Milwaukee West deadhead runs

As I prepare to start being a Metra Milwaukee West line regular starting next week, I finally started really looking at the schedule in depth. So I was wondering what deadhead runs there are as well as some other stuff.

Deadheads: My guess is 2220 (7:37 Roselle start of run and which I've seen sitting west of the Roselle crossovers while they presumably change ends) and 2224 (8:10 Franklin Park start) turn from deadheads from Chicago and all else come from Elgin. Also, my guess is 2225 and 2229, which terminate at Franklin Park at 4:40 and 5:07, turn back to Chicago for second runs.

Other: Is 2201, the first Chicago departure at 5:39, a turn from 2200 arriving at 5:30 or does it use equipment that overnights in Chicago. If the former and Metra does sub-10 minute turns at Union during rush hour, then I'd further assume 2204 (6:42 arrival) is what deadheads to Roselle and 2208 (7:20 arrival) is what deadheads to Franklin Park.

As for the deadheads, you were right on. MD-W has 4 deadhead moves, not counting those to Big Timber from Elgin Yard.

AM
7201: Turns from 2204, turns into 2220.
7241: Turns from 2208, turns into 2224.

PM
7412: Turns from 2225, turns into 2241.
7452: Turns from 2229, turns into 2245.

2201 does make the 10 minute flip, as no MD sets are stored downtown.

Thanks. And I'm glad to see Metra is more efficient with their equipment utilization than I realized.

I am assuming when you say deadheads, you mean the entire run in that direction is non-revenue since there are some other runs that start or end the revenue portion of their run somewhere other than Elgin or Big Timber but obviously come from or go to the Elgin yard:
Eastbbound originating
2212 6:54 Roselle
2214 6:57 Hanover Park
2218 7:13 Bartlett

Westbound terminating:
2233 6:02 National Street
2241 6:25 Bartlett

I did go downtown yesterday for some testing at our new location taking the aforementioned 7:37 from Roselle. What I was most surprised by was the number of trains we passed after Western Ave. DHing to the yards on both the MD and UP-West. But when you realize how little space Metra has to work with, particularly at Union Station, you realize they do need to get the trains out of there ASAP.

lstone19 wrote:Thanks. And I'm glad to see Metra is more efficient with their equipment utilization than I realized.

I am assuming when you say deadheads, you mean the entire run in that direction is non-revenue since there are some other runs that start or end the revenue portion of their run somewhere other than Elgin or Big Timber but obviously come from or go to the Elgin yard:
Eastbbound originating
2212 6:54 Roselle
2214 6:57 Hanover Park
2218 7:13 Bartlett

Westbound terminating:
2233 6:02 National Street
2241 6:25 Bartlett

Correct. Other than 2241, these runs aren't "recycled" from earlier trips, they either come from, or go straight to Elgin. As further information, according to my copy of a Milwaukee West ETT effective 3/23/09, 2212, 2214, & 2218 come out the east end of Elgin yard at 6:29, 6:39, and 7:02 respectively. Also, 2233's equipment parks on the storage track closest to the river at the station off track 1 (the east track) after terminating at National St, while 2235 comes in and parks on the track next to it, on the platform toward the east end of the depot. It should also be noted that the Friday runs of 2233 & 2235 provide the Sunday equipment for this line.

lstone19 wrote:I did go downtown yesterday for some testing at our new location taking aforementioned 7:37 from Roselle. What I was most surprised by was the number of trains we passed after Western Ave. DHing to the yards on both the MD and UP-West. But when you realize how little space Metra has to work with, particularly at Union Station, you realize they do need to get the trains out of there ASAP.

That's right, because for much of the morning rush, track 1 is the only one signaled opposite peak direction (westbound) out of CUS, yet you've got revenue trains, deadhead equipment to Western, and Amtrak all vying for a slot, so it's pretty tight at this time of day. On the UP side, even though there's equipment moves and/or lite power moves (heading either to the California yard or M19A further west) from all three routes stacked one behind the other, there's extra capacity to handle all of that since it's a 4-track ROW, and as a result, revenue UP/W trains aren't affected...

Now with a week of commuting under my belt, some more questions.

