New Start Project - NCS

I figured with the increased service on the way it's a good time to start a thread about the NCS.

First off, which locos have been running that line these days?

I assume all of the 8700's are gone. What has replaced them, 7200's? 8200's?

Are 8501/6001 series cars common?

How far along is the track work?

Typically, the NCS uses the same F40 pool as the MDN and MDW lines, road numbers in the 109-124 series or so, not sure what the precise allocation is these days.

All of the 8700's appear to be gone, most trains seem to have the newer 8500 cabs, but I'm not sure about the coaches...

Gonna put a visit to this line to check out the expansion on my ever growing "railfan to-do list", will post updates on my findings...

They are using 7200 coaches and use any F40PH between 100 and 127. The cabs have changed from 8400s to 8500s.

I see lots of F40PHs in the 100 to 120s range, as mentioned above.

The other locomotive I see a lot is F40PHM-2 #211, Village of Vernon Hills. (I think 211 is the right number.)

If anyone has details on the expansion in terms of timing and what the new schedules might look like, I'd love to know. I'm dying for expanded service. That said, there is still a ton of work going on - I think they have a ways to go. They're still working on a number of platforms, and it seems like they have a few grade crossings to complete, too.

I had occasion to drive by the site of the new Schiller Park station this evening and it looks like the new platforms are complete. Construction of the shelters is underway and some work has begun on the parking lot.

As for the equipment used on trains, I saw (not surprisingly) F40PH's with 7200 and 7400 series coaches and 8500 series cabs.

Actually the F40's they're using are any between, 100,101,105-124, and 211.

Figured I'd make a quick post about some of the recent track work. They recently finished the grade crossing at Route 60 in Vernon Hills/Mundelein. That was the one crossing that I thought would be disastrous when they closed the interesction, but the work went quick.

They also recently (about a month ago) finished the crossing at Route 45 in Vernon Hills. Right now they have Butterfield Road closed while they work on that one.

I ride from Mundelein, so not sure what might be going on north of there, but there doesn't seem to be much significant work on the track anywhere south of Mundelein. Still a lot of work going on at the Vernon Hills and Prarie View depots.

How many trainsets does NCS have? How long are the trains?

NCS has 4 sets. I'm not sure which trains do the morning runs, but here are the afternoon.

#105-112-111- 5 Cars
#107 - 4 Cars
#109 - 6 Cars
#113 - I believe its now 5 Cars. It was 6 cars back in 2003, however only 3 cars were used.

Had a chance to visit what will be the new Schiller Park station yesterday. The station is (or will be) located on Ruby St. and Leland, 1 block SW of the intersection of 25th Ave and Lawrence Ave. The construction area was fenced off (although not very securely, the gates to the site weren't fastened together by a lock, but by small piece of rope; guaranteed to be broken through with little or no resistance by someone even thinking of trespassing!), but I was still able to to see that the platforms are complete, and the station lighting structures are in place as well. A small shelter is up on the inbound platform, while land for the parking lot is being cleared, so that part of the construction should be getting underway soon.

I believe this is the only route on Metra's system that doesn't staff ticket agents at any of the outlying stations, including the terminal at Antioch.
Does anyone know if this practice will continue once the service is expanded, and if there are ticket agents planned for any of the four new stations?

I think the chances of a ticket agent on NCS are slim to none...at least for the time being. I would think a brand new station would have the lowest chance of an agent because Metra has only estimates on ridership for that station before it opens, and it does not look like any current station is making room for an agent office.

I don't have any clue how Metra determines when a station gets a ticket agent. On SWS, Orland Park 153rd is currently the busiest station and the only station with an agent. Oak Lawn used to be the top station, but there has never been an agent at Oak Lawn and there will probably not be one in the new station. Chicago Ridge is right behind Oak Lawn in ridership, and never had an agent either.

Moving to RI in 1986, Tinley Park - 80th Ave. did not have a ticket agent, while 107th Street along with 119th Street on the branch did. In the last 19 years, 107th and 119th have lost ticket agents, while 80th Ave. gained an agent and has become RI's busiest station.

Hmm, funny you should mention that none of the exisiting stations are making any room for a ticket agent office; I noticed that as well during my NCS "tour" yesterday. Still, during its nine year existence, overall ridership on this line has exceeded expectations; and the demand for additional service is the catalyst behind the expansion, so I'd expect at least one existing station to get a ticket agent within the next few years. My guess would be the Buffalo Grove station, one of the busiest stops on the line with three Pace routes currently serving the station, two of which serve nearby suburban office parks...

metra seems to be moving away from staffed stations. none of the newer stations have them. just look at lake-cook road. a station adgent has been promised there for years and years. i often wonder why metra continues to staff lightly used stations and heavy ridership stations remain unstaffed.

I would think Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove and Prospect Heights are the most likely to receive station agents, but still not likely.

FYI, Prospect Heights apparently has enough ridership to support a coffee shop inside the station.

Adding a ticket office brings on all kinds of extra costs. First off you have to pay the agent, theres the extra constuction for the building of the office. With all that money, a security system would need to be added. All that in it of itself is several hundred thousand dollars. Not adding agents to several stations saves tons of money.

Being that most people who ride Metra start or finish their ride at a downtown terminal, I only assume that Metra's thinking is that people will buy their tickets at a downtown terminal. Metra also has the ticket by mail program to help make the process easier for people. And now with the GPS, conductors dont have to worry about calling stations. The few extra tickets from the lack of an agent....ehhhh.....gives them something to do.