Yesterday, Metra MP36 418 had a mechanical failure. The locomotive unexpectedly shut down at Northbrook after making good time from Chicago (something involving the starter). It took nearly three hours to get this train moving again after coupling the next outbound after this one onto the front of the broken locomotive, and then pulling the two trains up to Fox Lake. Now I thought that a THIRD outbound train was going to pick up everyone, and then go to fox lake, with the double consist deadheading to either Fox Lake or Western Ave. Yard, but it didn't pick up the extra passengers, leaving then stranded for another 45 minutes >.<
These MP36 locomotives Metra got are the first run from Motive Power Industries, and the kinks have yet to be taken out of them. So far this is the second time this year that an MP36 had broken down on Metra, I think.
Two failures so far this year, when you consider the number of MP36-powered trips on BNSF and the Milwaukee District lines, that's not unreasonable.
Rumor has it that the first test engine for the MP36 burned to the ground...and lives on the Metra lines as 414 (they rebuilt it)...I think. Don't quote me on this.
If it is manufactured by man - it will fail at some point in time.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
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