Passenger Trains > Metra SD70MACHs... Lots of Them

I'm visiting Chicago this week, and I had some free time tonight to catch trains coming in and out of Union Station at CP Morgan. In just 40 minutes during the 6:00 hour, I saw plenty of trains. Despite cloudy weather most of the day, the sun came out at the perfect time. Most of the trains were led by the "new" Metra SD70MACHs. They looked very sharp!

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More MACHs on different tracks

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And finally, some bonus content from different power. Great evening in Chicago!

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Most Excellent.  Very nice.

PWM

Those new METRA units:  is that top headlight a Gyralight?

And............I find it very interesting how METRA buys and continues to use old AMTRAK F-59's from San Diegan service, while AMTRAK throws them away for new, crappy CHARGERS.  I just shake my head.  Good for METRA, bad for SCAMTRAK.

Great set!  Thanks for sharing.

texchief1

I wonder how their reliability is compared to all of the issues the Siemens locomotives are having.

Great variety!  I sure do like the look of those SD70MACH's!
I sure wish Amtrak could demo one of those units!

When it comes to the Pacific Surfliner F59s it is my understanding that they were leased and the lease was up. The lessor did not wish to renew the lease and placed them with METRA at what I can only assume was a higher rate. Please correct me if that isn't correct

Posted from Android

INTLRAILTRAVELLER Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When it comes to the Pacific Surfliner F59s it is
> my understanding that they were leased and the
> lease was up. The lessor did not wish to renew
> the lease and placed them with METRA at what I can
> only assume was a higher rate. Please correct me
> if that isn't correct

My understanding is that INTLRAILTRAVELLER is correct.  The lease was also structured so that the buyout option at the end of the lease was costly for Amtrak, and favorable to the lessor in that it left a marketable commodity which had been effectively paid off in full, leaving lots of room for a profitable sale or new lease.

Also, Amtrak can not take advantage of financial opportunities that present themselves to the private railroads.  For example, the rebuild of a GE Dash 9 DC locomotive to an AC locomotive saves NS or UP about half the cost of buying new, but much of that savings is in tax breaks from offsetting profits with the rebuild cost.  Amtrak makes no profit, so cannot take that break.
 

irhoghead Wrote:
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> I wonder how their reliability is compared to all
> of the issues the Siemens locomotives are having.

Not sure what Charger issues you are referring to. The majority of Chargers around the country seem to be operating just fine. Could you be more specific?

Metra 504 blew ALL of its pistons a couple of weeks ago and is now on its way back to Patterson, GA for a fix.

alamode Wrote:
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>
> Metra 504 blew ALL of its pistons a couple of
> weeks ago and is now on its way back to Patterson,
> GA for a fix.


Thanks for that info. Saw it on the Waycross camera going the "wrong" way

Posted from Android

alamode Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> irhoghead Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I wonder how their reliability is compared to
> all
> > of the issues the Siemens locomotives are
> having.
>
> Not sure what Charger issues you are referring to.
> The majority of Chargers around the country seem
> to be operating just fine. Could you be more
> specific?
>
> Metra 504 blew ALL of its pistons a couple of
> weeks ago and is now on its way back to Patterson,
> GA for a fix.

Interesting, I am trying to get my head around how an engine could "blow" all of it's pistons. 

How do they keep all of that equipment so clean?  Mind boggling to me.

-John

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Those new METRA units:  is that top headlight a
> Gyralight?
>
> And............I find it very interesting how
> METRA buys and continues to use old AMTRAK F-59's
> from San Diegan service, while AMTRAK throws them
> away for new, crappy CHARGERS.  I just shake my
> head.  Good for METRA, bad for SCAMTRAK.

Once again you are blowing smoke out of your...

You know very well those F59 units did not belong to AMTRAK yet you continue to spew false information.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> My understanding is that INTLRAILTRAVELLER is
> correct.  The lease was also structured so that
> the buyout option at the end of the lease was
> costly for Amtrak, and favorable to the lessor in
> that it left a marketable commodity which had been
> effectively paid off in full, leaving lots of room
> for a profitable sale or new lease.
>
> Also, Amtrak can not take advantage of financial
> opportunities that present themselves to the
> private railroads.  For example, the rebuild of a
> GE Dash 9 DC locomotive to an AC locomotive saves
> NS or UP about half the cost of buying new, but
> much of that savings is in tax breaks from
> offsetting profits with the rebuild cost.  Amtrak
> makes no profit, so cannot take that break.
>  
That's a good summary of the situation.  Since  Amtrak is a government agency / enterprise, it doesn't benefit from provisions in the tax code intended to stimulate construction and use of business equipment.  Like locomotives or rail cars.

