A Place To Bash The MP36's

I have created this topic for people who absolutely hate the MP36's, for this or that reason, to post about why and everything else..

The MP36's are ugly, the type of Engine they use is a big risk of it being kitbashed.

Wow, some of you guys up in Chicagoland must really dislike the MP36. I can't imagine that an engine could be so bad that a topic is created just to bash it.
I would really like to know what is so bad about it.
Maybe you guys just don't like change?

natethegreat wrote:Wow, some of you guys up in Chicagoland must really dislike the MP36. I can't imagine that an engine could be so bad that a topic is created just to bash it.
I would really like to know what is so bad about it.
Maybe you guys just don't like change?

Nate, allow me to escort you to page 2 of Metra's forum index. Once there, page down a little, and you'll see an older topic entitled "MP36's...unwanted stepchildren", which covers three full pages.
I'm absolutely positive that the laundry list of their faults that you'll find there will answer your questions quite thoroughly...

Yes, now I understand why they are so disliked. I wish you better luck next time Metra buys locomotives.

Funny how those who complain the most about the MP36's are people who have absolutely nothing to do with their operation or maintenance. ...

based on how may replies this topic has gotten compared to the one mr. doepack mentioned, it appears that the mp36's have begun to grow on Metra fans. Looking closer at the other Mp36 topic, it appears to me that the locos were just having some "teething" problems. I'll admit that their not the most attractive locomotives in the world. BTW are there any Metra employees on here who could shed some light on the MP36's?
Thanks for the replies,
Nate

Nate,

If you look through the posts, you will see some from "Bones". He is a Metra engineer who operates the units and has listed many reasons why he dislikes them.

As for MikeF's statement, there are also those of us who are late for work or getting home because of them. While we do not directly operate or maintain them, we are inconvenienced by them and have reasons to distrust and/or dislike them.

second that f40cfan. me and and the other passengers on the 5:16 BN last winter understand the frustrations of beening pulled by these beast and losing hep, crawling all the way from cicero to stone ave because of engine probems. Those weeks they pulled our train during testing were heck.Thank god they have been banished to the naperville express trains and they can't run along my new line, the upw

ok, i stand corrected, the mp36 sucks, adn cant take a winter. I now understand why they are diliked. Sounds like Metra didn't do it's homework when it bought the mp36s.
Thanks for the responses,
Nate

Yes. Mike, understand that not only do employees see the MP36s go wrong, railfans, people who ride the train, or whatever notice what the MP36s do. So yes, I do believe that even if you don't work for Metra, you can complain. Oh, BTW, just so everyone knows, this topic isn't going to get pinned. I don't think I need too express why.

I never said only Metra employees could complain about the MP36's. I just find it amusing that the majority of the complaints about them here come from kids who don't even ride regularly. (And F40CFan. )

I made between six and seven round trips weekly between Wood Dale and Chicago Union Station for a little over a year during the period when the MP36's were being broken-in. Out of all those trips (many behind MP36's), I was delayed twice. Once was due to an engine failure with an MP36. The other was because of a HEP failure with an F40PH. If you do the math, you'll find that about one-eighth of one percent of my trips during that period were delayed on account of an MP36. I don't think that's especially bad. But, that was just my experience. ...

Pardon my ignorance, but what does it mean for a topic to be "pinned"?

Mike,
There were some issues with it losing HEP on the BN one afternoon this summer they couldn't even close the doors.

"There were some issues with it losing HEP on the BN one afternoon this summer they couldn't even close the doors"

If there's no HEP on the train then you can't operate the doors from the buttons. It dosn't matter if the power is an MP36 or an E8.

Hey i am no dam kid. I ride them everday and i am just sick of them. When i see a F40 on the train i know i will make it home on time If its a Mp just maybe i will make it home. I been on about 25 trains with Mps dieing so i think u be sick of it to.Just becuse some people like them doesnt mean that eveone has to like that junk. And one more thing i never had a F40c die or F40 yet so there we go.