The problem was the trains got longer and the schedules got tighter as they added more express trains and that continues today. There was an interview with the retiring head of the RTA on PBS recently where he talked about the popularity of the Q. To balance things out, they are talking about realigning some of the PACE feeder bus routes to try and funnel more riders to the C&NW west line.
A number of trains run with double headers, usually with one of the older F40s second. A pair of those starting a heavy eastbound 11-12 car train uphill out of Lisle almost makes me forget the E’s. I have mixed feelings about the E’s. I remember and rode them before HEP and never really liked the constant screaming of the HEP powerplant. The F40s aren’t much better but the new MPI units idle down to a reasonable RPM.
AFAIK, the Chicago area F40C’s ran on the Milwaukee lines. I never saw one on the Q. I’m not sure if they ever ran on the C&NW either, but possibly on the west line. Until fairly recently, power was not pooled between the different Metra operators.
Definitely one of the coolest places to watch trains. The Racetrack should be the poster child for all that is good about commuter rail. I had the good fortune to get a round trip cab ride one night. F40PH-2, though. The Es were all gone at that time.
The F40C’s ran strictly on both Milwaukee routes. They were too heavy for the North Western North Line (light bridges), which is the same restriction as the MP36’s. Since all three North Western lines have a common power pool, this would effective bar the F40C’s and MP36’s from those lines.
Doubleheaders are usually a case of moving protection power to where it might be needed and are part of regular equipment assignments. A few runs on the Southwest Service also have doubleheaders.
Back when the E’s were running, there were basically 3 zones, the near-in stations such as Berwyn, Riverside, Brookfield, La Grange were generally served by trains making all stops. The middle zone, including Hinsdale, Clarenden Hills, Westmont, Fairview, and Downers Grove had rush hour express trains. The far western burbs such as Lisle, Naperville, and Aurora had the final group of rush hour express trains.
I’m least familiar with the middle zones, but as farmland turned into subdivsions in the far western burbs, many of the Express trains became standing room only. When the F40s and additional cars became available, the western end was broken up and Naperville & Aurora got their own express trains and more of them. Lisle, Belmont, and Downers Grove got their own trains as well. Parking has always been a problem in many suburbs and when the new station at Rt 59 came on line with a giant lot, that added even more commuters.
An interesting aspect of the operation that really complicates things is sending the middle zone Express trains back downtown for another load. These reverse and cross over to the inbound track at Fairview. Some trains did the same at Belmont and there are likely places farther in where the same thing happens. I don’t have a timetable handy, but during rush hour, outbound trains from Union Station leave almost simultaneously, with an express on the center track, so these crossover movements occur against heavy traffic.
Another change that has been going on with the racetrack is the signals have been getting replaced over the last few years. It is now controlled by new signals from Cicero to Hinsdale, with the exception of Highlands. If you want to get the old signal bridges, I suggest you don’t wait long as BNSF is eventually going to replace all the signals on the racetrack.
The third one that eolafan posted has an interesting statement in the description- “The BNSF train had stopped after plowing a Buick…”. Amazing that I can’t make out any damage.
Related to observations made about signal bridge replacement it continues and right now the bridge just east of the Naperville station seems to be undergoing replacement. I have seen a crew there for some time now and they have a large crane right at the old signal bridge making me believe they are replacing it.
My guess is that it would have to be on the north side of the tracks so that the stations on the south side of the tracks will remain. Wow - a fourth track? That would blow my mind…
