyone know what might be the cause of a 157% increase in Zone A-Zone J trips? Data compared is March 2018 (21.6k) to March 2019 (55.6k). There's only about 7 stations in Zone J when I checked the schedules, did they really generate that much new ridership?

[Pace831]

1 hour ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Going through RTAMS data, anyone know what might be the cause of a 157% increase in Zone A-Zone J trips? Data compared is March 2018 (21.6k) to March 2019 (55.6k). There's only about 7 stations in Zone J when I checked the schedules, did they really generate that much new ridership?

Zones J through M were consolidated on July 15, 2018. The “increase” was due to trips from former zones K and M now being included in the statistic for Zone J.