Today i was on a train from Geneva going to Villa Park. I insisted we sit in the cab car. I wanted to because i realized there is a front row window. I got some great videos of ariving and depart from that area. So next time your on metra with your camera, sit at the end window!
Just pray that you’ never become involved in a head on collision!
Metras my favorite railroad, even if i was involed in one of there accidents id still railfan them!
I don’t like how low the seat backs are in the new cars.
Me too. But its not about the seats. It the great ride, and having fun!
I agree, stayed in Aurora and rode the cab car to/from CUS. Was great.
Colin, too bad you had to get off at Villa Park–east of Elmhurst is where the trip really gets interesting, with signals to observe, a crossover move, and, of course, a smooth stop just short of the bumping post at Ogilvie. Still, I suspect you may have met a few trains, and that’s a thrill, too.
I’ve never been able to pull off the cab-car ride on the Burlington line. Just observing the signals along that route would make it a treat. However, it may be rough to stand up there without a good handhold–I’ve found that line to be a lot rougher than UP West for riding the Metra trains (surprised? Me, too!).
I once took my daughter on the Southwest Service, and we practically had the cab car to ourselves. She learned a lot about signaling on that trip–thanks to the conductor, who rode in the car with us to respond to the engineer, who was audibly calling the signals.
(Thanks again, Butch!)
Now, Antonio, in regard to the accidents, I still think that gallery cars might be safer than those bilevels they use on Metrolink in such situations. And a level-headed railfan in that position might be able to save lives, if he reacts well to observing what might transpire when the engineer lays on the horn, or other such situation. He would be able, more quickly than a crewman, to tell people to move back from that end of the cab car, or at least to brace for impact. (Don’t do it for just anything, though–you might get in trouble for crying “wolf”.)
I also find a cab car ride to be very cool, but I don’t suggest it when you are on hte lower level and it is cold and rainy that day…some of the older cab cars have doors that leak like crazy on such days and the cold wind and rain sometimes come into the cars making it uncomfortable to be so close to the door.
If it’s anything like the old DMUs over here (which had a similar arrangement - the partition between the cab and the passenger area had three glazed windows in it so you could see the line ahead over the driver’s shoulder) you’ll be lucky to bag a seat near the front - whenever one of these units turns up on a preserved line you can see a mass stampede towards the lead car for those seats!
I have found the view is often less accessable on the GO Transit trains because the end of the car where the cab is located on the lower level is sometimes blocked off for railroad use.
You can see out the door but it is back some distance and the view is not as good. Still it is better than nothing and interesting.
Jim, you’re right about the drafty doors–but I’m usually in my outdoor clothes anyway, so that’s no biggie.
On the Southwest Service ride my daughter and I took, the conductor was nice enough to actually scrape the snow off the window for us before we departed. Thanks again, Butch!