pudgym29 Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 I've used many Zone B-F tickets. Get to Jefferson Park and catch a NW line train to Palatine. There are at least four good beer bars within walking distance from the Palatine Station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 10 hours ago, pudgym29 said: I've used many Zone B-F tickets. Get to Jefferson Park and catch a NW line train to Palatine. There are at least four good beer bars within walking distance from the Palatine Station. While I was looking at possible UPNW trips I realized someone going from zone A to C or farther could buy an A-B ticket and then pay the surcharge for riding beyond the zone limits, and the fare ends up being 25-75 cents cheaper than buying a ticket for the correct zones. For example, A-E ticket is $6.00, but A-B ticket with the surcharge is $3.50+$2.00 =$5.50 for the same A-E trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 12 minutes ago, Pace831 said: While I was looking at possible UPNW trips I realized someone going from zone A to C or farther could buy an A-B ticket and then pay the surcharge for riding beyond the zone limits, and the fare ends up being 25-75 cents cheaper than buying a ticket for the correct zones. For example, A-E ticket is $6.00, but A-B ticket with the surcharge is $3.50+$2.00 =$5.50 for the same A-E trip. Issue is essentially that not all jumps are 50 cents, some zone intervals are $.75 or $1.00, maybe because of the conclusion that people in outer zones were paying a proportionately lower fare for the total distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pace831 Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 2 hours ago, Busjack said: Issue is essentially that not all jumps are 50 cents, some zone intervals are $.75 or $1.00, maybe because of the conclusion that people in outer zones were paying a proportionately lower fare for the total distance. That's correct. The biggest jump is $1.25 between 2 and 3-zone trips, from $3.50 to $4.75, which makes this loophole possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 Just spotted #8507 on the Rock Island District. Wasn't that cab car on the Union Pacific? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 33 minutes ago, garmon757 said: Just spotted #8507 on the Rock Island District. Wasn't that cab car on the Union Pacific? I don't know about specific cars, but UP usually has 8400s, and the 8500s are usually on the other diesel lines (Milw, RI, and BNSF). The number of trains having two 8500s seems down though, so cars are being shuffled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 1 hour ago, Busjack said: I don't know about specific cars, but UP usually has 8400s, and the 8500s are usually on the other diesel lines (Milw, RI, and BNSF). The number of trains having two 8500s seems down though, so cars are being shuffled. I remembered seeing #8515 and #8525 on UP but that was 3-4 years ago. However, UP indeed lost some 8400s to Milwaukee District, RI District, and Heritage Corridor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2847 Posted March 1, 2016 Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 2 hours ago, garmon757 said: I remembered seeing #8515 and #8525 on UP but that was 3-4 years ago. However, UP indeed lost some 8400s to Milwaukee District, RI District, and Heritage Corridor. 8515 is still on UP, rode on it last Friday night on NW train #629. Another sighting last week was 8406 leading UP-N #306 with a WiFi On Board notice to the left of the doors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 7 hours ago, busfan2847 said: 8515 is still on UP, rode on it last Friday night on NW train #629. Another sighting last week was 8406 leading UP-N #306 with a WiFi On Board notice to the left of the doors. Thanks for the heads up but WiFi on board eh? Is it just me or Metra trying to keep things on a "low profile" level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 24 minutes ago, garmon757 said: Thanks for the heads up but WiFi on board eh? Is it just me or Metra trying to keep things on a "low profile" level? No idea, but Wifi + power plugs = the best commute ever. I'm happy Metra is actively working on the Wifi project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 43 minutes ago, garmon757 said: Thanks for the heads up but WiFi on board eh? Is it just me or Metra trying to keep things on a "low profile" level? Metra had announced that it would be one car on each of the 11 lines. MTRSP must have hit the 1/100 lottery jackpot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 25 minutes ago, MTRSP1900-CTA3200 said: No idea, but Wifi + power plugs = the best commute ever. I'm happy Metra is actively working on the Wifi project. 