Travelogue of Michael Hansen's Trips on Metra
http://www.trainweb.com/travelogues/mhansen/2003h10a.html

Its about 10:45 AM, on Sunday, August 10, 2003, and I've just arived at the Elgin train station, ware I along with my Mom will be boarding Metra train number 2714 to Chicago. We left our house at around 11:25 AM, and made great time to the station, making the trip in just 18 minutes. We are going down to Union station for me to do a recording of Amtrak action, which there will be plenty of. The Texas Eagle, which was actually running on time, would be one of my first features, with Genesis engine 10, along with the California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, and the outbound Texas Eagle at 3:20 PM.

We walked down to get the engine number, then walked to the first open door on the train to board. Todays 2714 was pushed by F40C engine number 602. This engine was on my 4:20 PM train last Monday, and previously on my 11:22 inbound train to Chicago when I took the Hiawatha to Milwalkie. We walked through 3 cars, until we came to the last open car to passengers. This was a new, ADA accessible car. Metra has a fair share of these cars, and is beginning to retire its MILW district cab cars. Our train today however was led by an old MILW district cab car.

We departed rite on time at 11:55 AM, and made our first stop at National Street, at 11:58 AM, 1 minute late. We darived at Bartlot at 12:07 PM, 2 minutes late, and departed 1 minute later at 12:08 PM, now 3 minutes late. We made our next stop, at Hanover Park, at 12:12 PM, and left a minute later. We arived at Shawnburg at 12:16 PM, and left less then a minute later.

I started recording for the first time today. I recorded a ride between Rosell and Itaska, a nice but not long ride, ware there is no welded rail. We made all stops, ariving at Itaska at 12:27 PM. The car in front of ware we were sitting was opened before Bensonville, so we decided to move there to do more recordings. I began a recording of the ride from Bensonville to Franklon Park, then redid the recording from Franklon Park to before Mont Clair, ware I put my recording equipment in my bag and updated this travelogue. We arived at Mont Clair at 12:49 PM, and left less then a minute later at 12:50 PM. Indeed, we stop in towns I've never even heard of on this line! The conductor came through to collect tickets from passengers who had just boarded just before we arived at Gailwood at 12:52 PM, leeving less then a minute later.

We arived at Western Ave at 1:01 PM, and left less then a minute later.

We arived at our last stop, at Chicago, at 1:10 PM, just 1 minute late!

My trip on Metra was very enjoyable, and I'm very much looking forward to my return trip home!

Its about 4:15 PM, on Sunday, August 10, 2003, and we're in Union Station in Chicago, ware we will be boarding Metra train number 2713, to Elgin. We arived about 3 hours and 20 minutes ago on Metra train number 2714, and spent the time tape record Amtrak train action. We first headed out to the south concorse, ware we found Genesis engines number 24, 35, 202, and a little farther down the platform 126. Even farther down was Genesis engines number 189, 159, 58, 81, and 156. We after taking tapes of 126 and 189 headed to the north concorse, ware we found Genesis engines number 73, and 162. As these engines were departing on the Empire Builder, a fast moving Metra train with Cab car number 8504 came passed, pushed by F40C number 609. We walked back to the south concorse, ware I taped the Texas Eagles departure, with Genesis engine number 189. Next, the southwest Chief backed in, with AMTK 88, 183, 134, and 172. The outbound chief was still there, with Genesis engines 159, 58, 81, and 156, and it was ideal conditions! 8 genesis engines all going at the same time! The show didn't last long. The outbound Chief departed, which left the inbound Chief there. After taping the Illini, led by a guy controling it from the front, no cab car, and Genesis engine number 202 at 4:05 PM, we headed back to our train.

Todays 2713 is pulled by F40C engine number 600. HEP was shut off at 4:25 PM, and restored at 4:26 PM. A family with very yung kids sat in front of us, and at first they were quiet. There parents began "incuredging them to show off," and the kids soon became very loud and annoying. At one point, they all screamed at once! The train departed at 4:30 PM, and made all stops to Elgin. We arived at 5:45 PM.

My trip on Metra was very enjoyable, we got to tape some very nice Amtrak action, and got to ride behind one of the old F40C engines!