Are there any locos anywhere still in RTA paint?

In a museum or something?

I believe there was one or two E-units which were recently scrapped (or will probably be scrapped soon) after sitting in a locomotive dealer's yard since they were retired.

I saw one in the early 90's in Geneva. Not sure what type, but it was probably an F40. How long did the F40's last in that paint scheme?

Most of the F40's were repainted for Metra in the late '80s. I think 165 was the last one to wear RTA paint, and it did so until sometime in the mid-'90s.

The latest picture I've ever been able to find of an RTA F40 was 165 in 1995, it even had ditch lights.

http://www.drgw.net/~f40c/rta/165.html

Brad

Everyone: I always liked the RTA F40 paint scheme. I did not realize that #165 was that last one in the mid 90s. That should have been preserved as sort of a Metra "Heritage" unit maybe with small Metra logos added. My dislike was the paint scheme of the painted smooth-side bilevels. METRAs paint was such an improvement for those. MACTRAXX

Now there's a neat idea - Metra heritage units.
CNW would get a green yellow unit.
MILW gets a black/orange unit.
BNSF gets a silver unit.
HC gets a maroon unit.
SWS gets a dark blue unit.
RI gets a bright red unit, a dark red unit, a blue unit, a silver/red unit, and an F40 with a outline of jet-train painted on...
Would ME get a H2 with orange stripes?

Tadman wrote:Now there's a neat idea - Metra heritage units.

Does anyone else remember having this discussion a year or two ago?

Would ME get a H2 with orange stripes?

I hope not. My vote would be for Pullman green, orange ends optional.

MikeF wrote:Does anyone else remember having this discussion a year or two ago?

Yep. And I'm just as certain now on it not happening as I was then. Now that the smooth side Pullman cars are gone, it's down to the two F40C's, the remaining stainless steel Budd cars on the Burlington, and the remaining MU equipment on ME in the 1501-1630 series (bought by RTA predecessor CSSMTD, but unit numbers were assigned by IC) as the oldest remaining "heritage" equipment currently on Metra's roster. All told, that's 2 locomotives plus about 60 push/pull coaches, and approx. 100 MU's. That's still quite a bit, and although the two F40C's will probably be the next to go, the other equipment should remain active on Metra for sometime yet, especially considering no new money has been found for additional newer cars for ME, so it's a safe bet that the older cars on that route will be around for the rest of this decade at least...

Tadman wrote:RI gets a bright red unit, a dark red unit, a blue unit, a silver/red unit, and an F40 with a outline of jet-train painted on

Whoa, slow down there, Tadman... FIVE heritage units for RI? I could even halfway understand that if the Rock had been owned by five different roads at various times, but otherwise, I say just one unit in dark red/maroon, and call it a day...

doepack wrote: Whoa, slow down there, Tadman... FIVE heritage units for RI? I could even halfway understand that if the Rock had been owned by five different roads at various times, but otherwise, I say just one unit in dark red/maroon, and call it a day...

No, no, no! In order for the paint scheme to be truly accurate, there would have to be like five of them, just like in the old days. Also, each unit should have a minimum of two gallons of grease rubbed onto it with an oven mitt every week to give them that definitive RI appearance, along with a richer-than-usual fuel mixture available at the servicing facilities to give the exhaust that "oh-god-please-retire-me" look. If surplus funding is available, sod should be purchased and placed around and between the rails of the suburban branch....

byte wrote:No, no, no! In order for the paint scheme to be truly accurate, there would have to be like five of them, just like in the old days. Also, each unit should have a minimum of two gallons of grease rubbed onto it with an oven mitt every week to give them that definitive RI appearance, along with a richer-than-usual fuel mixture available at the servicing facilities to give the exhaust that "oh-god-please-retire-me" look. If surplus funding is available, sod should be purchased and placed around and between the rails of the suburban branch....

..and don't forget to soften up those rail joints on the suburban branch with a sledgehammer, which should keep those trains breezing along at a cool 15mph. Gotta do this right, ya know...

Note to mod(s): Thanks again for putting up with yet another case of "topic drift"...

I wasn't too serious when I suggested any heritage units, and I must have missed the discussion a few years ago - but I love the inane banter about how we should "do it right" for RI heritage units. Next, I nominate we take some out of service CTA buses, throw some railroad wheels under 'em, and use them as the Fiat railbuses that RI had as well. Maybe disable the AC in the coaches. And weld the derails open on the ladder track at LaSalle station. I read an article about 1970's commuter operations at LaSalle, and I hear the ladder track was in such horrible shape that derailments were common occurrence.

Here's a good example of RI commuter rattines:
http://www.thebluecomet.com/ri665blueisland.jpg

Tadman wrote:Now there's a neat idea - Metra heritage units.
CNW would get a green yellow unit.
MILW gets a black/orange unit.
BNSF gets a silver unit.
HC gets a maroon unit.
SWS gets a dark blue unit.
RI gets a bright red unit, a dark red unit, a blue unit, a silver/red unit, and an F40 with a outline of jet-train painted on...
Would ME get a H2 with orange stripes?

Please !!! Do not give METRA any excuse to further raise the price of Gas....