New Double Deckers

Just a heads up, while passing Burnham Yard this evening on Train #111 I spotted the latest group of new cars in transit to the Shops.

Ryan

I'll be looking forward to these cars, looks like a real railfanning front window, I recall riding the Electroliner looking out the front and the engineer was in his little cubicle.

Just as on Metra's push-pull bilevels, both the engineer's and fireman's sides of the cab are located behind windowless doors, so passengers can't see out either of the front windows. With no end vestibule, though, there's nothing to prevent passengers from standing directly in front of the train door at the head end.

Alright boys and girls Ive gone through 9 pages and cant find this one important answer to my question. There are 6-8 new double decker MU cars so far, which are in testing, but what is the total number of cars ordered for the NICTD, once testing is done?

Edit.. lol... I just noticed I made post number 2000 for CSSSB.

I believe the total order was for 16 cars, with options to buy even more.

I think the order was for 14 from Milwaukee Steel. This way they could/can run 2, 6 car trains sets, with two spare cars for mechanical malfunctions? Having 16, for me personally would not make sense because it would give one trainset larger then the other. i.e. a 6 and an 8, with 2 spare cars. Opinions?

The order is for 14 cars - two 6-car sets plus 2 spares.

Thanks everyone.. seems like a small order I would have guessed at least twice that amount or at least enough to run four 6-8 car trains no spares.
Alright something else I could not find how much is it costing them?
How long are the new cars? looks a little longer than the single level cars.
I could not find any detailed specs on the NICTD cars and very little on the new Metra electric ones.

I believe it is around $40 million or so. I remeber reading in the papers in the northern indiana area and on-line that Gov. Mitch Daniels gave 3 million to the project out of the major moves leasing funds as well as from some sort of good air quality fund. There was also a 17.9 million dollar bond issued to NICTD to help purchase the 14 cars by the northern indiana development commission or something like that. I do belive that NICTD did put up some of their own funds to help purchase the equipment. I know the NICTD has been updating equipment including the new line car in the last year as well as some bids have gone out for a set of medium duty Freightliner 4x4 trucks with auger attachments on them, as well as hi-rail equipment. As for specs on the new cars, I have not been able to find anything. The only big difference I know of is the rear entry steps on the end doors. Metra Elecrtic Cars do not have them.

Are they running 8 car trains with the regular cars now?

oh, are double deckers MU capable with the old cars? (roar..old cars already?!)

They run a standard of eight car trains. Usually Heading from the east SBN to Randolph they run 4 cars, then add 4 more at Michigan City. They reverse the process on the opposite direction. I also know that they run specials and rush hour specials closer to Chicago. The new cars do not work with the old MUs, as far as I know.

BSUmusicman wrote:They run a standard of eight car trains. Usually Heading from the east SBN to Randolph they run 4 cars, then add 4 more at Michigan City. They reverse the process on the opposite direction. I also know that they run specials and rush hour specials closer to Chicago. The new cars do not work with the old MUs, as far as I know.

8 cars is the standard peak time consist for the current fleet. The consist sizes are adjusted based on ridership on the off-peak trains. The new cars will not MU with the current fleet, but they can pull one another in an emergency with an isolator plate placed between the pin boxes.

why I ask about number of cars, because of the seemingly planned 6 car consists of the Bi-Levels.
Seating capacity of old cars vs Bi-Levels, perhaps a 6 car Bi-Level would carry about the same as an 8 car old car train? Getting the Bi-Levels in 8 car runs would help crowding capacities.

One reason why I ask about MUing, because it might be a good plan to work on getting the Bi-levels and old cars MU-able doing some kind of modding on the old cars save take a couple of cars mod them to MU and progress along. Or figure out some adaptation electronics so they can MU.

Rather surprised they they did not make the new cars MUable to the old cars...

Perhaps with the new cars they will add some trains not needing an 8 car run.

dinwitty wrote:why I ask about number of cars, because of the seemingly planned 6 car consists of the Bi-Levels.
Seating capacity of old cars vs Bi-Levels, perhaps a 6 car Bi-Level would carry about the same as an 8 car old car train? Getting the Bi-Levels in 8 car runs would help crowding capacities.

Unfortunately, the capacity of the Bi-levels is comparable to a 100-series car or trailer car, in the 110 to 140 range (seated capacity 111). The power drawn down of the new cars (higher horsepower traction motors contribute) is such that more than 6 cars runs the risk of tripping a substation breaker if there are two or more trains in the section.

dinwitty wrote:One reason why I ask about MUing, because it might be a good plan to work on getting the Bi-levels and old cars MU-able doing some kind of modding on the old cars save take a couple of cars mod them to MU and progress along. Or figure out some adaptation electronics so they can MU.

Rather surprised they they did not make the new cars MUable to the old cars...

Perhaps with the new cars they will add some trains not needing an 8 car run.

It was never planned to have the new cars MU with the current fleet - they are way too different electrically and electronically. The additional trains being discussed right now, as I understand it, are off peak trains requiring only 6 cars.

Comparable, rather dodgy explanation. I would not think having the double deckers would have increased seating capacity, than just go ahead and order more of the original cars, there has to be a reason for the double deckers.