I work for the commuter operations service unit for Union Pacific. The farthest west station is actually Harvard which is about 30 minutes NW of Elgin on the Union Pacific NorthWest Line. Harvard also has an outlying point, which is a layover yard where trains are serviced and light repairs are made before being placed back into service the next morning, which is the yard I work at. Plans are also being made to extend service out to Rockford, IL, about 90 miles NW of Chicago
Thanks for the correction. My error was in looking at a condensed system map and then not double checking to see which one was further out. I did hear about the Rockford service but did not mention it yet since it's still in the planning stage. I'll pin your correction to the top.
I love your train talk videos. You are my favorite train content creator of all time. I have watched your train videos since I was six years old. Keep up the great content, and thanks for the awesome educational video❤
The Frontrunner is planning to double track, quad track, electrify, introduce express trains and introduce 15 minute off peak service in each direction. Service will also be on Sunday's.
Metra just annouced to purchase Battery Electric Multiple Units built by either Alstom or Stadler and they are also buying Bi-level cars built by Alstom to replace the Gallery Cars built by the Budd and Pullman companies, the Gallery Cars built by Amerail/Morrison-Knudsen and Nippon Shiryo are staying tho.
A fantastic video about passenger transport in the USA. It's interesting how many railway companies are involved. Thanks Mike for the video, greetings from Germany
Fantastic collection of catches in this video and some not too far from home and got a couple where my territory ended on the CP at Rondout Illinois. Enjoyed watching and have a wonderful rest of your Friday.(Steve)
I rode the we go star twice on separate occasions. We go Star transit has made its first transit oriented station Hamilton springs to be in walking distance from several apartments. We Go has also wanted to expand commuter rail service to Clarksville, Murfreesboro and Franklin-Brentwood. Good alternative for people living east of Nashville. ; (Although ridership is low, hope that improves so more services could be introduced) Awesome job.
0:26, The locomotive seen is a GP40FH-2. It’s an EMD GP40-2 diesel, but it’s for Passengers and it’s *A Cowl Unit.* We NEED more cowl units, not just for Passengers, but Freight too.
Great video! I would argue that TexRail and the Denton A Train would also fall under the category of commuter rail. They both follow existing railroad RoW and operate under heavy rail practices with FRA grade crossings and full stations. The only thing that separates them from the others in this video is the fact that they are DMU-operated, and run at higher frequencies. Taking this perspective, the Austin MetroRail would also be a candidate for the list with a very similar system structure.
Thank you! The Hybrid rail thing is always somewhat ambiguous. I've seen both those services referred to as "Hybrid Rail" and "Commuter rail". Their service patterns and route closely resemble the NCTD Sprinter in San Diego County, which is defined by the agency as "Hybrid Rail", even though it operates on pre existing freight ROW, etc. I made the decision to include them in the Hybrid Rail category, but it's arguably something that could have gone either way.
It’s interesting that the Music City Star has more ridership than the Minneapolis train. You would think newer equipment would mean more riders, but I guess it’s more about quality of service and picking the right places to go to.
A few FrontRunner corrections: 1. Half hour weekday service is peak hours only. Off peak is hourly. 2. Unlike RTD Rail, freight trains are given access to the tracks to serve many industries along the line, as well as along some of the TRAX lines, overnight.
I enjoyed the part about the Chicago Metra, being a native of the Windy City. I rode the Metra a few times, but my usual transportation was from Chicago Midway to the Diversey station via the Orange, Purple and Brown Line el trains. I'd like to see a video like this on those if they're available.
Episode Suggestion: We were watching your older Tehachapi Loop video and you mentioned Distributed Power Units... How about an episode dedicated solely to DPU's??
When mentioning defunct commuter lines in Chicago - I'm surprised that the IC [Illinois Central] was omitted. They ran daily from Union Station to Milwaukee [I believe - I never went that far north] when I was stationed at Fort Sheridan/Highwood] in the late 60s. Maybe their parent company name was different than the freight line name which also named the commuter line - I don't know.
Ok So Mike Aka CoasterFan2105 I Went To Santa Fe New Mexico On My Sisters Birthday In 2021 And Bro It Was EPIC No I'm Not Joking It Was Awesome And After We Left Santa Fe New Mexico We Went To Belen And First Thing I Caught There Was A CN GEVO And NS I Believe I Can't Remember Great Video Tho :)
I think you forgot to mention Brightline in the last train talk 0__0. Question coaster what first got you into railfanning and uploaded them to UA-cam and do you have any tips for a rookie?
Thanks for the comment! Brightline currently only operates intercity rail. There are plans for a commuter operation out of Miami, but nothing yet. My first interest in making videos of trains goes back to a video called "Daylight Express" by a company called Skyfire.
