MARC 7900's (ex Metra/CNW Pullman cars)

TrainManUPRR wrote:11 of them are now on Metra property.

Does anyone have any idea what the car numbers were when Metra originally sold them to MARC, before MARC put them in the 7900 class?

7900 and 7901 were ex METRA same numbers (Club Cars on METRA) and before that C&NW 8 and 9

7902 to 7913 are ex METRA 7601 to 7604 7606 to 7613 and before that C&NW 2 to 5 7 and 10 to 16 NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER

(7600 and 7605 ex 1 and 6 are at IRM)

Martin Baumann wrote: 7900 and 7901 were ex METRA same numbers (Club Cars on METRA) and before that C&NW 8 and 9

7902 to 7913 are ex METRA 7601 to 7604 7606 to 7613 and before that C&NW 2 to 5 7 and 10 to 16 NOT NECESSARILY IN THAT ORDER

(7600 and 7605 ex 1 and 6 are at IRM)

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't believe this is correct. Those cars were all built by St. Louis Car (instead of Pullman) and, among other differences, all had six sets of windows on each quadrant instead of four (the initial order of Pullmans, starting with 7650, also had six sets of windows; the 4 started with the 7700 series. Don't know the original C&NW numbers of the top of my head).

For example, take a look at this picture of MARC 7908: http://rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=420181" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I believe the MARC cars were mostly in the upper half of the 7800 series - some may even have been ex-Rock Island cars and not C&NW. I found a PDF online dated around 2006 (I believe it came from a Yahoo group) that lists dispositions of most of the old Pullman cars, and there are about 16 that went to "MTA," which, though very generic, seems like it is probably MARC ("MARC" itself isn't listed).

7900 and 7901 are as I listed according to http://passcarphotos.info/Indices/MARC.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Martin Baumann wrote:7900 and 7901 are as I listed according to http://passcarphotos.info/Indices/MARC.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've known that site to be reliable in the past, but in this case, I still think it's incorrect. Here's why - compare this photo of MARC 7900 (http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPictur ... id=1564108" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) with this photo of C&NW 1 at IRM (https://www.flickr.com/photos/7777754@N08/7621727224" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

They have several major differences. CNW 1, which is a St. Louis car, has more windows (six sets on each side, not counting the small ones on the end) than MARC 7900 (which has 4), which I believe to be a later Pullman car. The windows on the CNW car are also more square, not unlike those on Burlington's early Budd cars. The windows on the doors of CNW 1 definitely look bigger than those on the Pullman cars, and the Pullman cars have a vent over the doors which is noticeably absent from CNW 1.

Some of these differences are mentioned in an IRM article from the late '90s (http://www.irm.org/railwire/rw179a1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), which also discusses the remaining St. Louis cars likely being sold to a scrapper.

I've known that site to be reliable in the past, but in this case, I still think it's incorrect.

Yep... gotta fix that...

Anyone have any ideas on what Metra cars became MARC??? That would help out a great deal in getting their histories right.

jmlaboda wrote:Anyone have any ideas on what Metra cars became MARC??? That would help out a great deal in getting their histories right.

According to the info I have, there were 16 Pullman cars that went to MARC. Their Metra numbers were as follows:
7847, 7849 - ex-CNW, built 1968 (2)
7862, 7864-7866 - ex-CNW, built 1970 (4)
7867-7871 - ex-Rock Island, built 1970 (5)
7881-7885 - ex-Rock Island cab cars, built 1969, converted to trailers by Metra (5)

I don't know which of these 16 became MARC 7900-7911. Metra is restoring their old numbers before putting them in service. Per the Chicago forums, 7882 and 7883 are already in service on the Metra Union Pacific lines.

Also, which one didn't come back from MARC? 7900-7911 would be 12 cars, but everything I've read says there are only 11 that came back.

EDIT: Upon browsing rrpicturearchives.net, it looks like all except 7900 and 7909 were spotted/photographed on their way to or in Chicago. Can anyone confirm which of those two did or didn't make the trip?

F40c611fan wrote:I believe the MARC cars were mostly in the upper half of the 7800 series - some may even have been ex-Rock Island cars and not C&NW. I found a PDF online dated around 2006 (I believe it came from a Yahoo group) that lists dispositions of most of the old Pullman cars, and there are about 16 that went to "MTA," which, though very generic, seems like it is probably MARC ("MARC" itself isn't listed).

2006... Yeah, in 2001 they went from Mass Transit Administration of Maryland to Maryland Transit Administration. Still "MTA", and in 1992 they had MARC moved under MTA's transit umbrella from the old SRA (at which time, if you paid for your monthly ticket by check, you wrote it out to MARC instead of CSX or Amtrak). MARC is a "modal" under MTA -- the department name is "MARC & Commuter Bus". Contracts would be in MTA's name.

mmi16 wrote: Answers as to WHY is what I am seeking. Just keeping the lube warm in the roller bearings is not the answer.

1. The check bounced.
2. They ran out of parking space, so instead...
3. They were headed to Belarus via the Trans-Siberian Railroad, but Sarah Palin was wrong, you can't...
4. Hey... the Panama Canal is available

You Forgot E,METRA Bought the cars back(spent $$$)