APTA-2048
Senior Member
Is it true Amtrak wants to use that equipment or is that a rumour?
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- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
turbanplanner
Senior Member
Shame a rail service is shutting down, I read they cut from 100+ weekly trips down to 20…
I wonder if that’s why ridership plummeted after COVID? Also I know we don’t because of crash regulations but it sucks seem the Americans get cool tables at the seats, and we get the most basic version of anything we make
I wonder if that’s why ridership plummeted after COVID? Also I know we don’t because of crash regulations but it sucks seem the Americans get cool tables at the seats, and we get the most basic version of anything we make
Bordercollie
Senior Member
Seems like it according to wiki
Bojaxs
Senior Member
If GO were to purchase the locomotives from Northstar, they would effectively become the "Metra" of MotivePower locomotives.
WB62
Senior Member
We had tables, they were removed after an accident
GO coaches have a lot of amenities come and go over the years:
Tables:
Water fountain/cup dispenser:
TVs:
Coat hooks:
turbanplanner
Senior Member
We have tvs back but it’s people watching instagram reels out loud in the quiet zone!
We’ve lost so much, I didn’t even realize we had fountains, most of the time I can walk 6+ cars before I found one with a working sink :/
drum118
Superstar
As someone who has ridden the NorthStar line, the density is far worse than what is found on a number of GO lines from end to end. Not getting the line extended to St. Cloud as plan did not help.
Watching the ridership from rail to bus or car at Big Lake back in 2019 was poor let alone on the train. There have been strong opposition from the state representatives to kill the line even in 2019. Ridership spike in 2024 to 124,000 for 40% increase, but far below the 767,000 in 2019.
Quality of service was a killer in 2019 and more so in 2024. Back in 2019, trains where 4 cars sets and no idea what it was in 2024, SunRail ran 4 car sets in 2019 with 90-120 minute service all day while NorthStar was only peak hours. Nashville runs 2 car sets at peak time with 1960's equipment.
Since SunRail is doing some expansion, they may go after NorthStar equipment since they have the same type of equipment in the first place. Nashville should go after them.
BNSF play a large part in quality service as they did not want it on their line or in the corridor like the Blue LRT Line extension that has been delay and using another route.
We found no different between GO Transit Fleet to NorthStar or SunRail fleet riding them
WB62
Senior Member
The fountains were removed very quickly in the 90s after high levels of harmless bacteria were discovered in the water tanks, it took less than a day to remove all the fountains.
I believe at the time the water for the toilets, sinks, and fountains were from the same tank.
dowlingm
Senior Member
A lot of chat here but it went quiet in mid-August.
There is also one loco and some coaches requested by TRE in Texas.
Minnesota officials approve lease of commuter rail equipment to Amtrak, DART - Trains
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Metropolitan Council, which oversees transit and other governmental functions in the seven-county Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, has approved a plan to lease surplus Northstar commuter rail equipment to Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Amtrak. The Minnesota Star...
www.trains.com
Bojaxs
Senior Member
Does GO use a switcher/ shunter at their WIllowbrook and Whitby Yards? Or do they just use an old locomotive to move equipment around?
dowlingm
Senior Member
Given that MLX has recently acquired F59s from California, they are not giving the appearance of an agency that wants to be out of the F59-owning business.
Bojaxs
Senior Member
Rail fanners rejoice!
crs1026
Superstar
Not an old locomotive.... but rather - any old locomotive.
Crews simply use whatever is sitting around.
- Paul
smallspy
Senior Member
There are preferences given and made for F59s as access from the ballast is considerably easier than for an MP40. But as Paul wrote, if all they have is MP40s or MP54s, that's what they will use.
Dan
drum118
Superstar
I have only seen MP40's doing the switching at Willowbrook and expect the same for Whitby. It is very possible that an F59 has done switching since the arrival of the MP40's since they did that before the MP's show up when I have been there.
If ML went after the MP36's, then a couple of the F59's could be assigned to do the switching in place of the MP40's.
Makes no different if it is an F59, MP36, MP40, MP54, they all can handle a 6-8 car train easy. What power is use is up to the person assigning power to a train with the train crew taking that train they are assign to having no say.