These railroads are such a mixed bag. Some are pathetic little operations with accordingly horrible ridership like Northstar or WeGo Star, or even RailRunner, while others are really quite solid and well-built systems with good frequency like Denver and FrontRunner. I hope that the systems that already have good bones will become even better in the future, and that the rest become at least usable for non-9-5-commuters.
CoasterFan, I'm not sure what will happen to those Coaster F59PHIs after their retirement. Will they be donated to a railroad museum, be stored, or sold off for scrap like the three of the F40s. Like 2101, 2102, and 2104.
All these railroads are truly unique in their own way. But Metra is one of a kind. F40Cs (now retired), 40+ year old F40PH locomotives that most railroads would have retired by now if they had owned them, F59PHIs still covered in the amtrak surfliner paint scheme (too bad they covered up the green on the cascade ones), and heavy duty freight locomotives being rebuilt for passenger use
I know it's sad that all the Amtrak F59PHIs from the Pacific Surfliner and the Cascades were all retired from Amtrak and then all of the F59s were sent to Metra for repainting the Cascades F59s in blue and white and the Pacific Surfliner ones would keep their paint until some being repainted into Metra colors and one became a heritage unit for the Chicago and Northwestern.
I took a brief break from Train Talk to work on a couple other big projects. The 5 episode long Surf Line series took a lot of time to write and edit over the last year, so I didn't have as much to devote to new Train Talk episodes. More on the way soon!
Metra is planning to buy some 🔋🪫 units from FLIRT to use on the 🪨🏝️ District between LaSalle Street 🚉-Blue 🏝️-Vermont Street through the Beverly Branch
I work for the commuter operations service unit for Union Pacific. The farthest west station is actually Harvard which is about 30 minutes NW of Elgin on the Union Pacific NorthWest Line. Harvard also has an outlying point, which is a layover yard where trains are serviced and light repairs are made before being placed back into service the next morning, which is the yard I work at. Plans are also being made to extend service out to Rockford, IL, about 90 miles NW of Chicago
Thanks for the correction. My error was in looking at a condensed system map and then not double checking to see which one was further out. I did hear about the Rockford service but did not mention it yet since it's still in the planning stage. I'll pin your correction to the top.
@@CoasterFan2105 anytime! I enjoy the content and I love seeing Metra getting the attention it deserves
I’m a UP NW line foamer and I can confirm Harvard is the farthest out from chicago
😂@@CoasterFan2105
I love your train talk videos. You are my favorite train content creator of all time. I have watched your train videos since I was six years old. Keep up the great content, and thanks for the awesome educational video❤
I found this to be an informative summary of the commuter railroads of the central United States!
Thanks for making this!
No problem! Glad you found it useful.
I just went to Chicago 2 weeks ago and video Metra. I made some train shorts out of it. Metra is awesome and this channel is AWESOME!!!! 👍.
Many thanks!
@@CoasterFan2105 I love your Channel it’s inspired me to make my own train content on my channel ❤️
The Frontrunner is planning to double track, quad track, electrify, introduce express trains and introduce 15 minute off peak service in each direction. Service will also be on Sunday's.
Metra just annouced to purchase Battery Electric Multiple Units built by either Alstom or Stadler and they are also buying Bi-level cars built by Alstom to replace the Gallery Cars built by the Budd and Pullman companies, the Gallery Cars built by Amerail/Morrison-Knudsen and Nippon Shiryo are staying tho.
A fantastic video about passenger transport in the USA. It's interesting how many railway companies are involved. Thanks Mike for the video, greetings from Germany
TRAIN TALK IS BACK!
Indeed!
YES BROTHER!!!!!
Best back ever 🥰😊
I used to be an engineer for denver. RTD weirdly only operates the N line. The company I worked for ran the A,B,and G lines.
Fantastic video!
0:56 Metra (Illinois)
4:42 South Shore Line (Illinois)
6:09 WeGo Star (Tennessee)
7:25 Northstar (Minnesota)
8:46 Trinity Railway Express (Texas)
10:24 RTD Rail (Colorado)
11:48 New Mexico Rail Runner Express
12:58 FrontRunner (Utah)
Great job
I wonder where the new mexico rail runner is
@@BenriBeanew mexico...
Great video. Friday always best. 🙂💖
Many thanks!
Fantastic collection of catches in this video and some not too far from home and got a couple where my territory ended on the CP at Rondout Illinois. Enjoyed watching and have a wonderful rest of your Friday.(Steve)
Many thanks, Steve! Rondout is a great spot. Been there a couple of times.
Your welcome and yes it is I spent a lot of time there throughout my RR career. Glad you had a chance to visit that spot.@@CoasterFan2105
Yes
As a Harvard sub foamer, I approve of this video
Awesome video! Finally nice to see some awesome Northstar shots!
