Random Metra

[trainman8119]

On 4/5/2019 at 9:54 AM, richii0909 said:

i Wonder what are their plans for all this stored IC highliners

Probably none. They can't get rid of them and they keep shuffling them to keep them out of the way. The ones in Bensenville were shipped there and supposedly buried (obviously not well) so they would be out of sight. That was done so they could have room to store the Amtrak engines coming in. Of course, those are just sitting around...with new excuses every week as to why. 5 are out on their own, with one testing as part of a mu. Back to subject at hand...They can't sell them or scrap them because of asbestos concerns. Some genius thought they'd get someone to buy them, but nope. They were originally going to keep 6-8 cars for work train service, but PTC killed that idea.

[NewFlyerMCI]

4 hours ago, trainman8119 said:

Probably none. They can't get rid of them and they keep shuffling them to keep them out of the way. The ones in Bensenville were shipped there and supposedly buried (obviously not well) so they would be out of sight. That was done so they could have room to store the Amtrak engines coming in. Of course, those are just sitting around...with new excuses every week as to why. 5 are out on their own, with one testing as part of a mu. Back to subject at hand...They can't sell them or scrap them because of asbestos concerns. Some genius thought they'd get someone to buy them, but nope. They were originally going to keep 6-8 cars for work train service, but PTC killed that idea.

What would asbestos be used for in a passenger car? Insulation? Any there is no way to hire a licensed contractor to remove the asbestos or scrap the cars in general?

[andrethebusman]

That is what will eventually happen - sell for scrap. Probably trying to get somebody to bid more.

Getting rid of old railcars can be a major hassle. Metro-North ended up sending a bunch to someplace down south. South Carolina I think. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

3 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

That is what will eventually happen - sell for scrap. Probably trying to get somebody to bid more.

Getting rid of old railcars can be a major hassle. Metro-North ended up sending a bunch to someplace down south. South Carolina I think. 

New Orleans has some for hurricane standby (?) and CalTrans has some as well, I believe

[richii0909]

15 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

What would asbestos be used for in a passenger car? Insulation? Any there is no way to hire a licensed contractor to remove the asbestos or scrap the cars in general?

 I have no idea.. the only thing I could think of is for electrical systems.. but I have no idea.

[richii0909]

Darn, all these years later and they had no plan then and still don’t have a plan. Oh well.... who painted the VRE cars?? I know stupid question but maybe there is another yard that paints also? I was on the NCS and they had one behind the engine.... the paint job was horrible up close... poor graffiti at its best.. that’s how I described it. Anyways caught the two old highliners on the move possibly.

 

[trainman8119]

On 4/8/2019 at 3:23 PM, richii0909 said:

Darn, all these years later and they had no plan then and still don’t have a plan. Oh well.... who painted the VRE cars?? I know stupid question but maybe there is another yard that paints also? I was on the NCS and they had one behind the engine.... the paint job was horrible up close... poor graffiti at its best.. that’s how I described it. Anyways caught the two old highliners on the move possibly.

 

 

I assume you are referring to the 7600s. Yes the paint is hideous and the in general the rehabs suck. I had one on my train for a few days (part of 6 car train), so you may have been on my train !!!  It since blew out a compressor on a North Line trip and thankfully was taken out of our consist. They still have one in Antioch on the 8 car consist.

[richii0909]

15 hours ago, trainman8119 said:

I assume you are referring to the 7600s. Yes the paint is hideous and the in general the rehabs suck. I had one on my train for a few days (part of 6 car train), so you may have been on my train !!!  It since blew out a compressor on a North Line trip and thankfully was taken out of our consist. They still have one in Antioch on the 8 car consist.

Ha ha I think I may have been on your train 4:25? I remember going to check out the 7600 car but the one half was a hot box. Have you all ever ran a F59PHI on NCS?

[trainman8119]

14 minutes ago, richii0909 said:

Ha ha I think I may have been on your train 4:25? I remember going to check out the 7600 car but the one half was a hot box. Have you all ever ran a F59PHI on NCS?

Yup, that would be me...train 109 in the afternoon !!!  Hope it was a smooth ride F59s are on the NCS quite a bit, although I have run only 2 myself to Antioch. Most of what I get to play with have been from the north line train I take to the yard in the morning. 

[richii0909]

37 minutes ago, trainman8119 said:

Yup, that would be me...train 109 in the afternoon !!!  Hope it was a smooth ride F59s are on the NCS quite a bit, although I have run only 2 myself to Antioch. Most of what I get to play with have been from the north line train I take to the yard in the morning. 

Wow awesome! Yes my 4:25 is always a smooth ride. I’m crossing my fingers to catch a f59 for our run to Antioch... tomorrow lol. Do the F59’s take off slow like the mp36’s?

