Bombarder Bi level Quiestion

[Anonymous]

I've seen some Florida Tri rail sets with former GO transit Bombarder bi levels. Why would GO sell those cars if thats what they still use or are they getting replacments. Sorry my keyboard doesn't have a question mark key!

I also heard Sounder sold some cars to ACE, it dosn't make sense.

Oh yea is Metra gettin anymore cars since they sold those a bunch to Verginia Rail Express.

Imformation appretiated!

[:)][:)][:)]

[cstaats]

The talk here in Seattle that Sound Transit has leased out some of the bi-level sounder car sets they bought there is a nice photo on page 28 of the May Trains.

[M636C]

This is going back a while, but I think the original Tri-Rail cars were all leased from GO Transit because the whole operation was intended to be a temporary facility while major improvements were made to Highway I-75. Some of these might still be around in their original colours (or they might have been cars leased later if traffic built up).

GO Transit has leased cars to Metrolink in the past. I have photos of GO cars in San Bernadino in 1997.

Given that the cars are purchased with money from the Federal Government (in the US) and the National Government (is that what they call it?) in Canada, sometimes these cars are purchased early if money is available in a given year, and they are leased to other authorities that need them (while their own cars are built).

Sounder leased cars to Virginia Railway Express, operating south out of DC, too.

M636C

[nanaimo73]

This may help-
http://gotransitmotive.bravehost.com/RosterStats/carroster.htm

[daveklepper]

I believe the UP's Rio Grande Ski Train operates with ex-Canadian National "Tempo" single-level cars and after these were bumped from corridor CN passenger service they operated on GO-Transit before the D&RGW bought them. Am I correct?

I'm talking about the current equipment that replaced the old NP wood-and-steel coaches that are now at Napa Valley Wine Train

[M636C]

QUOTE: Originally posted by daveklepper

I believe the UP's Rio Grande Ski Train operates with ex-Canadian National "Tempo" single-level cars and after these were bumped from corridor CN passenger service they operated on GO-Transit before the D&RGW bought them. Am I correct?

I'm talking about the current equipment that replaced the old NP wood-and-steel coaches that are now at Napa Valley Wine Train

Dave,

I don't think GO Transit used the Tempo cars. My impression was that they were used by VIA, sometimes hauled by LRC locomotives, right up until D&RGW bought them. Certainly I've seen pictures of them with VIA blue stripes on them.

They were built by Hawker Siddley and were very similar to the single deck cars built for GO Transit, but to my knowledge never worked fo GO Transit.

Having checked (briefly) the GO roster, I must have seen the GO cars in California in 1994, not 1997. There does not appear to be any reference to cars going to Tri Rail, so it must have been a direct lease from Bombardier (or HS or UTDC, whatever they were called then). They were originally in GO colours, and might still be.

M636C

[BR60103]

Go never had the Tempo cars. They did have a large collection of single decker cars that were built on the same jigs as the Tempo cars, and originally built Toronto subway cars. The Go cars were retired and sold to Quebec, Ontario Northland, and Pandrol.
GO sold a number of cars to Tri-Rail and Fort Worth. Some cars were diverted directly to Tri-Rail.
No, I don't understand why they would do that either. However, the oldest cars are now approaching 30 years old.

[nanaimo73]

QUOTE: Page 55, June 1998 Trains;
Once it became clear there would be a railroad, experienced people were hired and trained, and equipment was quickly ordered. The first motive power consisted of five F40PH's remanufactured into F40PHL-2's by Morrison-Knudsen, an F7 power car (with head-end power but no prime mover), and a GP40-2, all from GO Transit in Toronto.
Passengers rode in 15 new bilevel passenger coaches and 6 bilevel cab cars from Urban Transit Development Corporation. The equipment matched the Government of Ontario's specifications closely in case it needed to be sold in the event Tri-Rail was disbanded.

[M636C]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nanaimo73

QUOTE: Page 55, June 1998 Trains;
Once it became clear there would be a railroad, experienced people were hired and trained, and equipment was quickly ordered. The first motive power consisted of five F40PH's remanufactured into F40PHL-2's by Morrison-Knudsen, an F7 power car (with head-end power but no prime mover), and a GP40-2, all from GO Transit in Toronto.
Passengers rode in 15 new bilevel passenger coaches and 6 bilevel cab cars from Urban Transit Development Corporation. The equipment matched the Government of Ontario's specifications closely in case it needed to be sold in the event Tri-Rail was disbanded.

nanaimo,

The reference to F40PHL-2s is wrong! These started life as GP40s and were rebuilt (as indicated by the text, by MK at Boise), using cabs and cowls removed from F45 locomotives. They were not from GO Transit, before or after rebuild. The GP40 and matching cab car were, of course from GO. Later Tri Rail obtained standard F40PH locomotives, both with and without separate HEP diesel generator sets.

I think, as I implied earlier, that the first cars were painted in GO green and white but with Tri Rail decals. If any of these are still around in that scheme, that might be what was seen.

M636C

[BrianLM007]

The Metra Electric did receive new 26 Bombardier Bi-Levels which have gone into operation this year. However, an order for an additional 160 more cars to replace the remainder of the 1973 Pullman-Standard fleet has been postponed (lack of funding).

[nanaimo73]

QUOTE: Originally posted by M636C

Nanaimo,

The reference to F40PHL-2s is wrong! These started life as GP40s and were rebuilt (as indicated by the text, by MK at Boise), using cabs and cowls removed from F45 locomotives. They were not from GO Transit, before or after rebuild. The GP40 and matching cab car were, of course from GO. Later Tri Rail obtained standard F40PH locomotives, both with and without separate HEP diesel generator sets.

I think, as I implied earlier, that the first cars were painted in GO green and white but with Tri Rail decals. If any of these are still around in that scheme, that might be what was seen.

M636C

Yes, this roster agrees with you and gives more details.
http://www.thedieselshop.us/FTR.HTML