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Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.

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 #1384026  by lstone19
 
MD-W train 2213 has a mechanical issue this morning (per the alerts) delaying it and 2236, its return to Chicago. My son happened to see 2236 at Roselle this afternoon. He says it had an F40 leading on the east end followed by a WESTWARD facing set of cars (cab car on the west end) and then an westward facing F59 on the west end. In other words, a turned around regular set plus an F59 next to the cab car.

I'm assuming the F59 went out as a rescue engine but why was 2213 operating with a turned around set?
 #1384148  by Tadman
 
From what I understand, that was actually a test train of sorts. Due to F59 mechanical issues, they have been running that bracketed train with maintenance or shop personnel on board to trouble shoot with the other engine there as a backup. Not sure when they don't double head them, perhaps some of the issues are related to engine-coach MU connections and the trailing engine is not hooked up to HEP or MU cabling, just air. That's speculation.
 #1384166  by byte
 
Tadman wrote:Not sure when they don't double head them, perhaps some of the issues are related to engine-coach MU connections and the trailing engine is not hooked up to HEP or MU cabling, just air. That's speculation.
If there's several people on board who might need access inside the locomotive, it's probably not doubleheaded just so they can walk through a coach into the rear door of the unit.
 #1384540  by doepack
 
I wonder if they used a HC set for testing. That would explain the cab car facing west...
 #1384545  by lstone19
 
I checked the train on Wednesday but it was a normal arrangement. One Metra guy told me the HC set went out as a rescue train due to the F59 dying but that doesn't make sense. My son said it was a westward facing cab car next to the F59 so if the HC went out as a rescue, what happened to the cars the F59 was pulling (which would have included an eastward facing cab car and would not have had a westward facing car next to the F59?

Oh well, I hate it when I see something strange and don't know why.
 #1384622  by AMTK84
 
I suspect what your son saw was the test train with METX 97 that ran earlier this week. In an effort to try and diagnose some of the issues they've been having with the F59's, a test train was run earlier this week. While I don't know from where they got the equipment, it would make sense that an HC set was used--mainly because those sets don't go anywhere during the day and would thus be available.
 #1384632  by lstone19
 
Everything I heard said this was a revenue train.

BTW, just saw 97 as the second unit on the break-in train.