[trainman8119]

1 hour ago, richii0909 said:

Wow awesome! Yes my 4:25 is always a smooth ride. I’m crossing my fingers to catch a f59 for our run to Antioch... tomorrow lol. Do the F59’s take off slow like the mp36’s?

Worse !!!

 

[richii0909]

28 minutes ago, trainman8119 said:

Worse !!!

 

Wow I hoping that wasn't the case... Im curious to see how the SD70MACH will be.. what an unusual locomotive that will be. Have you heard anything about which lines will get those first?

[chitowndude84]

23 hours ago, richii0909 said:

Wow I hoping that wasn't the case... Im curious to see how the SD70MACH will be.. what an unusual locomotive that will be. Have you heard anything about which lines will get those first?

 

I agree that's a mega-diesel !! Never thought we'd see 6 axle locomotives again on Metra lines lol    Is METRA planning to run 8-15 car consists lol ???

 

Here's a "Preview" of what's to come lol

 

[richii0909]

On 4/15/2019 at 1:35 PM, chitowndude84 said:

 

I agree that's a mega-diesel !! Never thought we'd see 6 axle locomotives again on Metra lines lol    Is METRA planning to run 8-15 car consists lol ???

 

Here's a "Preview" of what's to come lol

 

Nice lol I have the racetrack downloaded but didn't want to spend the money to buy the sd70mac.. hmm but may I will lol. 

[richii0909]

KYD Article ---- Pretty interesting I wished there was more pictures

 

https://medium.com/city-bureau/inside-the-metra-kensington-rail-yard-photos-bb6c3b53c87d

 

 

[strictures]

53 minutes ago, richii0909 said:

KYD Article ---- Pretty interesting I wished there was more pictures

https://medium.com/city-bureau/inside-the-metra-kensington-rail-yard-photos-bb6c3b53c87d

 

 

I read the article & this line makes no sense: "It estimates the new Metra Electric cars that were purchased in 2005 and 2012 have saved the system roughly $2.2 million in maintenance and fuel costs, because they run on electricity rather than diesel fuel."

When did the IC or ME use diesel for regular commuter operations since the IC was forced to switch to electric in the mid 1920s?   Obviously, there have been times they had to use a diesel to rescue a dead MU train.   What I think this writer meant was that the newer electrified coaches may use less power to run.

[trainman8119]

On 4/14/2019 at 1:46 PM, richii0909 said:

Wow I hoping that wasn't the case... Im curious to see how the SD70MACH will be.. what an unusual locomotive that will be. Have you heard anything about which lines will get those first?

Much too early to tell. ICYMI, we had a MP36 on Tuesday and a F59 on Wednesday on the 4:25

[trainman8119]

On 4/18/2019 at 1:13 PM, richii0909 said:

KYD Article ---- Pretty interesting I wished there was more pictures

 

https://medium.com/city-bureau/inside-the-metra-kensington-rail-yard-photos-bb6c3b53c87d

 

 

What is really annoying to me is a reporter who continually gets the facts incorrect.

Engineers, not Conductors operate the train !!!

As for the cost thing, that is Metra spin to make it sound like it is so much better. The cost is down because it is new equipment that is less

likely to break down, especially since the mechanical department let the highliners go to hell hoping the new stuff would arrive sooner than

it did.

[richii0909]

14 hours ago, trainman8119 said:

Much too early to tell. ICYMI, we had a MP36 on Tuesday and a F59 on Wednesday on the 4:25

X fingers for F59 today!!

[richii0909]

Ha ha finally #88

 

 

[geneking7320]

Hi All;

This morning around 11:10 or so I was looking out at the CN/MED right of way near the 27th Street MED station and saw a single RDC going north. It appeared to be on the CN tracks (I wasn't close enough to get a good look or a phone pic ).

Does anyone have info about this?

Edited April 24, 2019 by geneking7320
Include additional info.

[richii0909]

1 hour ago, geneking7320 said:

Hi All;

This morning around 11:10 or so I was looking out at the CN/MED right of way near the 27th Street MED station and saw a single RDC going north. It appeared to be on the CN tracks (I wasn't close enough to get a good look or a phone pic ).

Does anyone have info about this?

Wow interesting... was it being towed or going by it’s self? I don’t know if tracks eventually lead to IRM... that’s the only thing I can see... hmmm

[richii0909]

Metra 92 fresh out of paint shop.

[WCR]

2 hours ago, geneking7320 said:

Hi All;

This morning around 11:10 or so I was looking out at the CN/MED right of way near the 27th Street MED station and saw a single RDC going north. It appeared to be on the CN tracks (I wasn't close enough to get a good look or a phone pic ).

Does anyone have info about this?

You most likely spotted CN's Budd RDC geometry car. Not my photo.

[geneking7320]

Thanks!!