Thank you! Hopefully more in the not too distant future!
Thanks Mike, very interresting for me. I visited Chicago and Denver commuter trains some years ago.
Awesome job! Keep up the great work!
Thank you, I will!
@@CoasterFan2105
Best railways content creator ever thank you very much 🥰
CoasterFan2105 id like to Go to Chicago sometime and your channel has inspired me to make train videos. Thank You for inspiring me All these years i❤😊
Frontrunner mentioned 💪
Of course!
Wait you mean the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner f40ph pull music city star?
Also the Pacific Surfliner f40ph builded in 1999.
very good video 💪💪🔝🔝
I rode the we go star twice on separate occasions. We go Star transit has made its first transit oriented station Hamilton springs to be in walking distance from several apartments. We Go has also wanted to expand commuter rail service to Clarksville, Murfreesboro and Franklin-Brentwood. Good alternative for people living east of Nashville. ;
(Although ridership is low, hope that improves so more services could be introduced) Awesome job.
Incredible video of train talk!! Lots of neat facts
0:26, The locomotive seen is a GP40FH-2. It’s an EMD GP40-2 diesel, but it’s for Passengers and it’s *A Cowl Unit.*
We NEED more cowl units, not just for Passengers, but Freight too.
Mike i miss all the washington state videos but your videos are still great!
Great video! I would argue that TexRail and the Denton A Train would also fall under the category of commuter rail. They both follow existing railroad RoW and operate under heavy rail practices with FRA grade crossings and full stations. The only thing that separates them from the others in this video is the fact that they are DMU-operated, and run at higher frequencies. Taking this perspective, the Austin MetroRail would also be a candidate for the list with a very similar system structure.
Thank you! The Hybrid rail thing is always somewhat ambiguous. I've seen both those services referred to as "Hybrid Rail" and "Commuter rail". Their service patterns and route closely resemble the NCTD Sprinter in San Diego County, which is defined by the agency as "Hybrid Rail", even though it operates on pre existing freight ROW, etc. I made the decision to include them in the Hybrid Rail category, but it's arguably something that could have gone either way.
Can’t agree mOre
It’s interesting that the Music City Star has more ridership than the Minneapolis train. You would think newer equipment would mean more riders, but I guess it’s more about quality of service and picking the right places to go to.
At one time, it did. The frequency cuts added a bit to the ridership loss. My guess is that more riders will return eventually as service is restored.
A few FrontRunner corrections:
1. Half hour weekday service is peak hours only. Off peak is hourly.
2. Unlike RTD Rail, freight trains are given access to the tracks to serve many industries along the line, as well as along some of the TRAX lines, overnight.
TRE represented
Had to mention TRE!
Love the video of trains in the Midwest.
Many thanks!
I enjoyed the part about the Chicago Metra, being a native of the Windy City. I rode the Metra a few times, but my usual transportation was from Chicago Midway to the Diversey station via the Orange, Purple and Brown Line el trains. I'd like to see a video like this on those if they're available.
CoasterFan, I just noticed that the FrontRunner Cab Cars don't have horns.
They do, just hidden
Is there an image of the FrontRunner Cab Cars where the horn is located?
They are located under the car behind the plow. @@Dragonmasterjs
Oh I got to find that CoasterFan.
I tried.
The Amtrak California ones and the NC Dot ones are still in the Amtrak brand in California and North Carolina.
YAY the west coast is next cant wait
Blessings Mike
Thank you, you too!
@@CoasterFan2105 Will you talk about the new Series 10 Cab cars?
I happened to film the RTD commuter rail one time.
Nice!
Top video 👍🏻
Nice video!!
Frontrunner has 30 minute peak service, it runs every hour at other times. Also they stopped using the comet cars in 2022
Awesome!
I recently got to ride in the cab of one of the ex TRE RDCs
Episode Suggestion: We were watching your older Tehachapi Loop video and you mentioned Distributed Power Units... How about an episode dedicated solely to DPU's??
When mentioning defunct commuter lines in Chicago - I'm surprised that the IC [Illinois Central] was omitted. They ran daily from Union Station to Milwaukee [I believe - I never went that far north] when I was stationed at Fort Sheridan/Highwood] in the late 60s. Maybe their parent company name was different than the freight line name which also named the commuter line - I don't know.
Good one Mike
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
All US States (excluding Montana and other states) have a commuter rail. There are considerations of commuter rail in certain states.
And yes heritage units are rare.
Nice video
Nice
Thanks!
Great video Mike. Just wondering, regarding Metra in Chicago, does BNSF still own Metra or did they sell it??? Thanks
Also, there's two CNW heritage units, two CNJ heritage units, and two Eire heritage units.
Will u ever make a vid on the “Amtrak Low-Frequency Intercity Trains”?
