Route Proposal: Metra Electric District

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by GP40Man5528, Jan 2, 2018.

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  1. YES!

    87.5%
  2. no

    12.5%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. GP40Man5528

    GP40Man5528 Active Member

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    [​IMG]
    A Metra Commuter passes a South Shore Commuter an Van Buren St Station in Chicago, IL

    HISTORY

    The Metra Electric Line was originally owned and constructed by the Illinois Central Railroad in the 1850s. It originally ran on steam when first opened and converted to electric power a few decades after. In the turn of the 20th Century, the line received many improvements and extensions such as the elimination of crossings. In between the 1920s and 40s, the line was highly successful bringing in millions of dollars yearly for the Illinois Central. In the 1976, RTA Contracted with IC as to help fund the Electric service. Then, 11 years later, Metra bought the line from the Illinois Central in 1987 after years of operation under the ownership of IC. The line has been running under the ownership of Metra ever since then. Today, Metra is looking for ways to Expand the Electric service beyond what it already has.
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    A Set of Metra Highliner Cars. The lead unit still retains it's Ex - Illinois Central Scheme while the others have the newer Metra scheme.

    TRAIN SIM WORLD RENDITION

    The Metra Electric District runs from Chicago's Millennium Station to University Park which is about 31 miles. The line has almost 50 stations with an extra branch line to Blue Island, IL. The line can see nearly 300 trains daily. It also has a locomotive shop not far from the famed Soldier Field to service their trains. The Metra Electric line shares trackage with the South Shore Railroad. The South Shore Railroad runs from Chicago to South Bend, IN and makes a few stops across the Metra Line. The South Shore Railroad is also a freight carrier and pulls freights across a small portion of the Metra Line. Canadian National also runs near this line on the Chicago Subdivision of the former Illinois Central. The CN line would start at a turnoff that goes to an interchange track near the Metra's Diesel power Rock Island District and line would runs\ parallel to the Metra Electric Line all the way to University Park and beyond. The Chicago line can see around 25 trains a day.
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    A Metra Highliner Train at Millennium Station.

    LOCOMOTIVES AND ROLLING STOCK

    The Metra Electric Line has seen many different types of Locomotives throughout it's life. So here are the engines I propose:

    LOCOMOTIVES:



    Metra/IC Highliner Cars
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    The Original Highliners were common sights on the Electric line . Built in the early 1970s for the IC, These Highliners were built to replace the Heavyweight EMU Cars of the time. About 160 of these Highliners were built and proved fairly successful. Though, Metra started striving to replace the Highliners with a more modern car for the Metra Electric Service. Then in 2006, Metra ordered 26 new Highliner II Cars from the Nippon Sharyo company of Japan. The new Highliner cars featured a more durable stainless-steel construction, added restrooms, and many more features that later became industry standard for Metra. The new Highliners also looked very similar to the cab cars the Metra was using on their Diesel services. Slowly, the Highliner II cars began to phase out the original Highliner cars. And on Feburary 12th, 2016, The Highliners were retired and a special farewell trip was set up for these cars. Today, the Highliners can be seen in many midwestern museums such as the Illinois Railway Museum and the Boone And Scenic Valley Railroad. While the Highliner II Cars continue to pull Metra Electric services.

    South Shore Single-Level EMU Cars
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    The first of these Nippon Sharyo built EMU Cars were built in a span of 10 years between 1982 and 1992, though about 47 were built. Cars 1 through 48. There was also a second batch of 10 more cars built by Nippon Sharyo in 2001. Numbered 100 through 110. Equipped with an authentic Gong Bell and P5 Horn, These cars are seen all throughout the South Shore System pulling trains to South Bend, IN. But similar to Metra, these cars are slowly getting phased out by the popular Highliner II. It is only a matter of time before these EMUs get replaced as well.

    GE Canadian National C44-9W
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    These GE Built 6-Axle Locomotives were built between 1993 and 2004 as part of the "Dash 9" Series of Locomotives. Around 2500 units were made, but the CN only bought 228 of them. These Locomotives are largely successful and were a lot more reliable than it's predecessor, the Dash 8 series. These Locomotives are still seen on many class 1s today pulling freights, and CN is no exception. These units can be seen a lot on the Chicago Subdivision, which is the line that runs parallel to the Metra Electric Line.

