New Electric District Railcars

Good news for commuters, but it'll end the variety we've had over the last few years. Between blue and orange highliners, highliners-2, south shore highliners, and the single-deck south shore cars, it's been a little more interesting.

There was discussion a while back about making the Metra Electric South Chicago branch a rapid transit line.

It'll never happen, but were it not for the South Shore Line interurban using the Metra Electric tracks, the RTA could just as easily replace all the Metra Electric Division trains with New York or PATCO-style subway cars (the large size).

Of course, they would have to run on 1500 v and be fitted with pantographs!

The original 1926 Pullman-built Illinois Central Electric cars were just 75 feet in length, and had better acceleration than the Highliners.

The Highliners were built to a higher-speed specification than they currently have. The cars had issues with their braking capabilities right off the bat - one of the first cars delivered had to be replaced after it plowed straight through a bumping post at Randolph Street, followed by the 1974 derailment which was indirectly caused by braking issues (train overshot a platform and backed up into a block which had already been given a clear signal to the train behind it). The braking was unique, a three-way blend of air, dynamic, and hydraulic brakes. At some point the IC decided to play it safe and block out the highest notch on the Highliners' controllers, field shunting, to keep their top speed lower - this was done simply by putting a little metal stopper on each controller handle. The hydraulic brakes (which were generally considered unreliable) were disabled when the Highliners were rehabbed by M-K at the old Pullman plant in Chicago in the mid 1990s, and the overall braking systems re-calibrated to run on a blend of air and dynamics.

I've heard from various sources (albeit all through the grapevine) that the Highliners still have issues with the brakes where the dynamics will cut out as a train is slowing down for a station, forcing its engineer to haphazardly pull off more air in an effort to get it stopped on the platform. However, I don't work for Metra and don't make any particular claims on whether this is true or not - the reputation of these cars prior to their rehab may very well have followed them after their rehab work.

I can see Metra taking advantage of the new cars' higher-speed capabilities once the fleet is entirely equipped. It's known for sure that the 26 currently on the property draw higher current than the old Highliners, and the MED will be getting substation upgrades as a result. They also might be able to "tighten up" the schedule a bit when all the new cars are here - but not until then, since you don't want to have a quick express run bogged down by rolling stock that can only do 60 or so.

It should also be noted that braking issues with the Highliners is also what caused the fatal October 1972 rear-end collision at 27th Street Station.

Sumitomo Corporation of America and Nippon Sharyo, Ltd. Awarded Contract for 160 Bi-level Electric Passenger Rail Cars for Metra
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 21834.html
The cars for the contract will be similar to the 26 Gallery-Type bi-level electric railcars that were delivered in year 2005-2006. About half of the new cars will be equipped with bathrooms which will ensure a more comfortable ride for passengers.
The contract price will be $560 million. Delivery is scheduled from the end of 2012 through the middle of 2015. The Sumitomo and Nippon Sharyo team have already successfully delivered 479 Gallery Type bi-level passenger cars and 26 Gallery Type bi-level electrical passenger cars delivered to Metra and all rolling stock used by Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (85 cars).

Byte and E-Ron: Something just came to my mind reading the news of the order for new Highliner 2 cars (I'll name 'em along with most here) and I wonder if a voltage change away from 1500 VDC to a higher voltage - 3000 VDC or maybe reelectrifying with AC current
similar to the NJT Morris and Essex lines back in the 80s to allow more current to be fed and used by the new equipment? I also realize that the South Shore would probably have to change voltages also...Will these cars have the ability to run on multiple voltages thru phase gaps
as for example NJT does on the Midtown Direct service and the North Jersey Coast Line between Matawan and Long Branch (11KV to 25KV AC)if necessary?

I realize these cars will replace all the early 70s vintage Highliners but will the small group of newer Bombardier Highliners also be replaced? This will be totally a new look for Metra Electric...MACTRAXX

I believe the plan is to replace all St. Louis and Bombardier built cars. There are 165 of them, and the 160 new cars, plus the 26 cars of 2005 would mean a fleet of 186 cars, more than enough to operate Metra Electric.
I've never heard of any plans to change the electric system.

NOW I can rejoice
should I sing in praise from the mountains.. known as the Dan Ryan woods. aka The highest point in Chicago. or down by the rivers edge.. on LSD.

AAhhh finally some good news for the south suburb patrons, it went from approval to an actual contract. Which means if theres no monkey wrench thrown in were actually getting new MED cars! And I can agree with Byte on his youtube post now..Hallelujah

At the price estimated thats $3.5 mil per car. Anyone know the cost per car for the first order and how much the SS line paid for theres. its interesting that there will be 20 extra cars on the electric fleet when the order is complete, could this be Metra anticipating/thinking of adding at least 2 extra train trips to the line by 2015,( adding 2 extra 6 car trains would still leave 8 cars as spares) or extending a few of the current rush hour trains Uni. park to Mil. station to 8 cars trains. I noticed recently MED stations getting overhauled are capable of accommodating 8 car trains. (just a theory)

To Mac... I can see MED keeping a few of the bombardier highliners around on the property as work train equipment, but once the order is complete I don't believe any will ever see revenue service again.... unless MED builds another electric line, Or jokingly sells them to NICTD for there hopefully Valparaiso line.

buddah wrote:
To Mac... I can see MED keeping a few of the bombardier highliners around on the property as work train equipment

This is pretty unlikely given that there's usually at least a couple diesel switchers floating around or near the MED for lugging ballast hoppers, etc around the line. Each "old" highliner only has 600 hp so and aren't suitable for dragging MOW cars around.

buddah wrote:At the price estimated thats $3.5 mil per car. Anyone know the cost per car for the first order and how much the SS line paid for theres.