But, private companies can benefit from these incentives, take the tax breaks, and lease the equipment to Amtrak, Metra, etc.  There are a lot of write offs available.  When money was dirt cheap (2009-2023), it was a no brainer to borrow money, buy equipment, take a bundle of breaks, lease the asset to a good credit customer, collect rents, and spend time on the golf course.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> > My understanding is that INTLRAILTRAVELLER is
> > correct.  The lease was also structured so
> that
> > the buyout option at the end of the lease was
> > costly for Amtrak, and favorable to the lessor
> in
> > that it left a marketable commodity which had
> been
> > effectively paid off in full, leaving lots of
> room
> > for a profitable sale or new lease.
> >
> > Also, Amtrak can not take advantage of
> financial
> > opportunities that present themselves to the
> > private railroads.  For example, the rebuild of
> a
> > GE Dash 9 DC locomotive to an AC locomotive
> saves
> > NS or UP about half the cost of buying new, but
> > much of that savings is in tax breaks from
> > offsetting profits with the rebuild cost. 
> Amtrak
> > makes no profit, so cannot take that break.
> >  
> That's a good summary of the situation.  Since 
> Amtrak is a government agency / enterprise, it
> doesn't benefit from provisions in the tax code
> intended to stimulate construction and use of
> business equipment.  Like locomotives or rail
> cars.
>
> But, private companies can benefit from these
> incentives, take the tax breaks, and lease the
> equipment to Amtrak, Metra, etc.  There are a lot
> of write offs available.  When money was dirt
> cheap (2009-2023), it was a no brainer to borrow
> money, buy equipment, take a bundle of breaks,
> lease the asset to a good credit customer, collect
> rents, and spend time on the golf course.

Might make sense if the host railroads are the ones who bought the passenger locos, take the tax advantages, even rebuild older EMD's, and lease to Amtrak. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/24 09:26 by joemvcnj.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My understanding is that INTLRAILTRAVELLER is
> correct.  The lease was also structured so that
> the buyout option at the end of the lease was
> costly for Amtrak, and favorable to the lessor in
> that it left a marketable commodity which had been
> effectively paid off in full, leaving lots of room
> for a profitable sale or new lease.

My understanding was that Amtak was never given an opportunity to renew/buyout the lease. The lessor had already commited to selling the units to Metra years before the lease ended.

train1275 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> alamode Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > irhoghead Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I wonder how their reliability is compared to
> > all
> > > of the issues the Siemens locomotives are
> > having.
> >
> > Not sure what Charger issues you are referring
> to.
> > The majority of Chargers around the country
> seem
> > to be operating just fine. Could you be more
> > specific?
> >
> > Metra 504 blew ALL of its pistons a couple of
> > weeks ago and is now on its way back to
> Patterson,
> > GA for a fix.
>
> Interesting, I am trying to get my head around how
> an engine could "blow" all of it's pistons. 

Same here! Can't wait to find out what the real story was/is concerning how "505 blew ALL of its pistons".

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> train1275 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > alamode Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > irhoghead Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > I wonder how their reliability is compared
> to
> > > all
> > > > of the issues the Siemens locomotives are
> > > having.
> > >
> > > Not sure what Charger issues you are
> referring
> > to.
> > > The majority of Chargers around the country
> > seem
> > > to be operating just fine. Could you be more
> > > specific?
> > >
> > > Metra 504 blew ALL of its pistons a couple of
> > > weeks ago and is now on its way back to
> > Patterson,
> > > GA for a fix.
> >
> > Interesting, I am trying to get my head around
> how
> > an engine could "blow" all of it's pistons. 
>
> Same here! Can't wait to find out what the real
> story was/is concerning how "505 blew ALL of its
> pistons".


Hot Rodder engineer turned up the boost on the turbo too high?          sarcasm