Just train pictures and train stories

Amtrak #42, the Veteran's locomotive. Pretty obvious this is a P42DC.

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Here's a few of the paint schemes that Amtrak has had over the years:

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Amtrak's new electric locomotives on the NEC, which started service earlier this year:

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They will replace the AEM-7's in a few years. What one looks like:

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This is an Acela Express locomotive. These are capable of going up to 125 MPH in certain areas of the NEC, although I have heard rumors of up to 165 MPH is possible.

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ChicagoBlue2 said:
This is an Acela Express locomotive. These are capable of going up to 125 MPH in certain areas of the NEC, although I have heard rumors of up to 165 MPH is possible.

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The Acela may be rated for 165, but the tracks are not, yet. I believe some of the track work on the NEC may allow for higher speeds when they're done.
 
LoveBlue said:
The Acela may be rated for 165, but the tracks are not, yet. I believe some of the track work on the NEC may allow for higher speeds when they're done.
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Yes, that is the upgrade I was referring to the other day. They're making those tracks better fit to handle those kinds of speeds. I believe they're supposed to be finished by 2016? Could be wrong on that.
 
train is old long times SK :aw:
 

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metalangel said:
Turbotrain and LRC aren't electric.
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I wouldn't know. They're trains of the past, and ran before I came into this world. I see that they're running on tracks with high voltage, so I assumed they were. Again, these were before my time.
 
I rode on the LRC, they were built to run on the Corridor here in Canada between Montreal, Toronto and Windsor. They were light, fuel efficient and fast... unfortunately they didn't work perfectly immediately which doomed them, same as the UAC Turbo before. The coaches are still used, and the technology like the tilting mechanism is now in the Acela.

The one you have there is demonstrator loaned to Amtrak to try the tilting mechanism on the NEC.

The RTG Turboliner you have there ran out of Chicago. I don't see electrification in either picture but whatever. They were both good attempts at improving rail service but the demand just wasn't there like it is now.
 
metalangel said:
I rode on the LRC, they were built to run on the Corridor here in Canada between Montreal, Toronto and Windsor. They were light, fuel efficient and fast... unfortunately they didn't work perfectly immediately which doomed them, same as the UAC Turbo before. The coaches are still used, and the technology like the tilting mechanism is now in the Acela.

The one you have there is demonstrator loaned to Amtrak to try the tilting mechanism on the NEC.

The RTG Turboliner you have there ran out of Chicago. I don't see electrification in either picture but whatever. They were both good attempts at improving rail service but the demand just wasn't there like it is now.
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The demand for rail service is better today than it was then, because of the high costs of airline tickets. Riding on an Amtrak train is far cheaper than taking an airplane.
 
Perhaps, but spending 18-odd hours on a train to get from New York to Chicago might not be worth the savings over two and a half on Jetblue.

If were ever to go to Montreal, I'd try and take the train, sure, but again it's a trade off of 70 mins for $300 on a plane with 5 hours for $100 on the train.
 
metalangel said:
Perhaps, but spending 18-odd hours on a train to get from New York to Chicago might not be worth the savings over two and a half on Jetblue.

If were ever to go to Montreal, I'd try and take the train, sure, but again it's a trade off of 70 mins for $300 on a plane with 5 hours for $100 on the train.
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That's true, but demand for Amtrak tickets have driven up the prices on several lines, including mine, the Illini, which is one of the more popular lines on Amtrak. Getting tickets cheap are long gone.
 
These crossings were taken on the CTA Brown Line, in Albany Park:





Before I left, the crossing activated, and I was able to get this photo:

 
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This is where Metra keeps the locomotives for the Union Pacific lines they run:



There's at least eight of these there. Most of them are stored at Union Station or elsewhere.
 
These train photos were taken just before I boarded the Metra for home.



These three trains are the Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest, and Union Pacific West Lines. The UPN is the one on the right.



Ogilvie Transportation Center prior to the trains:

 
While taking pictures for my other thread elsewhere, I saw this:



I think this is a partial prelude to the major construction this portion of the Red Line is due to go under next year. They will be upgrading several stations on the northern part of the 95th/Dan Ryan-Howard line, and the stations are supposed to become ADA accessible, because currently they're not.

CTA to overhaul North Side Red Line stops - Chicago Tribune
 
This is Clybourn Ave on the northbound Metra on the Union Pacific North line. Those tracks are the Union Pacific Northwest line.





As I said before, the UPNW has three tracks. One for outbound, one for inbound, the third for Metra Express trains, and the occasional stop on the center track.
 
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