I have it as $3,398,000 per car ... delivered in 2008-2009 and with some minor changes from Metra's design (some things obvious such as the vestibule with single doors with traps at the non-cab end of each car - some less obvious such as a different toilet system for handling waste).

buddah wrote:To Mac... I can see MED keeping a few of the bombardier highliners around on the property as work train equipment, but once the order is complete I don't believe any will ever see revenue service again.... unless MED builds another electric line, Or jokingly sells them to NICTD for there hopefully Valparaiso line.

NICTD should be able to buy cars as needed for the Valpo line (or Lowell) if they ever come to fruition. And the likelyhood of electrifying either line extension will mean that diesels will be in play. Plus NICTD would probably want something WITH restrooms for either route ... NICTD has 20 of 68 single level cars without restrooms (single cab cars 101-110 and trailers 201-210) but they mix those cars with cars that do have restrooms so there are facilities available. So I'm glad you're joking.

I thought the NICTD plan for Valpo and Lowell was to buy dual-power locomotives that would operate on Metra and South Shore as electric locomotives and then switch to diesel to use the old Monon route through Hammond and Munster and onto Lowell via CSX and Valpo on CN, splitting at Maynard Junction in Munster. These trains would utilize regular non-powered gallery cars. Unless there's some electric-powered commuter line in Mexico, Central or South America (or some other place) that needs equipment, it's looks like the Highliners not obtained by museums will be headed to the scrap yard.

CHTT1 wrote:I thought the NICTD plan for Valpo and Lowell was to buy dual-power locomotives that would operate on Metra and South Shore as electric locomotives and then switch to diesel to use the old Monon route through Hammond and Munster and onto Lowell via CSX and Valpo on CN, splitting at Maynard Junction in Munster. These trains would utilize regular non-powered gallery cars. Unless there's some electric-powered commuter line in Mexico, Central or South America (or some other place) that needs equipment, it's looks like the Highliners not obtained by museums will be headed to the scrap yard.

That was one of the latest plans floated. Also, married pair gallery cars - one with a pantograph and one with a diesel prime mover. They'd be coupled together into 4- and 6-car trains.

CHTT1 wrote:I thought the NICTD plan for Valpo and Lowell was to buy dual-power locomotives that would operate on Metra and South Shore as electric locomotives and then switch to diesel ...

jb9152 wrote:That was one of the latest plans floated. Also, married pair gallery cars - one with a pantograph and one with a diesel prime mover. They'd be coupled together into 4- and 6-car trains.

I'm expecting the dual-power locomotives with trailers and a cab car on the Chicago end. But I like the concept of a married pair electric/diesel train. It sounds more flexible ... less reliance on a few engines and cab cars to make sure the trailers can still make the trip.

I'm assuming on the married pair both cars would still be electrically driven but one car would feed both from it's pan under wire and the other car would feed both from it's diesel generator when out from under the wire. Or would the diesel car become a trailer under wire and vice versa (with a power connection to keep the lights on)?

All of the current cars are self powered - no HEP ... no connections between cars except MU/door controls. If the pan goes out on a trailer the trailer has no power (except emergency lights)? If both pans go out on a powered car it becomes an unlit trailer. IF a power connection existed could a diesel genset be used to power the train's individual motors from one end of the train? Or is the power requirement too high for the connectors beyond a car or two?

MACTRAXX wrote:Byte and E-Ron: Something just came to my mind reading the news of the order for new Highliner 2 cars (I'll name 'em along with most here) and I wonder if a voltage change away from 1500 VDC to a higher voltage - 3000 VDC or maybe reelectrifying with AC current
similar to the NJT Morris and Essex lines back in the 80s to allow more current to be fed and used by the new equipment? I also realize that the South Shore would probably have to change voltages also...

If one is going to change the system voltage, wouldn't it be better to switch to AC? 1500 VDC is a common rail voltage standard used around the world, I see no valid reason to change.

justalurker66 wrote: All of the current cars are self powered - no HEP ... no connections between cars except MU/door controls. If the pan goes out on a trailer the trailer has no power (except emergency lights)?

Most EMUs built after 1945 or so (think the first CTA 5000s and later) run off of two electrical circuits - the traction circuit, which is the 600v/1500v/etc circuit which powers the motors, air compressor, and any other "heavy duty" components; and the low-voltage circuit, which is where things like the lights, air conditioning, and (perhaps most importantly) the motor controls get their power. The traction circuit isn't trainlined unless the cars have a special jumper built in. All CA&E interurban cars were all equipped with such jumpers, and A few of IRM's PCC "L" cars have such jumpers so we can run a motor car without poles in tandem with a car with poles (CTA 22 & 41 are run this way).

The low voltage circuit, on the other hand, is always trainlined through the many pins in the MU-type couplers. This way, you can run a trailer car which can accomodate passengers just like any other motor car. Its motors will be cut out, as will its air compressor (if so equipped) but electricity from the low-voltage circuit supplied from other cars through the MU coupler will keep the lights, HVAC, and motor controls running. The latter is extremely important because if a pan goes out on a lead car and it can no longer operate as a motor, its cab can still control the other cars via MU, hence it is now a "control trailer."