    EMD South Shore GP38-2
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    The GP38-2 is one of the most successful Diesel Locomotives of all time. These 4-Axle Diesels were produced by EMD in 1972 with production ending in 1983. More than 2,000 Units were made and many railroads bought them. The South Shore Line was no exception. Today, the railroads owns 9 of these Diesels and they can be seen across the South Shore System pulling local Freight Trains.

    ROLLING STOCK


    PS: Because all of the passenger Locomotives I proposed were EMUs, all the proposed rolling stock is going to be freight equipment.

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    For this route, I would propose all of the typical freight equipment of our current era. This would include a CN 50ft Boxcar or a TTX 60ft Highcube Boxcar. There would also be some TILX or CN Covered Hoppers. There would also be tank cars, Centerbeam Flatcars, and low Gondolas. (See Pics Above)


    [​IMG]

    Two Highliner trains at 59th Street station.

    FINAL CONCLUSION

    The Metra Electric Line is one of the most unique and most important commuter lines in Illinois. It is the only line on the whole Metra system to have Electric operations. The line also has a lot of history and even today there are preserved relic's of the Illinois Central Railroad around the stations as reminders of the glory days of the line. And even today, the line survives pulling commuters in and out of the city with lots of different types of traffic besides the usual commuter train. Which is why the Metra Electric District would be a good fit for Train Simulator World.

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    Illinois Central GP10 8408 rests quietly at Homewood, IL near the Metra Electric station.


    "The trains always arrive at your station. The question is which one to take?"
    -Mehmet Murat ildan
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2018
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  2. NEC_Male_TC

    NEC_Male_TC Active Member

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    This sounds great. Although I'd rather see the South Shore Line set in the 1940s so that way the South Shore Line could be included as an extension for the another very important route that I think that should be made for Train Sim World, the Chicago to Elkhart section of the Water Level Route (which I also hope gets made and set in the 1940s as well), since that runs parallel with the South Shore Line and I feel that would spawn more DLC possibilities and I predict would have more appeal.

    The good things about the South Shore Line are that it taking place in two states, street running, mainline running and a history that goes way back to over a century ago.

    Bottom line, here's what I believe should happen. I honestly believe that Dovetail Games should make the Chicago to Elkhart section of the Water Level Route first, then make the South Shore Line as an extension route since its geographically parallel to the Water Level Route from Chicago to South Bend. The Chicago to Elkhart section of the Water Level Route is one of the most famous American train routes, and it's a shame that it never or extremely rarely gets made in train simulation games, which I feel takes priority at this time over the South Shore Line (assuming the South Shore Line would be sold as a standalone route). Just my thoughts and strategy on the matter.
     
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  3. GP40Man5528

    GP40Man5528 Active Member

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    It's funny because my next proposal was/is going to be the NYC of that exact portion of the line as the New York Central is one of my favorite fallen flags. But having the South Shore line nearby is also an interesting concept.
     
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  4. pschlik

    pschlik Well-Known Member

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    This is a line I'm pretty interested. Just about anything Metra is a safe bet, but this kind of electric stuff is really different compared to the usual American workings. Even the NEC isn't quite like the electric district.

    PS: I enjoy the reference to the messed up "Canadien" National hopper car. I still wonder how any of those at all got messed up.
     
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  5. NEC_Male_TC

    NEC_Male_TC Active Member

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    Cool! In 2014, I wrote up a proposal about it on the official website (formerly known as Engine-Driver). https://train-simulator.com/train-s...icago-to-elkhart-in-the-1930s-1940s-or-1950s/
     
  6. GP40Man5528

    GP40Man5528 Active Member

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    I actually never noticed the mispronunciation until now. I just picked a random picture of a CN hopper car. Good eye sir! ;)
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2018
  7. NEC_Male_TC

    NEC_Male_TC Active Member

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    It's not a misspelling, that's the way "Canadian" is spelled in French; and Canada is bilingual in English and French since those are its two official languages.
     
  8. GP40Man5528

    GP40Man5528 Active Member

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    Didn't know that either. I probably just offended so many people lol :|
     

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