Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.

Moderators: metraRI, JamesT4

  by agar
 
This was kind of surreal. I was at the Wheaton farmer's market this morning and a fresh-looking MTA North (nyc) train with about seven of their single-level cars came cruising on by, presumably on the middle track. If it would have stopped and offloaded passengers, I would have pinched myself, thinking I was having a dream about the TZ episode, "A Stop at Willoughby".

What gives?
  by R36 Combine Coach
 
These would be new Metro-North/ConnDOT M-8s being delivered from Kawasaki in Lincoln, NE.
  by agar
 
It's so cool to get an explanation for this. Thanks. All my friends like trains too, and none of them believe me.
I must be a budding railfan, because this was the highlight of my week. I appreciate the bilevels a bit more now, because that little train seemed seriously out of place. I can't believe nobody else turned their head. It had such clear MTA Metro-North decals, which obviously do not belong in Chicago. I ride the Metra a heap, and I knew that eventually something interesting besides tractors would turn up on the rails.
  by qboy
 
Keep watching..we've been delivering those cars to the CSX to go east for about the last 6 to 8 months in cuts of 4 car sets. I saw that same train you saw on my outbound trip to Elburn. They may run one maybe once a week or every couple weeks at various times during the day. And you may catch the new Metra electric cars being delivered running on the Geneva Sub occasionally.