Metra number 1 to run on South Chicago line Sunday 6/19

Hello everone, Metra number 1 will be running from 63rd st to windsor park with one highliner on trains 8302,8303,8304,8305,8306,9307,8308 and 8309.

To clarify and elaborate ...

Due to station canopy work that will require de-energizing a section of overhead wire on the Metra Electric District South Chicago branch this Sunday morning, June 19, there will be a shuttle train operating between 63rd Street and Windsor Park consisting of SW1 diesel NIRC 1 and a single Highliner car. This train will meet southbound trains #8303, #8305, #8307 and #8309 at 63rd Street, and northbound trains #8302, #8304, #8306 and #8308 at Windsor Park. Regular Highliner equipment will operate between Randolph Street and 63rd Street and between Windsor Park and 93rd Street.

This could be a cool photo opportunity for anyone who's willing to brave the surrounding neighborhood.

Edits: corrected data

What wrong with the neighborhood? I go there all the time to see one of my friends. Are u saying just because its on the southside its bad?

metra 613 wrote:Are u saying just because its on the southside its bad?

No, that's not what I'm saying.

It's a pretty good idea to ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings, and to use the appropriate amount of caution wherever you happen to be. That goes for everyone everywhere, but as railfans, this is critically important; indeed, it is rule number one. Without putting words in his mouth, I think that's what Mike was trying to say.

Looks like a great oppurtunity to get pics of a rare event, and I'll be there Sunday with camera in hand. An NIRC switcher with a highliner in tow in actual revenue service... now that's special.

i am going to try to get there if all works out

Guys: Because the days are at their longest I am guessing that no lights or AC will be needed for this shuttle service am I right? Makes me want to be there to take a ride on something that rare! I'm hoping-like many others-to see a picture of this shuttle in operation when pictures get posted. As for the neighborhood,whenever I must go into a questionable one,early in the morning is the best time-due to the fact the so-called "bad element" is usually resting during those hours. Be safe and enjoy! MACTRAXX

i really don't find that area bad. i feel safe to walk threw it and i do a lot. there is a lot worse.

Mactraxx: Since this operation will only occur during the daylight morning hours, you're right, the lights and air comfort will not be necessary. And if they were needed, I guess they'd be out of luck, since the diesel can't generate the 1500 v DC to power the Highliners.

I'm going to try to catch the shuttle on trains #8304, #8305, #8306 and #8307. Of course, I'll post pictures here.

Hope to see some of you guys there.

How many of us made it out to photograph the operation on this beautiful morning? I hung around Stony Island between about 7:15 and 9:30, then rode the shuttle to Windsor Park and back, then drove up to 63rd Street to get a final shot of the train between runs. I saw a handful of other fans, but the only ones I recognized were not from this group.

I'll have pictures to share later in the week.

I arrived at the Windsor Park station shortly after 9:30 this morning. I had orignally thought that the train would be there already, awaiting the arrival of train 8306 from 93rd St. Upon my arrival however, I was mildly suprised that the regular highliner equipment was instead waiting for the outbound 8307 connection from 63rd St. As I later learned, there was a slight glitch in the operation from earlier this AM, not exactly sure what happened...(Mike, since you were there earlier than I had been, did you hear anything about the reason for the delay?)

But anyway, NIRC 1 came trundling down what is normally the inbound track (running "wrong main" as it were, but I don't know the precise track designations in that area; not sure if it's referred to as track one or two) at about 9:45 or so. I was parked on the east side of the station along Exchange Ave, where traffic is one way going north, and once the train pulled into the station, I and several other railfans that were there got out and started snapping away. Pretty good turnout too, I counted at least several people on the street where I was, plus a few more railfans getting up close and personal on the platform.

Among the railfans there was a man by the name of Bill Shapotkin, a Metra employee. For those of you who may not know, he co-authored a book with Thomas Bullard called "Faster than the limiteds". This book covers the history of the Chicago-New York Electric Airline Railroad from its inception through construction of short segments and local streetcar systems to its evolution into Gary Railways. I remember paging through this book a while back at the Illinois Railway Museum, it seemed pretty interesting at the time, but now that I've actually met one of the authors, it looks like I'll be adding it to my collection. He and I had a pretty nice conversation, in fact, we talked until the regular highliner run 8306 came up from 93rd St.

All in all, a beautiful morning spent photographing a rare event, and the treat of meeting a railfan who also happens to be an author. I'll be uploading my pics later...

Dorian

No, I didn't hear what the problem was, but the trains were running at least 15 minutes late all morning.

So you were in the group with Mr. Shapotkin at Windsor Park -- I was one of those getting "up close and personal" on the platform. I was wearing a black jacket and a black cap with yellow lettering.

I'll look forward to your pictures.

Two pictures of the shuttle have made it on Railpictures.net. I wonder if the shuttle will happen again when other stations have renovations.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=109911
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=109912

I'm not that familiar with the highliners so I have a question. How did they do the reverse moves with the highliner leading? Did they just do a shove move with the conductor guiding the engineer by signal? Do the highliners have the same 27-pin MU connectors as the diesel hauled cars (which would allow for the engineer to run from the controls of the highliner using the low voltage system.)?

No, the Highliners do not have diesel M.U. cables and their propulsion system is completely different from that of diesel equipment, precluding any M.U. operation between the two. The northbound moves were accomplished with the conductor in the cab of the Highliner directing the engineer in the diesel by radio.