A Few Questions about the Metra System

Hello all, okay so even though Im an east coast guy I've recently developed a strong interest in the Metra system, and I just had a few questions....

Lines like SWS (Southwest Service) and Heritage Corridor that only operate during weekday rush hours, what kind of ridership do these lines see, and what would be the typical consist for a train operating along these lines?

Is Metra done with smooth side bi-level cars?, I looked up some pictures recently, and it seems like they want all their trains to have the corrugated stainless steel look, I see that the new push-pull cars have it, as well as the new electric cars. In my opinion I feel that the blue, gray and red scheme on the Highliner and Push-Pull cars was much more attractive, is their a chance that it will ever come back??

Also, why is service on the Heritage Corridor so limited (3 trains in each direction)??

Bay Head Local wrote:Lines like SWS (Southwest Service) and Heritage Corridor that only operate during weekday rush hours, what kind of ridership do these lines see, and what would be the typical consist for a train operating along these lines?

Typically the consist of a train is determined by the busiest run. Example on SWS, train #823 fills a 9 car set. The same set also runs with only one car open during off-peak service. HC's longest train runs with 6 cars, not too sure about NCS but most trains running on that line are in the 4-6 car range. Metra does not release train specific ridership numbers, tho I kinda wish they did. Typically SWS sees 10,000 riders a day, NCS 5,200 and HC 2,900... which are reported from Metra's 2009 budget.

Bay Head Local wrote:Also, why is service on the Heritage Corridor so limited (3 trains in each direction)??

Two main reasons, first off is freight interference. Even with only 3 trains, HC has a hard time running on schedule. I'm not sure if Metra has any agreement with CN that limits the number of trains running. Secondly lack of equipment and layover space limits any additional service. HC uses the layover yard in Joliet on the Rock Island, which is close to, if not already at capacity. It could be possible to add an off peak turn in the morning and afternoon and still use three sets, which is what Metra did on SWS before the 2006 expansion.

Bay Head Local wrote:Is Metra done with smooth side bi-level cars?, I looked up some pictures recently, and it seems like they want all their trains to have the corrugated stainless steel look, I see that the new push-pull cars have it, as well as the new electric cars. In my opinion I feel that the blue, gray and red scheme on the Highliner and Push-Pull cars was much more attractive, is their a chance that it will ever come back??

I think the move to stainless cars is because they hold up better... Metra's pullmans as well as the current cars running on MED have had rust issues.

Well put. For comparison, the original Burlington Route stainless cars from 1960ish are still running and busy, while the carbon steel cars are mostly retired and rusty. I believe four of them remain, bought back from MARC last year to meet excessive ridership.

If you ever get to Chicago, ride an outbound HC at rush hour and then ride back in on the Rock. HC only makes four stops and runs 79mph after leaving the city. It's slow until Brighton Park, but a rocketship after that.

Thanks so much, for the replies...hopefully I can make to the mid-west someday so I can ride Metra, it seems like its a very well kept system

It is for the most part. Despite the occasional glitches, it's a pretty well-run operation overall that compares favorably to other systems around the country...

BHL- Keep up with metra and their changes and activities on here, but also check out www.metrarail.com. They are expanding, but Metra has to work with BNSF,CN. and UP on 5 of 11 routes which can be a pain, but These roads work well it seems, at least on the BN line.

So after looking at a view videos, I came across the term "Racetrack Express"..is this some sort of special seasonal service? I ask because I know in the northeast on the LIRR we have the Cannonball Express to the Hamptons during the summer, and other special service that operate during specific times of the year

No, it's just an informal term applied to trains that run express on BNSF from Union Station to Naperville. (Incidentally, I've heard some conductors on UP/W refer to train 47 as the "Wheaton Rocket", for its daily non-stop run from OTC to Wheaton). I'm sure trainmen on other routes have other similar unofficial nicknames for their expresses as well...

That's true. We had an old conductor on the Milwaukee Road West Line who was "spit and polish" from his days on the intercity trains. He'd get on the PA and refer to the inbound scoot as the "Silver Streak".

Expansion of service on the CN-owned lines (HC and NCS) would be a hard fought issue. I have heard stories that Metra has in the past approached CN about adding weekend service to the NCS, but was given a flat-out NO in response. The NCS was started in 1996 (if I remember correctly), back when the line was still owned by the Wisconsin Central; the HC is former Illinois Central trackage, of GM&O pedigree. I would venture to say that, hypothetically, if the existing services were to be newly proposed today, the CN would not allow them to be operated at all.

Also regarding the HC line, there are 10 Amtrak trains per day operating on the same routing and trackage as well, further adding to the line's congestion. Major crossovers at grade delay many of both passenger carriers' trains at Corwith (BNSF), Lemoyne (Belt Railway of Chicago), and CP Canal (Indiana Harbor Belt).

AMTKHawkeye wrote:Expansion of service on the CN-owned lines (HC and NCS) would be a hard fought issue. I have heard stories that Metra has in the past approached CN about adding weekend service to the NCS, but was given a flat-out NO in response.

Since CN has now added the former EJ&E into the fold, I've read that CN is planning to divert much of their freight traffic off the Waukesha sub at Leithton. In fact, that may already be happening since I've been hearing more cross traffic delays to UP freight and Metra traffic at Washington St in West Chicago where the (former) EJ&E crosses the Geneva sub. But in any case, weekend service on NCS could eventually depend on whether or not CN sells part of the line to Metra, especially the portion south of Leithton...

Tadman wrote:For comparison, the original Burlington Route stainless cars from 1960ish are still running and busy, while the carbon steel cars are mostly retired and rusty. I believe four of them remain, bought back from MARC last year to meet excessive ridership.

Actually, I believe it was VRE, and there are 5 of them - 3 on the UP (7825, 7838, 7848), 1 on the Milwaukee/NCS (7836), and 1 on the Rock (7840).

The Pullmans currently running did indeed come from VRE. RI no longer has 7840, believe it was sent to UP. There are also 10 or so cars at 47th street Metra aquired from UTA. A few of them are missing from the others, so I'm guessing they are currently being worked on. However, with ridership down... I don't know how fast Metra will push for these cars to be put into service.