And the equipment will come from... where?

In case Chicago gets the Olympic bid (official announcement due this October), Metra has been advised to start planning accordingly. No details yet, but I currently know of no other major commuter agency in the country that has surplus equipment, or at least enough of it to provide the necessary added capacity...

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009 ... mpics.html

I guess they should think about getting back all the Pullman and Budd coaches that they shed and are stored in various places before they too are cut up. They also may want to consider repairing damaged Amfleet equipment and leasing them from Amtrak. While they wouldn't be so great for local trains due to they way the doors open, they might work on limited stop trains or could be used with bilevels and just not have them open up at intermediate stops. Where there's a will.......

I know where they can get locomotives to haul them.

Assuming the current infrastructure and service levels are still in place at that time, it's possible that they could get by on existing equipment with little to no reliance on help from other agencies, if scheduled properly. Some lines, like BNSF and UP/W, may have very limited slots for extra trains due to the heavy freight presence; plus there's the question of terminal capacity. The stations at LaSalle St. and Randolph St. (Millennium) will take on a renewed importance due to their proximity to the Loop, but I'm not sure if either one could handle a lot of extra trains, especially if SWS has moved there by that time. But all is conjecture & guesswork right now, and will become moot if Chicago doesn't get the bid. Speaking of which, I'm kind of on the fence about that; while I think the Olympics would be great for the city, I certainly am not looking forward to the travel headaches it will surely cause...

F40CFan wrote:I know where they can get locomotives to haul them.

Why, more MP's of course! I just KNOW you weren't talking about those ancient gas guzzlers...

I was reading a post on Illinirail saying Metra will have to borrow 20 locomotives and about 60 cars for the 2016 Olympics if they make it to Chicago. Anyone have any more info? Who would they most likely borrow from?
Colin

doepack wrote:Why, more MP's of course! I just KNOW you weren't talking about those ancient gas guzzlers...

More MPs? Sure, if people arrive by ship they can be used for boat anchors.

F40CFan wrote:

doepack wrote:Why, more MP's of course! I just KNOW you weren't talking about those ancient gas guzzlers...

More MPs? Sure, if people arrive by ship they can be used for boat anchors.

Speaking of more MP's... the first of MARC's MP36's is in transit to D.C.... maybe Metra could barrow some of them come 2016.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1523633

I have no idea where the cars are to come from. The locomotives shouldn't be that hard to find - GO and Amtrak both have surplus units and it wouldn't surprise me if bigger operators like MN or NJT can spare a few locomotives.

Any possibility of Metra getting back some of those old orange and brown striped Pullman cars (RTA scheme)(http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=108604) if they get the bid? I'd really like to see some in operation again, but so far, all we've had are 5 blue and orange (still Pullman, but Metra scheme)(http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1474061) cars back from VRE and the two F40Cs (don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining there).

I don't mind the Pullmans, but I was never a fan of the orange & brown livery, I hope that's been relegated to history forever. But speaking of other agencies that may have surplus equipment at some point, Caltrain could be another alternative, especially if their electrification plans ever get off the ground. Since their push-pull gallery cars are of the same ilk as Metra, that equipment could become surplus if/when Caltrain decides to upgrade their fleet to the new standard...