Metra F59s?

Anyone know if the new locomotives entered revenue service yet? I heard that they were supposed to run trains on the two Milwaukee District lines. I would really like to head out and catch em one day or ride in the coach behind one.

Krusty wrote:I like how the paint scheme has been modified from what is on MP36s. It works with the angular body.

I'm a serious "meh" on the look. It's not ugly but it sure isn't timeless because it's busy - there's so much going on between black mask, safety stripes on the nose, white roof (seriously? don't they usually paint roofs dark to hide soot?) the random orange/maroon stripes (did we steal those from the South Shore?) and and traditional Metra white/blue but with a hefty fade. It was kinda fun on the MP's as it fit the body, but put it on a different body and you've got scrambled eggs.

If they're still painting F40's solid blue/red, why can't we do this on the F59's?

And why is it that every Metra locomotive has to have a big logo and a small logo? Is the small logo for people standing very close or wearing high-power glasses?

I haven't seen one in service yet but yesterday morning, one was sitting just outside the east end of the Western Ave. service building. I was unable to catch the number.

Tadman wrote:... the random orange/maroon stripes (did we steal those from the South Shore?) ...

I'd like to think that the stripes are inspired by Mr. T's GMC van from the A-Team: https://allnerdity.files.wordpress.com/ ... am-van.jpg

NICTD moved away from the stripes. The newest cars do not have them.

97 entered service today on train 2215 to Elgin leading an unidentified F40PH

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1 ... 8&__tn__=E" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

^106 was trailing 97.

Any idea if they're running tomorrow or Sunday?

Not as far as I know.

I don't think the fuel tanks on the F59s are big enough to run on the weekends- they're only 1500 gallons.

2215 is an "interesting" run in that the power comes from Western Ave. to tie on to equipment that has been left at CUS from the morning rush hour (from 2224), then after returning to CUS as 2238 at 2:42pm, the whole train apparently* goes back to Western Ave. before coming back two hours later to be 2233 at 4:55pm. So an opportunity to change power or to have cut off the F59. That train is one of the six-car sets that are normally used Sunday (I think one of the six-car sets also makes a Saturday run). Monday, that train would normally be on 2204, deadhead 7201, and 2220 before going back to Western Ave.

* I say apparently because while I've never observed it happen, 2233 departs from Track 9 which also has departures at 3:30pm and 4:20pm so the arrival of 2238 at 2:42 clearly doesn't just sit at CUS on Track 9 until 4:55.

97 did stay on that set for the weekend. I saw it on 2220 this morning (still with 106) so I assume it was running one of the Sunday lines yesterday.

I'm going out tomorrow to railfan in good hopes I will be able to capture one of the F59's. They'd better be running

I think I saw 97 in the Western Ave. yard tonight so not on anything overnighting at the outlying yards. 99 is also at Western Ave.

97 was leading 120 this morning at CUS on the break-in train.

Not a fan of the MP36 paint scheme on a boxy locomotive.

Better get used to the modified MP36 livery -- in addition to the F59s, they will be rolling it out on the F40PH-3's next.

Here's a shot of 97 at CUS last week on the north side

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