Metra Locomotive Assignments And Maintenance

175 was on UP lines on Friday evening

Think I saw 175 on the rock island line at Vermont st today at around 2 pm I believe it was heading train #515 outbound. I didn't get close enough to see the engine number but I think it was an F40ph sporting the MP36 colors. I was on Vermont east bound at western when it pulled in to the station. We then went south on western and I did not get a second look.

That might have been 184. It just returned from overhaul and was running on the Rock. 175 was on Northwest line 649/660 this evening.

Just observed #183 "Village of Itasca" on BNSF #1306, from a "table with a view" at the Coffee House that regrettably is closing on Dec 31.

Hafta say, the new livery looks sharp. Since no #4XX MP-36's are assigned to the BNSF, it's not everyday I see that livery.

I have seen some photos of 183 with the new paint scheme in the last week, although I've yet to see it live. Looks really nice.

Curious to see 194 when it comes back from rebuild with the new paint scheme.

I'm waiting to see a Winnie 40 so liveried.

174 was on UP-NW 629 on 1/26/17 in new livery.

Does anyone know how well the new rebuilds are performing? I hope Patterson is doing a better job than Mayfield did. The last rebuild program was a total disaster and I heard Metra had to do a lot of modifications on many of the units that got sent back from Mayfield.

Finally saw 183 in Downers Grove last week. Looks sharp.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:...from a "table with a view" at the Coffee House that regrettably is closing on Dec 31.

Off topic, and possibly I'm guilty of fanning the rumor fire, but I had wondered why they had not completely cleared out. I knew they did not have a lease, so I would have thought they would have been "outta there like lightning".

Turns out I saw the owner last week; she said "no commitments, but we're gonna try to reopen".

It would be great if it happened, and I'm not "holding my breath". But the problem is that there is also a Starbucks here in town (I went to one in Miami last week and it was vile), and that is what the "relos" know!

lstone19 wrote:Tonight's MD-W 2237 is double-headed with 217 leading. 217? Yea, it's the first I've heard of Metra acquiring another F40. Appeared to have fresh paint. Couldn't see the front of it (behind the Madison St. viaduct support) to see what style the nose is.

Anyone know where it came from.

I saw 2237 come barrelling trough Wood Dale tonight with it leading (towing?) an MP36. I found the following on Trainorders.com;

"217 is former VRE V32/AMTK 364. Metra has owned it for a few years now- they used it for parts when they did the first F40PH-3 rebuilds back in 2009-2012."

Here is the link to the conversation;

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?4,4240179" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Updated loco roster assignments, current as of today. There have been some reassignments with all of the overhaul/rehab projects going on.

97-99: MD/NCS/HC
100-104: MD/NCS/HC
105: BNSF/SWS
106-107: MD/NCS/HC
108: RI
109-111: MD/NCS/HC
112-114: BNSF/SWS
115: MD/NCS/HC
116-117: BNSF/SWS
118: MD/NCS/HC
119: BNSF/SWS
120: MD/NCS/HC
121: UP
122: BNSF/SWS
123-124: MD/NCS/HC
125- BNSF/SWS
126-175, 177: UP
180: RI
183: BNSF/SWS
184: RI
185-193, 195-199, 201: BNSF/SWS
202-204: RI
205: BNSF/SWS
206-208: RI
209-214: BNSF/SWS
215-217: MD/NCS/HC
401-405: MD/NCS
407-408, 410: RI
411: MD/NCS
412: RI
414-417: MD/NCS
418: RI
419-421: MD/NCS
422: RI
423-425: MD/NCS
427: MD/NCS

Currently out of service undergoing rehab/overhaul:
176, 178, 179, 181, 182, 194, 200, 406, 409, 413, 426.

Trainman, just curious, any reason why the current -3 rebuilds are retaining their original fuel tank size instead of going to the 2000 gallon tanks that the older -3's were given?

They already had 1900 gallon tanks, so there was no need to modify them.

The older -3's only had 1500 gallon tanks before rebuild, and were restricted from running some equipment cycles, so they were fit with bigger tanks during rehab so the units wouldn't have restrictions any more.

The 1900 gallon tanks found on all the F40PH-2's are big enough to run any equipment cycle, so they weren't changed.