I've been taking 2210 in (7:36 arrival at CUS) and 2231 out (4:50 departure with just only a stop at Franklin Park before Roselle). This is the same equipment on both trains and is a 9-car set. Is this the only 9-car set on the Milwaukee West or are there other trains running nine cars? Arriving at CUS, the equipment obviously goes to the yard so does that mean 2212 (7:53 arrival) turns to 2207 (7:58 departure)?

Also, what turns to 2248 departing Big Timber at 6:07pm? 2231 is the closest arriving at 6:01 but I'm thinking they really don't want to be running that 9-car set on local schedules the rest of the evening. So does 2227 (5:43 arrival at Big Timber) turn to 2248?

Request to moderators: Can this be retitled "Milwaukee West equipment turns" to better describe the whole topic?

lstone19 wrote:Now with a week of commuting under my belt, some more questions.

I've been taking 2210 in (7:36 arrival at CUS) and 2231 out (4:50 departure with just only a stop at Franklin Park before Roselle). This is the same equipment on both trains and is a 9-car set. Is this the only 9-car set on the Milwaukee West or are there other trains running nine cars?

Last time I checked (a few months ago) there is also a 10-car set on Milwaukee West, assigned to morning run 2216 and 2237 in the evening, both of which deadhead to/from Big Timber via Elgin. And speaking of that nine car set: I think that equipment runs with an extra cab in the consist about six cars back from the engine, my notes from a while back indicated three of those cars were cut, and the remaining six used for some Saturday trips. Is that extra cab still there?

lstone19 wrote: Arriving at CUS, the equipment obviously goes to the yard so does that mean 2212 (7:53 arrival) turns to 2207 (7:58 departure)?

No. There is a Milwaukee North line run 2110 (748 CUS arrival) that comes in between 2210 (your morning train) and 2212. 2110's equipment turns to 2207...

lstone19 wrote:Also, what turns to 2248 departing Big Timber at 6:07pm? 2231 is the closest arriving at 6:01 but I'm thinking they really don't want to be running that 9-car set on local schedules the rest of the evening. So does 2227 (5:43 arrival at Big Timber) turn to 2248?

Yes it does. And you're right, they don't use the 9-car set the rest of the evening. They just run eight instead (haha)... : )

doepack wrote:Last time I checked (a few months ago) there is also a 10-car set on Milwaukee West, assigned to morning run 2216 and 2237 in the evening, both of which deadhead to/from Big Timber via Elgin.

Niether of those stop at Roselle so as far as I am concerned, neither train exists.

doepack wrote:And speaking of that nine car set: I think that equipment runs with an extra cab in the consist about six cars back from the engine, my notes from a while back indicated three of those cars were cut, and the remaining six used for some Saturday trips. Is that extra cab still there?

Yes (I rode that car home yesterday). Also car eight (from the engine) has been a cab. That's my usual morning car.

doepack wrote:No. There is a Milwaukee North line run 2110 (748 CUS arrival) that comes in between 2210 (your morning train) and 2212. 2110's equipment turns to 2207...

I had considered that they might do some North to West (and v.v.) turns but that complicates trying to figure it all out. So there must be some West train that turns to a North train. And of course, there's also the North Central trains to figure into it.

doepack wrote:Yes it does. And you're right, they don't use the 9-car set the rest of the evening. They just run eight instead (haha)... : )

Those long off-peak trains do seem wasteful.

Last question (for now) if anyone knows. My morning train with nine cars stops with the head-end off the platform at Roselle while in the evening, all nine cars platform. Does pulling one car beyond the platform get the engine clear of the ped. crossing at the west end? My math (after using Google Earth to measure the platform length) says it's close but not quite but since that's not an accurate way to measure, maybe it does and why else pull down so the head car does not platform. But as I learned the first day, if you're planning to go out via the main concourse to Adams Street, you don't want to be in the rear so I haven't been at the west end to see where it stops.

I think so. I seem to recall people always rushing around the rear end of 2220, for example, in a mad dash for their train. That was back before the chicken-wire "fence" was put up, though, so folks may have just been walking across the tracks. I can't remember if the crossing was cleared or not.

From an engineer's standpoint, you don't WANT to leave any of the crossings open, anyway. It's a bad idea to leave a crossing open right behind you, lest some folks try to USE it, and meanwhile another train is coming along on another track. The CP special instructions even has a rule about this - a passing train must hold back and wait for the stopped train to leave, unless all the pedestrian crossings are blocked, and the station is equipped with an inter-track fence.