String of 3200s At Harlem/Lake

[Chicagopcclcars]

Drove by Halem/Lake Saturday to check on parking for the IRM Snowflake March 25 and noticed some Brown line 3200s parked in the yard. The cars even included some with roof boards. From the north side of the yard I could count the entire string of cars....16. The westernmost car still had a Brown line 400 run number. Anyone see them in service. I know it wouldn't be the first time. Or maybe it had something to do with disruptions caused by our "little" snowfall last week.

David Harrison

[doepack]

I've seen both Brown and Orange line cars periodically at Harlem yard while riding past on Metra, perhaps about a dozen or so at a time; though I've never actually seen them in Green line service. Maybe they're just loaners? Or is there no more room at the inn at Kimball yard?

[doepack]

Saw two 8-car sets of 3300 series cars laying over at Harlem Ave. yard over the weekend during my UP/W round trip. Didn't see run numbers, but at least a couple pairs of cars were in the high 3300s, meaning they likely came over from the Brown line. Still don't know the hows and whys, but it's sparking my curiosity as well...

[Chicagopcclcars]

One explanation is that they are there for sleet fighting. If the weather predictions are within certain probablity , they are there. Maybe the electronics and current protection of the 3200s can go through the temporary outages caused by ice on the third rail better than the 2400s. In other words, the 3200s don't get blue lights as easily. I'm out of town for a week....Amherst Model Train Show, but I'll try for an explanation when I get back.

David Harrison

[byte]

Also if you've been by Skokie Shops recently ... they don't have much extra space to put cars, due to a combination of idle 2200s on the way out and 5000s (not quite) on the way in. Could be that Harlem shop is picking up on some of the heavy repairs to 3200s that Skokie would otherwise take care of.