Passenger Trains > Metra trains passing Tower A-2 and its switch heaters at night.

During the cold snap, I wanted to see what the switch heaters running at A-2 interlocking looked like night, but skipped the -20℉ evening and opted for the next day, which was -20℉ in the morning, but 0℉ by evening, with a little bit of snowfall. Amtrak was cancelled, and Metra was operating on a reduced schedule, but at 5pm it was still plenty busy. The first clips are at dusk, with Metra's new (used) F59PHI's and a F59PH on outbound MILW district trains. A UP GP15 shoves a Metra consist to Ogilvie, then as it gets darker, several F40PH's roar by on MILW-W, MILW-N, NCS, and UP-W trains. And, everything seemed to be on time, despite the miserable weather.

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But remember, according to the "experts" on the news that's buring rope!

Heck with Video of the day! This should make video of the year. Definitely want to make sure you have no fuel leaks when passing through there.

Valleyman

Now that’s awesome!

Posted from iPhone

Best video I've seen on TO.  Well done!

The tracks are on fire!

Thanks! I lucked out on an interesting meet that occured between the dusk and night clips and I'll post that eventually too.

Tresspassing.

kevink Wrote:
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> Now that’s awesome!

Agreed!   Of all the great things in the video seeing a towerman in a working tower in 2019 has to be near the top of the list.

Excellent pics and the video was beyond great!  What camera did you shoot the video with?

Fantastic video!

Neat video, Hope You had permission to be on the railroads property.

Mike Mautner
Maryland Hts., MO

Shot with a 200mm lens from the edge of a snowbank/embankment. I looked for where the news and other videos had gone.

That video is on fire!  You could make a DVD out of that footage!

Well done. Agreed on seeing the person in the tower is neat in 2019. But so many other things, including the sound of the GP15-1 shoving the train. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Thanks for braving the cold to put together such an amazing video!  The flaming tracks sure make it interesting.  Nice to see Metra was able to keep things moving in spite of the brutal cold.  My hat is off to all the crews who made that happen.  What’s the maximum number of cars for a Metra train based on their platforms?  Thought I saw a train or two with 9-10 cars, they can sure move a crowd.  

Nathan

Good work.  Great video coverage.   In past there were closeup still photos of this taken by several Metra employee railfans.

As far as access there is a side street that dead ends across from A-2.  I''d imagine the the snowbank is at the end of the street were the plows push the snow.
One time I was there and a security guard came out.  The adjoining building has a security camera and he wanted to know what I was doing.  We ended up talking about trains and watching planes overhead for the Air and Water Show.  

My tendency is to leave policing railroad property as a matter between the railroad and the individual unless it is very blatant and I am 100% certain.

Bob Jordan



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/19 05:18 by robj.

Very nicely done inChi. I like that you can see the tower operator in some of the shots. I guess the Pennsylvania position light signals have been replaced but it's neat to see the C&NW signals. Probably not a lot of places with two styles of signals up on the same signal bridge anymore. Tower A-2 has become a throwback location.

robj, you are spot on. The TO police drive me nuts too.

Jim

Noted these switch heaters leaving Chicago the other day on Hiawatha 339.

How are they lit?  And how old is this idea?  Seems like good 1930's high tech idea!

And to the poster, great job!!

 Excellent video---glad you went out in the cold to capture this aspect of railroading! It appears Metra has turned the heaters on full blast as the flames are higher than normal----they certainly aren't taking chances should the flames go out........