5 minutes ago, Busjack said: Metra had announced that it would be one car on each of the 11 lines. MTRSP must have hit the 1/100 lottery jackpot. Ditto! Looks like the scavenger hunt is on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 27 minutes ago, Busjack said: Metra had announced that it would be one car on each of the 11 lines. MTRSP must have hit the 1/100 lottery jackpot. Not yet, as I haven't ridden Metra in a while, but wifi on the train would be very productive for someone I know who rides the UP-NW line. I've used wifi on planes before, so assuming Metra's future wifi setup will be equivalent bandwidth-wise, it will be a good addition to a commute, especially if it's free. I'm never lucky when I use public transit. I remember when I was at work, some people I know texted me that they were heading downtown on Metra's polar express train. Last time I rode that route a few weeks before, I was stuck in a train packed with standing room only and noisy kids. 18 minutes ago, garmon757 said: Ditto! Looks like the scavenger hunt is on! Have fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 3 minutes ago, MTRSP1900-CTA3200 said: so assuming Metra's future wifi setup will be equivalent bandwidth-wise, The announcement said: In general, the hotspots are limited to a 1 megabyte download speed per user. Checking email and Internet browsing are the intended uses of this service, not streaming video. Metra has posted information onboard to notify customers that streaming video will likely impair service and that there may be dead zones along the route. Doesn't sound like that much, but I don't know what the benchmark for comparison is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 1 minute ago, Busjack said: ...Checking email and Internet browsing are the intended uses of this service... Which is what I usually do on long flights as well. I'm not into streaming Netflix, and I know Youtube will look horrible on that kind of connection, so I'm good to go. Most likely the person I know will be checking emails only, so he is good too. 4 minutes ago, Busjack said: ...streaming video will likely impair service and that there may be dead zones along the route. Doesn't sound like that much, but I don't know what the benchmark for comparison is. Same as on the airlines, so it's all about knowing what the system is capable of, as well as its limitations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 2 hours ago, Busjack said: The announcement said: In general, the hotspots are limited to a 1 megabyte download speed per user. Checking email and Internet browsing are the intended uses of this service, not streaming video. Metra has posted information onboard to notify customers that streaming video will likely impair service and that there may be dead zones along the route. Doesn't sound like that much, but I don't know what the benchmark for comparison is. And this is why I hack my hotspot on my iPhone! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 Related to Metra changes, someone I know was on one of the rehabbed 8400s with the test seating. He wasn't a fan overall, but he did appreciate the cup holders. He said the seats were pretty stiff and not very cushiony compared to the older seats. Another factor was the fact that the new seats don't flip for the direction of travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 So we got #8462 shifted from UP to MD, and #8587 from BNSF to MD. #8520 is still on UP. What intrigued me was seeing 6 straight cab cars (including 3 8200s) on a 7-car set on behalf of MD today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 #8438 is now with BNSF (Southwest Service). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 If anyone wants a mildly amusing commute, ride in car 8455. The door closing announcement is higher pitched and the chime plays a bit faster than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cta5658 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 #8569 is now with the MILW/NCS while #8580 is on the RI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 I saw an unusual Pullman car at Woodstock yesterday. The lower and upper stripes were orange instead of red, the windows were not tinted green, but white/clear, and it appears the ancient looking vestibule lights were replaced with fluorescent or even LED fixtures. I'm thinking this is one of the Metra --> MARC --> Metra cars and that it was refurbished in the MARC period of ownership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busfan2847 Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Former MARC car 7882 is on UPNW #610 this morning. It still has MARC informational labeling inside including MARC gallery car safety instructions at each seat. I noticed every window is an emergency window. If it has reverted to it's original number this is a Rock Island car. Did it always have this many emergency windows or did MARC put them in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 On 5/25/2016 at 5:42 PM, MTRSP1900-CTA3200 said: I saw an unusual Pullman car at Woodstock yesterday. The lower and upper stripes were orange instead of red, the windows were not tinted green, but white/clear, and it appears the ancient looking vestibule lights were replaced with fluorescent or even LED fixtures. I'm thinking this is one of the Metra --> MARC --> Metra cars and that it was refurbished in the MARC period of ownership. 12 hours ago, busfan2847 said: Former MARC car 7882 is on UPNW #610 this morning. It still has MARC informational labeling inside including MARC gallery car safety instructions at each seat. I noticed every window is an emergency window. If it has reverted to it's original number this is a Rock Island car. Did it always have this many emergency windows or did MARC put them in? All MARC. I think all Metra did was to put their own numbers back on them. There are 3 sitting in the yard at Blue Island...7900, 7904 and 7905, which I am assuming are MARC fleet numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted June 2, 2016 Report Share Posted June 2, 2016 7882 seen in Woodstock. Spoiler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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