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Procurement of more gallery cars


Busjack

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7 minutes ago, ibebobo said:

Although the article first frames it in terms of capital funding, the real point made in the article is that Metra is looking to piggyback off a VRE option.

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I still contend the gallery cars are not the best equipment for accessible   passengers.   Yes they are technically wheelchair accessible with a lift and all that rational one can ask to use the lift but in reality the galley car is terrible for older folks to board with those high steps.

 

Maybe time to lobby metra

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Lets agree to disagree.  Im not an engineer just someone whos traveled with someone with cruches, bad legs kids and lots of lugguge.  And know when ive traveled in california on metrolink and then metra what a difference it is in customer experience.  Maybe if metra operated for the sake of customers and not some 1960s railroad logic of customer be damned we would have a better rail system.  Could that explain metra's loss in ridership that passengers have alternatives and don't bow down to the almighty 'customer be damned' metra?

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13 hours ago, west towns said:

Lets agree to disagree.  Im not an engineer just someone whos traveled with someone with cruches, bad legs kids and lots of lugguge.  And know when ive traveled in california on metrolink and then metra what a difference it is in customer experience.  Maybe if metra operated for the sake of customers and not some 1960s railroad logic of customer be damned we would have a better rail system.  Could that explain metra's loss in ridership that passengers have alternatives and don't bow down to the almighty 'customer be damned' metra?

It isn't a matter of agree to disagree, but you seem to think Metra's role is to provide the Burlington Zephyr or the Santa Fe Super Chief, when its job is to get 1100 passengers every 10 minutes out on each line during the rush hour.

Also, I don't know when you rode Metrolink, but they advertise that they use Hyundai-Rotcm double deckers..I assume the same type of equipment that MBTA said was nothing but trouble. Maybe the Metrolink page stresses "21st Century safety" because they had to get rid of the Bombdardiers after the Chatsworth accident.

Just because you liked one kind of junk does not mean that Metra is not serving its customers.

Finally, the only point in the article ibebobo posted was that Metra was speeding up meeting its immediate needs by seeking to use VRE's option. I see nothing wrong with that.

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Sun-Times article, which really doesn't say anything different, but stresses the value of acquiring the option, and some doubts about the future state capital program.

Maybe that since the base order in the withdrawn RFP was 10 cars, Metra figured it could accomplish something without holding it up for the RFP by getting 21 options.

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2 hours ago, Busjack said:

It isn't a matter of agree to disagree, but you seem to think Metra's role is to provide the Burlington Zephyr or the Santa Fe Super Chief, when its job is to get 1100 passengers every 10 minutes out on each line during the rush hour.

Also, I don't know when you rode Metrolink, but they advertise that they use Hyundai-Rotcm double deckers..I assume the same type of equipment that MBTA said was nothing but trouble. Maybe the Metrolink page stresses "21st Century safety" because they had to get rid of the Bombdardiers after the Chatsworth accident.

Just because you liked one kind of junk does not mean that Metra is not serving its customers.

Finally, the only point in the article ibebobo posted was that Metra was speeding up meeting its immediate needs by seeking to use VRE's option. I see nothing wrong with that.

I've only ridden the older LA Metrolink coaches.

But what bothers me about Metra, is why are the platforms so low at the downtown terminals.

I'm at Ogilvie all the time & I just can't figure out why the platforms aren't at the same height as the lowest step on the coaches. It's not like they're going to be running some huge oversized freight through there, they're all dead ends with bumping posts, so why don't they pull one platform out of service every weekend & pour a sloping ramp & raise up the platforms about 8"? It would speed up the unloading of trains massively!

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The article also says at the bottom metra is agressively pursuing if they can aquire older model cars from other agencies.  Does this mean only gallery cars or are they open to something diferent?    A seat is a seat regardless what car looks like.   If gallery does this mean from caltrains whem they get electrics?   Vre?   Find the old cars they sold.

  Michigan dot has a set just sitting around. Who wants to bet that set comes back to chicago

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12 minutes ago, west towns said:

Does this mean only gallery cars

Yes

12 minutes ago, west towns said:

  Michigan dot has a set just sitting around. Who wants to bet that set comes back to chicago

.Maybe.

Actually Great Lakes Central Railroad has them, and the article indicates they are subject to messy contractual arrangements.

Also, when you get down to stainless steel cars, nothing short of a collision harms the bodies. They may need a rehab, but so did the 1994 Amerail cars (in fact the article says Michigan already overhauled them).

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5 minutes ago, west towns said:

And michigan dot got in hot water with their legislators a few yrs ago whem dot wanted to lease the talgo sets from wisconsin.   Something about they already are sitting on equipment.   These were rehabbed i saw pictures of them pretty nice.

Looks like a lot of Midwest states without a commuter rail system acted out their feelings of envy. Those, though, were high speed rail, which got dumped.

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On August 10, 2016 at 0:54 PM, west towns said:

The article also says at the bottom metra is agressively pursuing if they can aquire older model cars from other agencies.  Does this mean only gallery cars or are they open to something diferent?    A seat is a seat regardless what car looks like.   If gallery does this mean from caltrains whem they get electrics?   Vre?   Find the old cars they sold.

  Michigan dot has a set just sitting around. Who wants to bet that set comes back to chicago

Caltrain will have a blended system after electrification through 2029 (when HSR will be installed). Those trains ain't going anywhere. 

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2 minutes ago, richii0909 said:

Saw these cars in the KYD yard (ME)  was surprised as these cars look old..... Like some of the cars on the Aurora line.. judging by windows.

Great find!

These are ex-CNW cars, like the ones with the red and blue stripes on the UP lines and HC. After seeing what Metra did with the MARC cars, is it possible they'll just paint over the lettering and put them in service looking like that?

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2 hours ago, richii0909 said:

I think they will.... but judging how old these cars are ... maybe want to check out HVAC system etc... 

Of course they'll have to do a mechanical inspection and make any necessary repairs before they go in service. I was referring to whether they will retain the blue and red paint scheme which would look really out of place with the stainless steel cars.

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3 hours ago, Pace831 said:

Of course they'll have to do a mechanical inspection and make any necessary repairs before they go in service. I was referring to whether they will retain the blue and red paint scheme which would look really out of place with the stainless steel cars.

Probably repaint them in the Metra scheme (silver with blue stripes), assuming they have the time to do it.

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