Chicago BI Levals on MARC...

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Yes, that's correct...there are no locomotives used on the Metra Electric in revenue service.  The Metra Electric does have a diesel switcher on its line, but it is only used for MOW Service generally.

 It should be pointed out that the ME cars are all equipped with cabs; however I sincerely doubt that we'll see the ME cars used on other lines unless A) the line is equipped with catenary using 1500 VDC power or B) modified so that is a simply a passenger car (I suspect this conversion would be too expensive, though).

I recently some some retired Highliners at California Avenue coach yard waiting for their trip to the scrapyard.  The Highliners were built with Tomlinson couplers and for use at high-level platforms only although they have steps and traps at the cab end.  Modification for use on other lines would require extensive rebuilding.

[al-in-chgo]

Yes, that's correct...there are no locomotives used on the Metra Electric in revenue service.  The Metra Electric does have a diesel switcher on its line, but it is only used for MOW Service generally.

 It should be pointed out that the ME cars are all equipped with cabs; however I sincerely doubt that we'll see the ME cars used on other lines unless A) the line is equipped with catenary using 1500 VDC power or B) modified so that is a simply a passenger car (I suspect this conversion would be too expensive, though).

I agree.  But I can think of a line that doesn't ordinarily use locomotives except when the catenary is iced or when ridership is overwhelming:  the CSS&SB.  I have been told diesels haul bilevel cars when the power is down or sometimes just for rush-hour service.  That's okay pollution-wise because the trains go thru no real tunnel and even at the Metra-Electric (Randolph St.) station in downtown Chicago, South Shore trains come in on an airier platform that is separate from the (ex-IC) Metra Electric platforms. 

Surely there are people on these sites that know a lot more about this than I do!  - a.s.

 

[BrianLM007]

Yes, that's correct...there are no locomotives used on the Metra Electric in revenue service.  The Metra Electric does have a diesel switcher on its line, but it is only used for MOW Service generally.

 It should be pointed out that the ME cars are all equipped with cabs; however I sincerely doubt that we'll see the ME cars used on other lines unless A) the line is equipped with catenary using 1500 VDC power or B) modified so that is a simply a passenger car (I suspect this conversion would be too expensive, though).

[al-in-chgo]

Both MARC and VRE have bi-level cab cars but these are the newer double-decked Japanese models. None of the former Metra gallery cars are cab units.

I'll agree that none sold or remaindered to VRE or MARC were cab units.  But Metra definitely did and does use cab units on its inbound (pushed) trains, while the crew occupy the locomotive on the outbound (pulled) trains. 

The exception would be the Metra Electric which uses no locomotive that I know of.   Please someone correct me if I'm wrong. - al

 

[Warren J]

Both MARC and VRE have bi-level cab cars but these are the newer double-decked Japanese models. None of the former Metra gallery cars are cab units.

[Anonymous]

VRE uses Bileval control cabs on there trains....Guess MARC did not get these

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I'm not sure what you were expecting but it's quite possible that the gallery coaches purchased secondhand by MARC were not equipped with cabs because additional control cabs weren't needed.  Most bi-level coaches weren't equipped with a control cab.

[Anonymous]

seem to use a single leval coach car in Push Pull service....I guess they never modified the ol cars for push-pull controls