Passenger Trains > Chi Metra: We'll do better this winter, we promise...

Repaired doors to reduce sticking problems on aging rail cars, buying blowers and switch heaters, etc. One improvement is blowers which blow cold air to remove snow. The hot air blowers formerly in use melted the snow, causing more ice.

Additional locomotives and new cars are being added, too. Some of their current fleet is sixty years old, the article asserts.


Chicago Tribune:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-cold-weather-metra-met-1114-20141113-story.html


EDITED TO ADD The article does say used locomotives will arrive "early next year", and four additional passenger cars. Whether these are new or used isn't mentioned in the article.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/14 16:59 by Lackawanna484.

The article isn't as "new" oriented as you make it sound, at least not quickly. New equipment won't arrive until 2015 at the earliest (which is still 2 winters away from today). It says that three "used locomotives" and four "used coaches" will be acquired in 2014.

Labiche Wrote:
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> It says that three
> "used locomotives" and four "used coaches" will be
> acquired in 2014.

Curious as to what this "used" equipment would be?

BSB

Responding to Labiche, BigSkyBlue Wonders:
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> Curious as to what this "used" equipment would
> be?
>
As is four used coaches will make a significant impact if hell freezes over again in Chicagoland. But it makes it seem (to the media and the public at large) as if those folks at Metra are DOING SOMETHING to winterize their operation...

The locomotives are second-hand F59PHs from GO Transit in Toronto, currently being refurbished at Juniata and to be repainted at Metra's KYD (Kensington YarD) facility on the Metra Electric. The coaches are surplus from VRE.

billio Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Responding to Labiche, BigSkyBlue Wonders:
>
> As is four used coaches will make a significant
> impact if hell freezes over again in Chicagoland.
> But it makes it seem (to the media and the public
> at large) as if those folks at Metra are DOING
> SOMETHING to winterize their operation...

Four (4) additional coaches added to a fleet of eight hundred thirty seven (837) existing cars is not "significant"! Yes, it is a small positive step for Metra but not a giant step. The average locomotive-hauled train has 6-7 cars!

The supreme irony may be that the 4 (bi-level) coaches coming from Virginia Railway Express ... are ex-C&NW Chicago commuter cars built in the 1960s.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/14 14:22 by Labiche.