Nice!!!
Thank you!
Fun video
Thanks, Evan!
@@CoasterFan2105 No problem
⬇️ Shore Line recently bought some Metra Highliners
Video idea: Make a full video of the golden spike trains.
I did a train talk episode about the Golden Spike Historic Site a few years ago!
CapMetro Rail is also a hybrid rail
Mike armstrong,are you gonna send a Metra train galore in the next month or not.I subscribed you.
I wish that Frontrunner was divided into 2️⃣ lines with cabs going into SLC & 🚂 heading out of SLC
Hey Mike are the metra SD70MACH locomotives replacement ones for the F40PH-2s 150 to 172?
Ok So Mike Aka CoasterFan2105 I Went To Santa Fe New Mexico On My Sisters Birthday In 2021 And Bro It Was EPIC No I'm Not Joking It Was Awesome And After We Left Santa Fe New Mexico We Went To Belen And First Thing I Caught There Was A CN GEVO And NS I Believe I Can't Remember Great Video Tho :)
You didn't mention the "Beep, Beep" door closing tones on the Rail Runner!
I like the trains
I think you forgot to mention Brightline in the last train talk 0__0. Question coaster what first got you into railfanning and uploaded them to UA-cam and do you have any tips for a rookie?
Thanks for the comment! Brightline currently only operates intercity rail. There are plans for a commuter operation out of Miami, but nothing yet. My first interest in making videos of trains goes back to a video called "Daylight Express" by a company called Skyfire.
@@CoasterFan2105 ah ok thanks friend
I wish that Railrunner was divided into 2️⃣ lines with cabs going into Albuquerque & 🚂 heading out of Albuquerque
Southwest Service might get rerouted to LaSalle
These railroads are such a mixed bag. Some are pathetic little operations with accordingly horrible ridership like Northstar or WeGo Star, or even RailRunner, while others are really quite solid and well-built systems with good frequency like Denver and FrontRunner. I hope that the systems that already have good bones will become even better in the future, and that the rest become at least usable for non-9-5-commuters.
CoasterFan, I'm not sure what will happen to those Coaster F59PHIs after their retirement. Will they be donated to a railroad museum, be stored, or sold off for scrap like the three of the F40s. Like 2101, 2102, and 2104.
All these railroads are truly unique in their own way. But Metra is one of a kind. F40Cs (now retired), 40+ year old F40PH locomotives that most railroads would have retired by now if they had owned them, F59PHIs still covered in the amtrak surfliner paint scheme (too bad they covered up the green on the cascade ones), and heavy duty freight locomotives being rebuilt for passenger use
2:18 my hood 😊
Awesome
Can you do one for west coast trains
hey there let me guess part 3 is next week right
Part 3 should be either next month or the month after, depending on the schedule.
@@CoasterFan2105 ok so what is your next week plan
Wait Mike are you working your way west?
I still wish that Detroit had a commuter rail
Just so you know; turning on all notifications on your channel is not available for some reason...
WeGo 🚂 381 is has an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner 🎨 scheme
How many episodes did you make?
🌻🎉🇮🇳🎉🌻
Nice Video!
Thank you!
Does BART count as a commuter rail?
Please next week...
Yessir
Thanks for watching!
@@CoasterFan2105 no problem man
TRE has an F40
I know it's sad that all the Amtrak F59PHIs from the Pacific Surfliner and the Cascades were all retired from Amtrak and then all of the F59s were sent to Metra for repainting the Cascades F59s in blue and white and the Pacific Surfliner ones would keep their paint until some being repainted into Metra colors and one became a heritage unit for the Chicago and Northwestern.
It's good to see them still in service, wherever that may be!
I know Metrolink and Coaster retired theirs.
At LEAST we still got the F59PHIs!
↙️ Service is planning to reroute from Chicago Union 🚉 to LaSalle Street 🚉
It's been a while since 2016.
Now I feel sorry for the F59s.
First
Thanks for watching!
@@CoasterFan2105 You’re welcome Mike
But they never blow their horns.
Chicago. Home of railroading of the midwest Capitol.
I love your videos.Can you send me a METRA train galore in the next month Please.I subscribed your channel.
after 1 century...
I took a brief break from Train Talk to work on a couple other big projects. The 5 episode long Surf Line series took a lot of time to write and edit over the last year, so I didn't have as much to devote to new Train Talk episodes. More on the way soon!
meep meep railrunner
Mike armstrong,Can you please send a METRA train galore?reply me back okay.
First to comment, pin me 😉🕶️🤏
Thanks for stopping by!
Metra is planning to buy some 🔋🪫 units from FLIRT to use on the 🪨🏝️ District between LaSalle Street 🚉-Blue 🏝️-Vermont Street through the Beverly Branch