The horns of Metra

It continues to be a work in progress but i'm in the process of capturing every horn on Metra units 185-201, 205, 213, 214, 401-405.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... 9FC3985EF6

Liked the K5LA action on 404, very nice. Wish they'd tune some of these "squealers" on UP...

So far I have 185, 186, 194, 196, 201 and 401

Coming later...the horns of 104, 188, 198 and 205.

Dorian, you must be out on the wrong nights. A lot of those P5s work pretty well. Just depends on the unit, I 'spose.

MetraF40C607 wrote:Dorian, you must be out on the wrong nights. A lot of those P5s work pretty well. Just depends on the unit, I 'spose.

That's true, but it just seems like the West line has been getting the squealers lately, even though the power is rotated at OTC daily. Maybe I should just hang out at Clybourn...

5 new videos posted with horn action. This on a day where there were minor delays to some trains and an unusual routing for one train.

I don't think I have ever caught that much horn action on BNSF... whats your secret, haha..

Although the entire BNSF east of McClure Rd. falls in a quiet zone, I have noticed that engineers of various trains (Metra, Amtrak and freights) have become more aggressive in blowing the horn at grade crossings. I have noticed that in Hinsdale and near Fairview Ave (two towns that recently had accidents) almost every train is blowing the horn regardless of the situation.

Off topic, but I have recently noticed some unusual routings for some afternoon trains. Over the past few weeks I've seen trains 1243 and 1247 use the center track to Fairview, 1251 go 2-1 at Highlands (captured on video), 1251 run with the double header (also on video), Naperville expresses coming off center track at either the Fairview or Downers Grove interlockings, and in some cases go 2-3, and train 1279 go 2-3 at Fairview (also captured on video).

MetraBNSF wrote:Although the entire BNSF east of McClure Rd. falls in a quiet zone, I have noticed that engineers of various trains (Metra, Amtrak and freights) have become more aggressive in blowing the horn at grade crossings. I have noticed that in Hinsdale and near Fairview Ave (two towns that recently had accidents) almost every train is blowing the horn regardless of the situation

With 2 incidents in the past week, Lake Forest on Milw/N could use similiar indiscriminate horn action as well, even though it too, is in a quiet zone. But no doubt, BNSF needs it the most, and if it continues to have a positive effect on reducing accidents, I'm all for it...

I agree that the trains should blow their horns at all grade crossings. It makes people think twice about going around the gates. As a Milw North line fan I have seen many near misses there was one in Northbrook last october wher a kid on a bike went across the pedestrain crossind while the bell was rinning and he just missed getting hit by a northbounh hiawatha train very scarry to see that right in front of you and it was very scarry for the engineer as well I feel sorry for them for what they have to put up with. Also Lake forest has had a number of incendents throught the years they seem to hit cars or people at Everett Rd crossing. It is very sad that people can't follow the law and not go around the gates.

On the afternoon of May 15, 2009, Metra decided to make its presense known through Hinsdale. Also in the mix is the return of METX183:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... 2895278E6A

Why do most Metra trains not blow their horns when approaching grade crossings? This happens even at crossings that do not have quad gates. It seems every east coast agency uses the horn unless the intersection has quad gates. How does the FRA allow Metra to not sound their horns at these crossings?

Somehow, a great number of crossings in the Chicago area were grandfathered in under the recent federal laws regarding quiet zones. At some point the protection at those crossings will probably be required to be upgraded to current quiet-zone standards.

I work as an assistant conductor for Amtrak out of Chicago, and recently our General Orders for running on the BNSF advise crews to "whistle freely, if necessary" when passing through most of the suburban Metra stations. This is due to the ongoing track work on the BNSF, and the removal of many of the wire fences in place between tracks at the stations to accommodate the work in progress. That, and trains are supposed to whistle while passing through active constructions zones as well.

There is rumor that the SWS may become a quiet zone by years end. I can't wait! One less thing I have to do. Nobady pays attention to them anyway.