Metra F40C 611/614 Status

[MetraF40C607]

Uhm, nine times out of ten, if the lead unit broke down, it's the lead unit that's doing the work. Trust me, 423 didn't break. BTW, please, i'm BEGGING you, PUNCTUATION ALWAYS help a statement become coherent.

[Leo_Ames]

"yea same here.Anytime i watch my i get tears in my eyes to i know how it is f40c some guys dont just get it."

I guess I just don't get it. Mechanically, they're nothing really special. And they're not exactly attractive when compared to something like a E9.

I guess you had to be there to get it. Are there any attempts to preserve 1 of them somewhere like at the IRM? Despite being somewhat indifferent to them, I'd like to see one saved so I could see it someday, and for all the fans they have.

[F40CFan]

I guess I just don't get it. Mechanically, they're nothing really special. And they're not exactly attractive when compared to something like a E9.

I guess it depends on taste. I happen to think they are very attractive, especially before Metra altered (vandalized) them. I happen to like the cab and 5-point windows that it shares with the DDA40X, F45, FP45 and most of the "comfort cab" frieght locomotives from EMD until that horrible new design they just started producing.

As a commuter I liked them because of their reliability. I think in the 26 years I rode behind them, only one or two failed. All other failures I personally experienced were with F40PHs or the MP36s.

After that, what's not to like?

[Metra 47 607]

Well I have to defend my favorite units to I agree with F40C fan about the cab it is very attractive. They were very reliable not many engine failures as compared with the MP36 there is no comparison between them. I was never on a train that broke down when there was an F40C on the point. Leo Ames you just dont like them beacuse you never saw them run. Us fans on the Milwaukee were very lucky to have the best.

[metra 613]

Yep some people Just know how it was on metra.There work day in and day out and kept the trains on time. U cant say that about the mps.When u have power that look like something and ran day in out what is not to like about them.All i have to say is the mp will never be like the f40c.And i will allways miss them rip metra 600s.Lets just hope some get save someday.And if u were here when there were running the was something special about them.Just look how much E8/9 where made and then look at the f40c.I am sorry but to me there were a rare unit being that milwauke road only had them and theres alot more stuff to me that why there are so special to me.

[Scotty Burkhardt]

Thus far, I've tried to stay quiet on the subject but I'm only human, and can only listen to people whine for so long. It has become obvious to me that several people do not understand what retirement of a unit means. My suggestion is we all watch Lion King for a dumbed down version of how the cycle of life works and how we can directly relate that same principle to this subject matter. Just like life, locomotives get old and die, I know thats hard for people to grasp but lets try to cope. The F40c was not a reliable unit in its last days. Many had serious problems with the engine block and one caught fire midroute. As for the constant bitching about how terrible the MP36's are. SHUT THE HELL UP! They're fuel friendly and conform to all modern FRA standards. Much like a child, One can not expect to have the same expectations as an experianced unit/person/whatever. If you're having trouble understanding this I will be happy to set the record straight, PM me.

The F40c was a unique unit. We've beat that into the ground.

THE F40C IS A RETIRED UNIT!

(For those who need clarification as to what this sentance means.)

THE-Used before singular or plural nouns and noun phrases that denote particular, specified persons or things

F40C-n.- 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between March and May 1974.

IS-pron.-Used to refer to

A-indef.art.-Used before nouns and noun phrases that denote a single but unspecified person or thing

RETIRED-v.-To withdraw, as for rest or seclusion

UNIT-n.-An individual, group, structure, or other entity regarded as an elementary structural or functional constituent of a whole.

If you have any updates on 611-614 I (as I'm sure others also) would like to hear them. As for the personal attachment some feel they have made with these units, go to NRE or E. St. Louis, bring a few pennys and a big U-haul, Nobody wants them. If thats not an option, They're are clinics that will listen to you. Stop ranting about this pipedream return of the F40c's. Not gonna happen.

[MikeF]

Thanks, Scotty, I couldn't have said it better myself.

Metra 47 607 and metra 613, you guys have been beating the same dead horse for at least a year now. Everybody knows you think the C's were the greatest things to hit the rails and there will never be anything like them ever again ... you've posted that enough times, you don't need to anymore. Let's try not to have to lock yet another F40C thread.

[Metra 47 607]

I did not know I could not offer my opinion on this or any subject I thought thats what a forum was for. I am sick of getting attacked by a number of posters here I just dont feel welcome here anymore so I will stop posting and let you have your site. I will ask the site admistrator to cancel my membership. And by the way I know the English language.

[byte]

An awesome post on not ranting about the F40Cs not running anymore

A-freaking-men.

[Scotty Burkhardt]

For the record, My post was not directed at any one person but the subject matter as a whole. I am sorry if you feel it was a personal attack, as it was not supposed to be. As a reminder this is in the topic "611 and 614 Only." I feel as though this topic has lost what little ground it once stood on, as we all know that 611 and 614 are dead in Western Ave.

I am capable of making a point without brute sarcasim, It was rude and uncalled for and for that, to all, I am sorry.

I hope there are no hard feelings. I hope that we can get this thread back into the direction that it was first intended.

-Scotty B

[F40CFan]

Thank you, that was my intent when I opened this thread.

Please, in the future, only news about F40Cs in this thread, so it doesn't get locked. If anyone has any updates on the other F40Cs, please feel free to update this thread. Thanks again.

[AMTK84]

For the record, I have been told that Metra kept the C's in service as long as they could, but to keep them in service any longer would've required cireus rebuilding of which Metra did not want to do.

[F40CFan]

I'm sure that's true, but I wonder how much attention they got from maintenance in their last few years.

[doepack]

Since the F40C's were fairly reliable anyway, most of them probably didn't need much outside of ordinary maintenance. Toward the end, I'd guess that Metra did just enough to keep them going until all of the newer locomotives arrived on the property...

[AMTK84]

The F40PH's seem to be holding up pretty well, they're approaching 30 years old now but I think there tenure on Metra propperty will be much longer. For one Metra doesn't have the money for new stuff and for the second thing I wouldn't rush to buy something like the MP36...If it took 3 years to work out the problems with there current ones, one can only wonder what new stuff will be like.

A discussion for another thread, however.