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HEP for BN units in the 50's and 60's?
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<P>The bilevels were purchased in 2 batches - 30 in 1950 and 30 more in 1957. The power cars were converted standard combines and coaches and were always coupled to the west end of the train in order not to smoke-up Union Station. Push Pull operation didn't start until 1965, so before that eastbound trains had an E unit up front, bilevels, and the power car on the end. Westbounds had an E unit, power car, and the bilevels. The power car wouldn't be visible in a picture of an Eastbound before Push Pull that doesn't show the whole train. Once Push Pull became the norm both the E-unit and the power car were always on the west end of the train.</P> <P>Before Push Pull, commuter trains arriving at Union Station were backed or pulled out to the coach yard. The E-units were cut off and run around the wye in batches, serviced, and re-assigned to outbound trains. Unlike the long distance trains, the commuter trains themselves were not turned, probably because the wye at Union Station was a very busy piece of track. </P> <P>I'm less clear on the procedures on the west-end of their runs, but E-units could have been turned on turntables at both Downers Grove and Eola. The Downers Grove coach yard was shut down in 1952 and all trains went to Aurora, spending the night at Eola. I also don't know when the large overhead towers that supply standby HEP in the Union Station coach yard were built. I'm fairly certain in the early days standby power was supplied by the power cars. </P>
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