Passenger Trains > New Metra Commemorative Paint

Metra 402 rolled out of the paint shop wearing a new paint scheme to honor the State of Illinois.

https://www.facebook.com/158551057615279/posts/1794485974021771?vh=e&d=n&sfns=mo

Sorry if you don’t do Facebook. It will be a while before I can get a photo of my own.

Posted from iPhone

Very classy!  Thanks for sharing!

Should have done a baggage-coach (the Ill.) Combine.

Very good.  Made my day.
An inside joke for those who follow the
racketeer influenced corrupt organization
known as Illinois government.

darkcloud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Should have done a baggage-coach (the Ill.)
> Combine.

Englewood Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Very good.  Made my day.
> An inside joke for those who follow the
> racketeer influenced corrupt organization
> known as Illinois government.
>
> darkcloud Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Should have done a baggage-coach (the Ill.)
> > Combine.

The next Metra comemorative locomotive should be dedicated to former Governor Rod Blagojevich since his prison sentence was "Commuted"...

I don't do Facebook but got through ok, just hit button on the bottom and the signup request will go away. Very nice locomotive.

Bruce

Is this something they did to get more money from the state? <G>

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/20 08:05 by wabash2800.

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Is this something they did to get more money bfrom
> the state?
>

I think these paint jobs are more a page out of Wick Moorman's playbook.
Operate a steam locomotive once in a while; come up with heritage and "collectable"
paint schemes.  Keeps all the railfan letter to the editor writers focused on "the good things".

If you watch the board meetings that are available on the Metra website you will see that 
ridership was in a freefall well before the current troubles. 

The path to state money for most things in Illinois is assured by promises of jobs and contracts
to families and friends of "combine" members. Money talks, paint jobs walk.



 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/31/20 13:04 by Englewood.

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is this something they did to get more money bfrom
> the state?
>

They already got their money as part of the Illinois capital plan passed in 2019.

Coach_Key Wrote:
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>
> The next Metra comemorative locomotive should be
> dedicated to former Governor Rod Blagojevich since
> his prison sentence was "Commuted"...

I am hoping the next Metra commemorative locomotive to be painted in yellow and green to honor the system's Chicago & North Western heritage. 

I second the motion for a CNW unit.

-John

Coach_Key Wrote:

> The next Metra comemorative locomotive should be
> dedicated to former Governor Rod Blagojevich since
> his prison sentence was "Commuted"...

Good idea but I think the "Honorable State Senator Martin Sandoval" would be a better choice.
Marty was the state senate transportation chair.
He played a key role in getting last year's $45 billion capital plan passed.
The plan doubled the gasoline tax and increased many other taxes and "fees".
The average Illinoisan's average state and local tax burden in now 3rd highest.
in the nation. Metra is of course slopping at that money trough.

Oh, by the way, in January Marty plead guilty to federal bribery and tax offenses.

In Illinois that kind of dedication to the community deserves a locomotive painted in your honor. 


 

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Coach_Key Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > The next Metra comemorative locomotive should
> be
> > dedicated to former Governor Rod Blagojevich
> since
> > his prison sentence was "Commuted"...
>
> I am hoping the next Metra commemorative
> locomotive to be painted in yellow and green to
> honor the system's Chicago & North Western
> heritage.

Before they did the Burlington one, I'd have dismissed this possibility as "they've only done railroads whose tracks they now own." We shall see; with CNW they'd need to get licensing from UP; I presume that was done with BNSF for the Burlington version.

The Burlington unit should be in green and black- the same colors the E units wore.