Railroad Forums 

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

 #1273580  by Thunder
 
Did anyone here get the memo that PTC wont be implemented by 2015? Congress granted an extension.

We do not run over 79 on any Metra line. Only one with cab signals are the Rock, and they dont stop you from blowing a signal or crashing.

MP36 units here are JUNK. I can see the ground when walking through the area between cab and engine room. I am not supposed to be able to do that.
 #1273721  by justalurker66
 
Thunder wrote:Did anyone here get the memo that PTC wont be implemented by 2015? Congress granted an extension.

We do not run over 79 on any Metra line. Only one with cab signals are the Rock, and they dont stop you from blowing a signal or crashing.

MP36 units here are JUNK. I can see the ground when walking through the area between cab and engine room. I am not supposed to be able to do that.
I got the memo that the rail industry as a whole will not meet the Dec 31 2015 deadline, but I don't see where Congress granted an extension. Do you have a link to an extension being granted?
 #1337960  by LedZeppelinFan85
 
Will Metra be retiring units 150 through 173 since those were built in 1983 and will soon be considered the oldest units? I hope not because from what I hear, those are the best operating units in their fleet (although the MP36 units are getting a reputation of having an excellent record, in spite of all the previous problems that they experienced in the past). Here along the Harvard Subdivision, we have very little breakdowns compared to BNSF and generally the delays experienced along the Northwest line are signal and switch problems and not so much with the locomotives. Plus Union Pacific maintains those units at their M19A shop and it seems like they do a great job of maintaining them. It doesn't make any sense to retire something that has an almost flawless record.
 #1337998  by justalurker66
 
dowlingm wrote:According to congress.gov, S.1462 (to extend PTC deadline to 2020) is still in committee.
More accurately "died in committee". That bill was under the last congress (2013-2014).

The bill for the current congress (2015-2016) is S.650 and was introduced March 4th, 2015.
In addition to a blanket extension to December 31st, 2020, S.650 would add one year extensions at the discretion of the Secretary of Transportation - with an absolute deadline of December 31st, 2022.
 #1338025  by TrainManUPRR
 
Right now 150-173 are actually considered the NEWEST units in the fleet by Metra behind the Progress F40PH-3s, having been overhauled by 47th Street in 2004-2005. The MP36s were built in 2003-2004 and have never been overhauled. 185-214 haven't been touched since 2001-2002, and 174-184 haven't been done since 1998-1999!!

Ideally all the engines should be rehabbed/overhauled every 10 years.
 #1340603  by LedZeppelinFan85
 
In spite of the fact that 100 through 149 were all rebuilt to F40PH-3s, I do notice that engines 100 through 127 have a slightly higher pitched sound when running, compared to 128 through 149. Is this because 100 through 127 were all originally F40PH engines (screamers) and 128 through 149 were all F40PH-2 models? I wonder if Progress Rail really did major modifications or just replaced all the major parts when they went through the rebuild program and left the prime movers and HEPs the same way.