Metra Locomotive Assignments And Maintenance

[AMTK84]

Well, if 413 is on MILW, I see no validity in the clame that 102 and 103 are on MILW. Don't count on it.\

[AmtrakFan]

The worst horn is on 196, 200 and 201 aren't following that far behind, 198 is next along with 197, followed by 191, 187 and 193, 185 is all rite along with 194, 192, and 186. 199's is downrite loud along with 190, 195 has a bit of a squeal to it but 188 is another picture-perfect screamer horn. Look out when 188's comin...She's got a high RPM, fast, and a screaming 5-chime horn!

Hears 188 at Mcclure Road:
http://www.ctrgroup.net/METX188A.mp3

Trust me those Winneabeagos have bad horns and then the MP36-3S are next.

AmtrakFan

[F40CFan]

Unfortunately, the 85xx series cab cars sound like they have the same horns as the MPs. I guess they're trying to keep everyone within 10 miles off of the tracks.

[c604.]

The 8500's have close to the same horns as the MP36's. The MP's have K5LA's, the 8500's have K3LA three chime versions of the K5. I hear that was done for clearance purposes on the south end of CUS. "MP36 416" can tell you a lot more about all that if you like. As a side note, the K3's just don't seem "Metray" if that's a word. Oh well, I guess its better than the cab cars running around with A200's (I bet you would agree Mike).

[MikeF]

F40CFan, perhaps you're thinking of the 8400's, which have exactly the same horn as the MP36's.

The K5LA's are alright horns, but it's a shame the MP36's were built with solenoid whistle valves, forcing the horn to be blown full-blast. I'm as much a railfan as the next guy, but it can be a little irritating when #2257 rolls through a little after 1 a.m. with the horn going full strength.

C604, what's "un-Metra-y" about the K3LA's? Personally, I think they're the best sounding horns out there, second only to the retired AA-2's. (The P3's on the South Shore are nice too, but I like the slightly more mellow sound of the K3LA's.)

[c604.]

Woops I forgot there were two Mikes on this board, I meant "MP36 416." To me, the K3 sounds kind of bland, it sounds like it belongs on a freight engine. I guess that's from growing up around equipment with nothing but P5A's, AA-2's, and once in a while the leslie ones on the budd cars. The mind starts to associate things with others after a while (there's a psychology term for that I forgot what it was though), to me the P5A sound IS Metra (Metra management is probably reading all this and laughing ).

[metraRI]

Unfortunately, the 85xx series cab cars sound like they have the same horns as the MPs. I guess they're trying to keep everyone within 10 miles off of the tracks.

The cab cars that do have the same horns as the MP36's are the 8400's that run on UP. BNSF, SWS and HC 8400's have the worst horns Metra has. BNSF removed two chimes from the K5's about 3 years ago which made them sound horrible.

Two audio samples of 8474 on SWS, one before and one after the chime removal, are below.
Before
After

[BUBA Dispatcher]

Just give me an original casting P5 and I'm a happy guy.

Brian

[F40CFan]

MP36_416,

Just out of curriousity, why did you single out units 139, 174 and 175 for the MILW? I understand the 147, but why the others?

[AMTK84]

MP36_416,

Just out of curriousity, why did you single out units 139, 174 and 175 for the MILW? I understand the 147, but why the others?

Engine 139 - its quite odviece when you listen to it - has the new cooling fans, and its presents on MILW would be quite welcome.

174 - Great third generation P5A!
175 - Wonderful (What's the designation?) P5A, its not the standard Metra horn.
Add 178 to that list for the same reason.

[bones]

I have an idea. Assign all of the 400's to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. I've been running these pieces of garbage for a year and there aren't many of us who are impressed. An MPI version of the F40PH-2C would have been a better choice. I hear that the river boat in Elgin is looking for a good boat anchor.
If the 400's are anything like the Winnebago's, I'm sure that they are well received on the BN and the Rock. I can guarantee the this does not hold true up north.

[F40CFan]

Hi Bones,

I'll help you push them in the river. I was hoping more for an updated F59C-2C(?). I am so sick of listening to them "grumble" in Union Station. Are they any quieter in the cab?

[byte]

Bones-

Your last post made me crack up. I barely restrained howling in laughter right in the middle of the computer lab I was in during one of my college classes.

[BUBA Dispatcher]

Okay, a bit off topic, but nonetheless appropriate for Bones' proposed assignment change for the MP36's.

When the new MP36 engines were being built, Metra publicly touted that these engines 'have 600 more horsepower than the engines they are replacing, accelerate more quickly and brake better for a faster ride...' among other wonderful traits such as saving fuel and being able to slice bread.

I was quite dismayed and much disappointed that these new engines did not in fact slice bread, but they also proved incapable of tightening up train schedules; they were no faster than the 30 years-young F40C's they replaced.

And, as I understand, there have recently (in the past 6 months) been some interesting and time-consuming service failures attributed to these engines failing on the road.

So if you think the Pacific Ocean's a bit of a stretch for a locomotive assignment, maybe Bones will reconsider and send them to Iraq instead. I hear they're up for high-speed rail nowdays.

Brian

[F40CFan]

Perhaps we could send the 400s to East St. Louis in exchange for the reconditioned 600s.