I know I post a lot, but this just caught my attention. Metra (METX) has been retiring some of their F40PH-2s recently, and their fate is currently unknown. Currently, six units sit in Anitoch Coach Yard this includes units #155, 170, 153, 152, 171, 168, 160, 172, and 169. Apparently, Metra may convert these to battery-powered units, but I’m not entirely sure yet, I hope that maybe a railway museum here in the Midwest can manage to get at least one of the units for preservation. And it is possible that F40PHM-3s and F40PH-3s can be retired as well to make way for the SD70MACHs, they have also been retiring small amounts of Gallery Cars for when the Alstom cars arrive. I’ve only been to Chicago whenever something related to family is going on, like a birthday party, but now all I see are SD70MACHs and barely any F40s I’d get as many shots as possible before they are gone, I’m hoping that Metra keeps them and continues to rebuild them, if they do plan to scrap the F40PH-2s, I will try with my best efforts to preserve one or two and put it on display somewhere near my home or put them onto excursion service. If I’m wrong let me know
Credits to Chicago Transit Forum for the image of the retired F40PH-2s
Gabe
Yep, their replacements are much more streamlined. The old diesels pulled and pushed my commuter train for several years.
Rich
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Just contacted Metra on the status of the locomotives and hoping I can get some information on how to preserve 1 or more of these before they are gone
Gabe
Just FYI, if you want more traction on this type of topic, it would fit better in the Trains/Locomotives or Trains/Passenger (or even transit) subcategories. That’s where you’ll find lots of discussion of stuff like Metra and locos in general.
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Also, just to be a pedant.
Those are not F40PH-2s. They were built as F40PHs and have been rebuilt as F40PH-3s. Metra has over 100 and they were rebuilt starting around 10ish years ago. Worth noting that all the locomotives in that picture were not painted in the more modern scheme that at least some of them got on rebuild.
There are only 19 SD70MACH rebuilds and I think only 17 delivered so far As far as I know they are only on the Milwaukee North Line. So if that’s all you’re seeing, that says which part of Chicago you are visiting. 
Metra has more F59PHIs and MP36s than it does the MACH.
I’m well aware of that I grew up in Chicago, and yeah, it might have been the Milwaukee North Line where I usually railfan from time to time, and I know they were built as F40PHs before being rebuilt to F40PH-2s I know quite a bit about F40s, especially on Metras F40s and if you didn’t already majority of the F40s where rebuilt to Dash-3 Standards.
Gabe
I was just stating to save those since they have been officially retired from service
Gabe
As far as I know the only Metra units that were ever Dash-2 are the F40PHM-2s that have also been rebuilt as you noted.
I’m Chicago Born and raised, I’m plenty aware of Metra’s roster.
Point is, it’s unlikely they are going to start clearing the roster of F40s at this point. unless they put out a new contract.
The Battery electric conversion plans got cancelled. Not sure why. Might be that Progress couldn’t meet the schedule. They just issued a new RFP for the Battery electric conversion, but obviously no announced plan yet. These locos are all built 1983ish. You’d think the older units would go first.
Not necessarily but, that what I’ve been hearing all 30 of the PHMs are Dash-3 and those are classified as F40PH-2s by Metra themselves
Gabe
THe Metra Diesel roster is up to date ish…doesn’t have these retirements listed.
https://www.thedieselshop.us/METRA.HTML
They were built as F40PHM-2 The original F40PH had dash-2 electricals it was basically a GP40-2. The F40PH-2 was introduced in 1985 and made 3200 horsepower instead of 3000. I believe the last 41 locos Metra ordered starting in 1989 would be Dash-2. Locos 174-184 are regular F40PH-2s and 185-214 are the PHM-2s.
But they are all now Dash-3.
I only ever saw the F40PHM-2s on the Race Track. I’m not sure if any other lines used them.
Have you looked at the Chicago Transit Forum?
They were retired from service and sit in storage in Antioch Coach Yard currently, I don’t plan to use them as much anymore.
Gabe
This is from the Chicago Transit Forum:
"F40PH-2: #152, 153, 155, 160, 168, 169, 170, 171 & 172 (Retired)
F40PH-3 #109, 115 & 216 (presumed to be scheduled for rebuild or are stripped of parts/retired)
F59PH: #94, 95 & 96"
Gabe
