When did Amtrak last run there Chicago area Bi-level commuter trains?
Thanks,
Are you sure Amtrak ever ran commuter trains? As long as I have been in the Chicago area (28 years) I’m pretty sure but not certain they have all been run by Metra and they still run bilevels on all routes that I know of.
Do you mean the former Conrail trains to Valparaiso ?
Hum this is interesting I didn’t realize the fact that Amtrak ran Bi-levels in or around the Chicago area, unless Amtrak is being mistaken for Metra here.
If my memory is correct, they were on the line which was formerly operated by N & W but I can’t recall where that commuter service ran. Last time I saw the cars they were in Bellevue, Ohio as part of the NKP Historical Society Museum’s collection.
Unfortunately I don’t remember when the operation ended.
Perhaps I’ve just added more confusion to the thread, hopefully not.
I think the Superliners were operated in the Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha service for a short time, perhaps just for the earliest deliveries of the I’s and also as a shakedown.
I think Amtrak did run the Valpo train, which one could consider a commuter operation, but that was never any part of the Chicago Metra operation I doubt that any of the Metra bi-level cars ever got over to that service.
Of course, I could be wrong.
Amtrak had some ex-CNW gallery equipment from one of the 400’s that they used on the Illini. To the best of my recollection the Valpo Dummy was usually weenies, or whatever else they might have had floating around 21st St.
They used those ex-CNW bilevels on the Valpo trains, too. But I can’t remember when those runs were eliminated. These were not commuter cars, nor were they ever operated by Metra.
The Calumet ran until May 1991-
http://www.narprail.org/h9104.htm
The last day of service for Amtrak’s Calumet commuter train between Chicago and Valparaiso, Ind., is May 3. Because many riders use monthly passes and because there will be only three days of service in May, Amtrak will allow free travel May 1-3 for April pass holders. After that, because no agency has come forward to rescue the line, it would be no surprise if Conrail tried to abandon part of the former Pennsylvania Railroad mainline between Gary and Valparaiso.
The Calumet and the Chicago/Indiana Connection were the only commuter operations operated directly under the Amtrak flag. Under Amtrak operation, the ex-400 bilevels were used in this service although not initially as push-pulls since they were equipped for such service. 2 P30CH’s were used back to back on these trains at first with the power always on the leading end. For a while, they were operated as push-pulls with an Amtrak F40PH on one end and a CR GP7/9 on the other end. Two cars later received control cabs and the trains went to conventional push-pull operation.
Amtrak NEVER ran an official commuter train in the Chicago area, only Intercity trains, although some of their intercity trains are regularly used as dafacto commuter tains, most notably the Hiawatha trains to and from Milwaukee and its southern suburbs.
A little history might be called for here. The Valpo trains were originated by the PRR and called the Valpo dummies. I have no idea why they were called that. That may be why when Amtrak was formed they went to Amtrak as they were outside the purview of Metra. In addition they traveled between two states which would further confuse the issue at the time since Metra did not. Currently the South shore has plans to restore the service by using the Monon mainline which has been out of service for some years to connect to their main in Hammond and service Valpo. I do not know if they plan to erect catenary or use diesels on this line
Bilevels also were used on the Illini, The Illinois Zephyr, Hiawahta and Valpo Dummy.
The Valparaiso locals were run by PC and Conrail into the 1980’s. Since they were an interstate run and had no stops in Illinois besides Chicago Union Station, they were beyond Metra’s purview. Amtrak took over operation of the locals since Conrail was mandated by Federal law to operate freight services only and NICTD was only in the early stages of taking over South Shore’s passenger service.
Amtrak used bi-levels of the same general pattern as the C&NW and Rock Island Pullman commuter cars. I believe they were used on the Flambeau 400, or something like that, in Wisconsin.
When they became surplus in the late 1970s, they were leased by Metra and used on the Rock Island commuter trains in the Amtrak livery. They weren’t very practical, not being set up for push-pull operation, and they were just used on the Rock until new Metra cars on order could be delivered. Where they went after that, I know not.
As far as I know, Amtrak never ran a Chicago commuter service of its own.
Old Timer
The Amtrak ex-C&NW bi-levels from the Flambeau and Peninsula 400’s were leased to the RTA where they were operated on the Rock Island in the mid-1970’s. After they were returned to Amtrak, they went back to working various short hauls in the Midwest and eventually wound up on the Valparaiso locals.
The Valparaiso locals were definitely suburban trains and were operated directly by Amtrak. NICTD had nothing to do with the operation of these trains.
The Rock/RTA also had one set of C&NW St. Louis-built coaches with a Pullman cab car around that same time. Of course, these were not the former long-distance gallery cars, but plain old “commuter streamliners”. The C&NW set usually ran with one of the RI Fs - 676, etc.
When were they retired from Amtrak Service?