Metra loco names

[Moleyuk]

I'm a U.K. Ex-pat who's been living in the mid west for the past 15 years. I have recently rekindled an interest in railroads that started back in the 1960's when steam was giving way to diesel in the U.K. I have been asking some general questions on the mid west board and when I asked a specific question about Metra trains, they suggested that I ask it here.

I was recently looking at the Metra locos coming and going from the Canal Street Depot and I noticed that some had names and others did not. Also, some had special paint jobs. I was wondering whether anyone had, or was aware of, a list of which locos had names, and what they were, as well as which engines had alternative paint schemes.

Thanks in advance for your help with this.

[CHTT1]

try this:

https://www.chicagorailfan.com/rosmetln.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Anthony]

Metra is in the process of repainting their locomotives into the special paint scheme. Unfortunately, this also means that the locomotives are not going to have their names painted on them anymore

[busfan2847]

There are some alterations to the names on Chicago Railfan website
105 is now James Kemp
401 is Oliver "Ollie" Tibbles
402 is State of Illinois
only 611 and 614 survive from the F40C and are stored at Western Ave.

MP36PH 401-427 were delivered in the new livery - apart from 401/2 not named
Second Hand F59PHI 97-99 entered service in that livery too - not named
F40PH-2 currently being rebuilt to F40PH-3 (174-184) are reappearing in the new livery - retaining original names. So far 174, 175, 178 and 182-184 have been done.
As part of this rebuild former Amtrak 364 has been rebuilt to F40PH-3 as METX 217 and is now in the new livery - not named.

[Moleyuk]

Thanks to everyone for replying with such detailed and insightful information. It seems a pity that the new color scheme will do away with the locomotive names. I'm surprised more fuss was not made to try and retain the names in some way with the new schemes.

As only an occasional visitor to Chicago, where along the extreme length of Western Avenue is the yard where the older locos are being stored and is there a good place to be able to see them from a public road?

Thanks again everyone.

[eolesen]

Not sure who said the naming was going away, but the engines running with "new" paint on the UP still have their names e.g. 174 is still the "Fox River Grove"

It's just harder to see with the lower contrasting colors:

[Moleyuk]

Thanks for the update and the good news that the names are still there. I'll just have to look that little bit closer.

[busfan2847]

217 has been named Village of Romeoville and 98 Dan Fulmer.

Both were on display at Franklin Park today.

[eolesen]

It's Don Fulmer, not Dan. He was a conductor on the IHB, and instrumental in starting up Railroad Daze in Franklin Park. He also owned End of Track Hobbies.

This might be the first locomotive named for someone who didn't work for Metra/RTA or serve on its board.

[Moleyuk]

That’s a cool tribute to the man. Thanks to everyone for the updates.