Today I heard a story about one of the eastbound Amtrak trains down the BNSF “racetrack” last week that had broken down out in the Plano area (west of Aurora) and they sent a Metra train…cars and all…out to pull the Amtrak train into CUS. So, the consist would have been (as seen by a video photographer, so I am told at Naperville) a Metra cab car followed by the normal Metra commuter train followed by two Amtrak units and hte normal Amtrak train. This was evidently only possible as the Metra units are equipped for HEP delivery from both ends of the units. This was supposed to have been last week some time…does anybody have any idea of the details and how I may go about finding the YouTube video of this train coming through Naperville?
Here’s a video, Jim:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G1OWBsyt8g
It was after dark, so the station looked more like Westmont than Naperville to me, but I could be wrong.
The incident happened on December 3, when the westbound Amtrak bottomed out on a grade crossing in Somonauk, Illinois. Some of the planking from the grade crossing got wedged into the locomotive’s battery box, causing damage and rendering the unit (only one?) unusable. I understand that it was moved to Sandwich to make it roadworthy again. The train was towed back, as shown in the video, and departed Chicago about twelve hours or so late behind replacement power.
Thanks Carl, I know I can always count on you for the “straight scoop”…yes, it did look like Westmont rather than Naperville…and yes, it was a westbounder, at least it had tried to be earlier in the day unitl Mr. Murphy struck with his pesky law. Thanks.
Carl, thanks much for that link ! [bow]
This video - 38 secs. long - is pretty clear for being shot at night, but nevertheless is not recommended for anyone who’s been imbibing - say, a little too much eggnog or other ‘fortified’ drink - this holiday season.
Because it’s just bizarre - the train is moving at close to track speed, and looks more like a very long double-deck commuter train running backwards at full speed, with only a single locomotive - and that’s in the middle of all the cars, pointing the wrong way to boot - and the train is finally brought up by a strangely low-level baggage car. Yes, I know a lot of the push-pull ‘scoots’ look like that half the time anyway - but the presence of the extra set of cars after the locomotive really jars one’s grasp of reality. Watch that video and see for yourself what you would have thought had you too seen it passing by.
This one deserved more publicity than it got !
The station platform lights and Christmas light decorations on the bushes on the other/ far side of the tracks are very pretty and atmospheric for the season - and I love the sound of that crossing bell ! (Somehow I need to get an electronic version of that to mount on my bicycle to ‘sound’ when I’m passing someone else on a trail - Carl will know what I mean, and maybe some others here too . . . [swg] )
- Paul North.
Wow, I just counted the cars (including Amtrak baggage car) on that entire train…17 cars and all but he baggage car heavy bilevels…that’s quote a train to be pulled by one Metra F40! I’ve seen plenty of Metra trains of about ten cars being pulled by two F40’s or one MP and one F40. That F40 in the video must have eaten it’s spinach that day!
Interesting set of events.### Would this have been left to a dispatcher to set-up to clear the disabled train out of his traffic flow?### It occurred to me, since this is out of the rhelm of a normal move, Does the METRA crew get anything more than a ‘ATTA BOY’ for the rescue? Someone had to make the necessary connections…### And while looking at some other Chicagoland videos of METRA action, I found one of this move.### CPR units running light with a UPRR Hybrid in tow…Wonder what the story is behind that?### Linked here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QIbV-20QhA&NR=1
First, I think that was Westmont in video. I know it wasn’t Naperville.
A few questions…
Why would the SW Chief only have one engine? Perhaps, it did have more than one engine and all of them were damaged / not able to continue?
Why would the entire train, minus damaged engine(s), be dragged all the way (@50 miles) back to Chicago? Why not send relief power / engines to the train?
Just curious,
CC
The video was indeed filmed at Westmont, not at Naperville. I’m not exactly sure why a relief unit wasn’t sent out to get the Amtrak train. The Chief did not have only one engine, it had two of them.
There is another video of it though that is indeed from Naperville. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2BLU9XTUZQ&feature=related
Pure speculation on my part, but I expect that the incident that damaged the engines also damaged the cars in a manner that it was felt prudent to bring the entire train back to the shop facilities at Chicago, rather than operate it 2000 miles to it’s destination for shop attention.
