I Want My Cars Back

[F40c611fan]

Has anyone else noticed that, on the UP lines at least, they're placing these cars as the first one behind the engine? Is it coincidence, or is there an actual reason?

I would imagine it's because they only use them when they have to. Usually, when I see a train with a smooth-side coach stop at a station, the doors on that coach don't open. They fill the newer coaches until they need to open the older one(s) up. Right up by the engine is the noisiest place on the train, and thus the best place to put a vacant coach. [sigh] If only Metra could get these back: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=108604.

[Tadman]

I watched an entire batch of those cars get scrapped at General Iron when I lived in Lincoln Park. They would be rolled across the bridge on the old MILW Kingsbury line, cut into manageable pieces, and fed into this heinous-large shredder that I later got to tour. Entire autos can be fed into the shredder, engine block and all - it tears them to nothing immediately.

[doepack]

Has anyone else noticed that, on the UP lines at least, they're placing these cars as the first one behind the engine? Is it coincidence, or is there an actual reason?

I would imagine it's because they only use them when they have to.

That's the impression I got as well. Also noticed that, until recently, UP had put one or two on five-car sets, but lately I haven't seen them on anything shorter than six-car sets. Guessing it's because since they combine some 4 and 5 car consists, they don't want to risk one of these cars winding up in the middle of a nine-car set...

[Milwaukee_F40C]

I know for sure I saw one in the middle of a UP West train in March. So they probably just get put wherever the train happens to get cut.

And man, those retired cars are ending up all over the place, while being used for absolutely nothing. I wonder why anyone wants them?

[buddah]

Well here's another one Metra could get back if it they really want, and its a cab in runnable condition. Also unlike some of the photos that have been posted here from years ago this one is recent I took it myself yesterday. IT's alive not like the rest. I don't think VIA rail will debate giving it up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8453967@N0 ... pool-metra

[byte]

That's one of those cars that got wrecked right after an agency in Canada bought them (AMT in Montreal?). From what I remember reading somewhere, it was a tremendous pain in the rear to get them transferred from a US agency to a Canadian one (lots and lots of paperwork). Given the fact that it's sat through a few Canadian winters and has another mountain of paperwork between its current location and a return to the US, Metra will probably take a pass. I seriously doubt Metra is even considering cars which have remained unused since they previously unloaded them. The weather has a tendency to cause damage to car interiors if the HVAC isn't kept running, and the cars sitting out there in dead lines are likely to have peeling paint and mold in them.

[buddah]

byte ..yes the paperwork is probable a mess and the HVAC is shot by now but I recently had a close up look of the car and exterior body and trucks are in good condition. The interior is worn and in need of replacement but no mold damage, this is one of the few cars that survived the accident. however Otto has found a few in upstate NY that's actually for sale, surprised me because I didn't know any where up there.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ottomatic7 ... 3/sizes/o/

[ljeppson]

I talked to a staffer at Utah Transit Authority this AM (4/22/2009) who told me these (linked below) are on their way back to you, except for about 4 or 5. They were moved to a track west of the Warm Springs shop about a week ago so they should be on their way as we speak. Unlike the below shots, they are now "tagged" with lots of spay paint.

http://www.utahtransit.us/metrasconsist1.htm

[doepack]

They're still going to keep a few? It's my understanding that UTA decided to go with the ex-NJT equipment to compliment the new bombardier cars, are there not enough of these to protect the service, even if one or two are unavailable at any given time?

[ljeppson]

There appear to be plenty of the NJT comet cars to cover both Frontrunner North and Frontrunner South. But five of the METRA bilevels are still on the property, for reasons unknown to me. I'll try to find out why they remain.

[metraRI]

Looks like the cars have made their way into Illinois, and into the Chicago area. These cars definitely need some work before going into service... I wonder how many of these Metra will use.

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm51 ... 3556-1.jpg
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm51 ... 3554-1.jpg

I did read somewhere that Metra had aquired 14 additional cars.... these must be them.

[doepack]

As reported from another list, the car numbers are: 7787, 7788, 7789, 7791, 7794, 7795, 7801, 7804, 7806, 7810, 7811, 8738, and 8743; all of which still have METX reporting marks. If the photos are any indication, it's probably going to be awhile before we see any of these back in service. Personally, I'd like to see them repainted into the red & blue scheme, but I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen...

[byte]

That would actually seem pretty likely (meaning that it's going to take a while to get them in service). I wouldn't foresee them putting those cars back in service looking like that, and they haven't painted any cars in the cream/orange/brown paint since the early 90s at the latest. A fresh coat of blue and platinum mist will probably be in order, and I suspect that the interiors may get some rehab work done as well.

[ljeppson]

From metraRI's photos, it looks like UTA cleaned them up a bit before sending them back. I guess UTA wanted them to be as good as they got 'em.

[MetraPace]

These cars were in UP's California Ave Coach Yard this morning.

-Brad