CB&Q Electrification

[Tadman]

Was electrification ever studied for CB&Q's CUS-Aurora main? I know the big electrifcation craze was going on when the road triple-tracked in 1922, and built CUS in 1925 and IC started to electrify a few years later on their terminal operations. It seems a logical progression both then and today for Metra's busiest line, and also a nice way of not having to wye every scoot that goes downtown. Going past Aurora now, I can't even see where trains were wyed.

[Engineer Spike]

1. I don't know if they studied electrification.
2. C&NW and Milwaukee had "scoots", The Q has "dinkies."
3. They are not turned. There is a cab control car on the east end.
4. In steam days, ther were turntables for the engines.

[Tadman]

Makes sense about turning just the engine.

As for scoots, I stand corrected - however, since the legacy roads haven't been a factor since around 1980, and there was also a Plug (GM&O), Dummy (PRR), and Suburban (IC, as opposed to "commuter") I just call them all scoots except for the electric lines.

[Hawko]

In Chicago, BNSF crews still call commuter trains dinkys or suburbans.

[route_rock]

If its close to 7 am and I am coming up the Mendota sub I call them Nap time lol

Dinkies, road blocks Nap time,pains in the rear. many names for them depending on the direction your trying to get your train to.

[Engineer Spike]

Rock,
I have spent many hrs. napping at Montgomery, Aurora, or W. Eola waiting for dinkies. I worked the dinkies '97-'98.