At some point, might have been Carl(?) or another Poster(?), but the statement ment was made that a panel (precast crossing pannel(?) had been clipped in some manner as the lead units went over it, and a puncture in a fuel tank was done by the errant pannel. The engine(s)(?) were was disabled, and they were taken to a siding close by the effected area for a temporary repair so they could be moved for more permanent repairs to be made . Balt ACD is most probably spot-on in his statement.
Quite possibly, as the engine was damaged, and much of the following passenger train was passing over the same damaged area, it may have been felt that more than just a simple field examination for damage was called for and the closest facility for that would be the Car Shop at Chicago would be appropriate for a thorough examination so there would not be another breakdown enroute.
It was a wooden grade-crossing timber that hit the battery-box of the engine. Don’t know what happened to the second unit.
The came cars went out again later, but it probably still made sense to drag them back for inspection rather than leave them in Somonauk (middle of nowhere, at least compared to Union Station). It’s possible that passengers were allowed to disembark, make use of land-based restrooms and TV, etc. while waiting for the equipment to be okayed.
The thought of taking the entire train, minus the damaged engines, back to Chicago for damage inspection did occur to me, it just didn’t make any sense. If Amtrak / BNSF / whoever thought there might be enough possible damage to any of the cars to warrant a detailed inspection by shop forces, then why would the cars be allowed to operate at track speed (or close to it) with, presumably, passengers still aboard?
Galesburg seems like a more logical destination for inspection using either borrowed freight engines, or waiting for the IL Zeph. An inspection could have been done at Galesburg while waiting for relief power to be dispatched from Chicago.
CC
Somanauk is only about 60 Miles from Chicago. Galesburg is close to 200. Also if a car was damaged where would you have gotten the replacement in Galesburg. Sorry hauled enough Nursey Stock in that area that I know it better than I know my own town.
Knowing how all rail carriers are about assuming liability risks…I would venture that the only reason METRA undertook the rescue was that the AMTK cars were not occupied by anyone other than crew and that the METRA train was also a deadhead equipment move without paying passengers.
Passenger cars are not as heavy as they might seem. They double head passenger trains to assist with acceleration from stations, and to maintain schedules, but it is not necessary to actually get the train started.
In the late '80’s the “Canadian” left Calgary WB, and after the train was on the road there was a slide or derailment farther west. The train was stopped and after a while it was decided to run the engines around and bring it back to Calgary. It looked strange to see the power hooked to the “Park” Dome-Observation car. But the strange part happened after the passengers had been detrained and relocated to area hotels. They decided to bring the whole train back west of the station to run it through the wash rack, and they pulled all 17 cars with an end cab switcher (SW1200?)! Normal power was four “F’s” or F40’s. I’ve heard those old switchers growl a lot worse with 17 freight cars, but it was working pretty hard. After they had it washed you could tell it was hard for the engine to get the train stopped, way more brake noise. And it was a slow and noisy process to get the train rolling back to the station.
Bruce
Sometimes the locomotives are double-headed if one of them was recently out-shopped, and the mechanics want to run it under load to ascertain it functionality; occasionally the shop forces will ride on the unit in question to observe it.
I was surprised to see the lights on in the entire train, although the Amtrak seemed rather dark. But with all those heaters plus the lights, I’m amazed not only that the HEP could supply that many coaches, but that the motor had enough power left in it to get the train going so fast.
speaking of the power of those old end-cab switchers, i once witnessed an SP&S Challenger stop westbound just shy of the wye at Vancouver WA with 117 cars. It cut offthe first nine cars and headed over the north leg into the SP&S Vancouver yards, whie a little old SW-7 camout of the yard and pulled the other 108 cars around the south leg and across the Columbia River drawbridge 8 miles into the Portland yards! It’s true 25 of those cars were empty flatcars, but 25 were loaded D&RGW`triple (70-ton) hoppers. -arturo
I watched an SD-M pull an entire ore train up the continuous (about 6 miles) 2+% grade all by itself one time. Didn’t stall till right about the peak. Then again, the Missabe had some of the best pullers out there under 15 mph.
That was something. Nice that Metra was able to help out… I’ve ridden them and also the SW Chief and this was better than being put onto a bus into Chicago.
Does anyone know if METRA locos have a lower top speed gearing than the AMTRAK P-40s & P-42’s 110 MPH? If METRA’s are 80 or 90 MPH that would give them a lot more pulling power than the P-42s