# Metrolink leasing locomotives from BNSF, adding one to every train



## Paulus (Sep 6, 2015)

Metrolink prepares to waste even more money and slow down its trains even more while increasing the risk of telescoping locomotives into passenger cars


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## Eric S (Sep 6, 2015)

Seems like yet another chapter in the book that American passenger railroading is writing on how not to do things.


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## Tokkyu40 (Sep 7, 2015)

Adding a second locomotive to the trains increases acceleration and makes the trains faster, not slower. Much faster when one of the engines breaks down again. But it is expensive.
They need DMU trains for a system that size.


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## Paulus (Sep 7, 2015)

Tokkyu40 said:


> Adding a second locomotive to the trains increases acceleration and makes the trains faster, not slower. Much faster when one of the engines breaks down again. But it is expensive.
> 
> They need DMU trains for a system that size.


Freight locomotives are not known for their acceleration or light weight and are limited in speed.


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## keelhauled (Sep 7, 2015)

What neither the press release nor the OP explain is that Metrolink is doing this because they are concerned, based on the investigation into their fatal grade crossing accident earlier this year, that the cab cars front plows are susceptible to catching debris underneath and causing the car to derail.


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## MikefromCrete (Sep 7, 2015)

The problem is with Southern California's drivers who don't seem to understand that you're not supposed to cross tracks when gates are down. I'm not really sure why MetroLink has more problems with this sort of accident than other commuter railroads. Chicago's Metra has operated push-pull double deckers for 60 years without the sort of accidents that have plagued Metrolink. Using freight locomotives seems kind of an over the top response.


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## seat38a (Sep 24, 2015)

Great so they bought those uncomfortable new "SAFE" cars and now they are not safe. I personally always ride in the old Bombardier cars since the seats are 1000% more comfortable than the Rotem cars.


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## GG-1 (Sep 24, 2015)

MikefromCrete said:


> The problem is with Southern California's drivers who don't seem to understand that you're not supposed to cross tracks when gates are down. I'm not really sure why MetroLink has more problems with this sort of accident than other commuter railroads


Aloha

My daughter witnessed a "JERK" destroy an expensive car by going around the gate as the train passed and getting hit by the train traveling in the opposite direction.


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## desertflyer (Oct 27, 2015)

Think of all those Pacific Surfliners running over much of the same track every day still doing push-pull.


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## seat38a (Nov 8, 2015)

Just saw a bunch of BNSF engines parked at the far track at LAUS. According to the Metrolink conductor, the engines are for them. Yesterday, they moved them to the far track and they are all still there as of tonight.


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## Fan Railer (Nov 8, 2015)

How does no one have pictures of this stuff yet?


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## trainman74 (Nov 9, 2015)

Fan Railer said:


> How does no one have pictures of this stuff yet?


From what I've seen (on Ventura County line trains at Burbank-Bob Hope Airport), they're not running with the BNSF locomotives yet.


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## jis (Nov 10, 2015)

desertflyer said:


> Think of all those Pacific Surfliners running over much of the same track every day still doing push-pull.


Surfliners have a different design cab car that are more resilient from the sort of derailments MetroLink is worried about.


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## TinCan782 (Nov 10, 2015)

trainman74 said:


> Fan Railer said:
> 
> 
> > How does no one have pictures of this stuff yet?
> ...


Yea, I ride the Ventura County line every day and no BNSF yet.


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## seat38a (Nov 28, 2015)

Fan Railer said:


> How does no one have pictures of this stuff yet?


Here you go. There are about 13 or 14 parked on the farthest platform and many more parked where Metrolink usually stores surplus cars.



Untitled by B H, on Flickr



Untitled by B H, on Flickr


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## MikefromCrete (Nov 28, 2015)

This whole project seems a waste of horsepower and money.


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## TinCan782 (Nov 28, 2015)

seat38a said:


> Fan Railer said:
> 
> 
> > How does no one have pictures of this stuff yet?
> ...


They have been parked there at LAUS for many weeks...have yet to see any being used.


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## seat38a (Nov 29, 2015)

FrensicPic said:


> seat38a said:
> 
> 
> > Fan Railer said:
> ...


Yes, I saw them being moved to the tracks couple weeks ago. Never thought to take pictures at that time. From what I read, the are going to have the engines PTC compliant before using them.


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## seat38a (Nov 29, 2015)

MikefromCrete said:


> This whole project seems a waste of horsepower and money.


With quite a few breakdowns lately, this should actually improve the reliability of the service.


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