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Metra Commuter Locomotives honoring heritage railroads

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Metra Commuter Locomotives honoring heritage railroads
Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Saturday, October 5, 2019 11:22 PM

I just learned Metra, the commuter train operator in Chicago, has painted some locomotives to honor predecessor railroads.   So far, I beleive it is just three of them. 

 

CB&Q 

 

MILW 

 

Rock Island 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, October 6, 2019 4:18 PM

I like the varied paint schemes in "heritage" units.

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I think the ROCK ISLAND unit is certainly the best looking of the group.

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-Kevin

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Living the dream.

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Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Sunday, October 6, 2019 5:38 PM

Compared to the heritage paint jobs I have seen on ES44s and SDACEs, these look rather goofy IMO. Maybe F59s just don't work for heritage schemes very well, or maybe the paint job wasn't designed very well considering the locomotive.

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Sunday, October 6, 2019 10:54 PM

These look kind of weird, I think it is because Metra tried to incorporate elements of their current paint scheme and combine that with heritage colors. This is a bit less true on the CB&Q though...

Irregardless these are kind of cool! I love the CB&Q one, I hope some company makes one in HO or N!

Regards, Isaac

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, October 7, 2019 9:01 PM

As a semi-OT heads up:  New Jersey Transit presented three heritage units this morning, which will go into service tomorrow.  CNJ heritage blue with stripes (on a GP40P), PRR 5-stripe Tuscan, and Erie-Lackawanna.  They look good!

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Posted by SPSOT fan on Monday, October 7, 2019 11:00 PM

I saw those NJT heritage engines! Cool! What a coincidence that two computer agency’s would do this so close together! Here is a Trains article on the new heritage units:

https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/10/05-nj-transit-reveals-heritage-locomotives

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, October 11, 2019 2:01 PM

Overmod
New Jersey Transit presented three heritage units this morning, which will go into service tomorrow.

A nice spread with photos courtesy Railway Age.

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/commuterregional/man-those-prr-pinstripes-look-awesome/

Regards, Ed

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Posted by rrinker on Saturday, October 12, 2019 11:26 AM

 And amazingly enough, some people were complainign that the GP40-2 isn;t the exact shade of blue it was when delivered.... you just can't please some people I guess. I mean, the NJ Transit logo on it is smaller and in a different place, too - because the loco was modified to HEP and the radiator flare extended to the rear of the long hood at one point in its service, but so what? They didn't have to do this, this was just being used for MOW service. Pretty sure it will be used to pull a train or two even if the newer locos handle the majority of service. 

 Just be glad these companies are doing this - I think they look good. It certainly cost more to repaint these with the fancier heritage schemes than to just use the modern schemes, so enjoy it while they last.

                                  --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by gregc on Thursday, October 17, 2019 11:59 AM

is there a schedule of which trains heritage units are assigned to?

wondering if I could see any at the Jersey Ave station

greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading

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Posted by rrinker on Thursday, October 17, 2019 2:36 PM

 Hmm, I don't know if NJT as specific power assignments or they just use power as needed, where needed.

 Hopefully they will be added to the heritage units tracking site: https://www.heritageunits.com

 

                                        --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by The Milwaukee Road Warrior on Friday, November 29, 2019 8:23 AM

Love that Milw Road heritage.  (Wish they would have done that when I used to ride on Metra daily.) What a beauty.  But I'm partial to Red (orange?) heads... Wink

Andy

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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.

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