Trackside - Remembering Metra's F40C locomotives

Purchased by the Milwaukee Road for Chicago commuter service in 1974, these Metra locomotives could be found still plying their original routes 30 years later. They are shown here at Fox Lake, Rondout, and Elgin, Illinois with a last shot of the dead line outside the Metra shops in 2004.

These clips will be featured in an upcoming episode of the TV series Trackside. Go to www.trainweb.org/tracksideonli ne for more information.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• television
• Trackside
• trains
• railroads
• Metra
• commuter

[daviderutkowski]

when were these filmed

[tracksidefan]

These videos were shot over a 2 or 3 year period ending with almost all of the locomotives lined up outside the Metra shops in 2004.

[ludah99]

The F40c has 6 axles, and the F40's only have 4 axles. And the F40c have a slightly bigger engine.

[tracksidefan]

Both the 4 axle F40PH's and the 6 axle F40C's use the same EMD 645 diesel rated at 3,000 hp. The F40C were patterned after Amtrak's SDP40F and were originally built for the Milwaukee Road. The stainless steel panels on the sides are for appearence only.

[ERIELACKU34CH]

ive always wondered what exactly is the difference between the SDP40F and the F40C.

[fafnir242]

Poetic justice. Now if only Amtrak could do that with the F40PHs, because the P42s are starting to go to shit.

[jeremykhn]

Here's something, Amtrak tested the early ICE trains and they chose the Acela over the ICE. SO HAHAHA!!!!!

[michaelcorleonepate]

@tracksidefan I must apologize for my compatriot. There are a lot of problems with even the latest ICEs, even though no ICE is more than 20 year of age. And they are not always on time. Maybe Metra equipment is not the most modern, but it has style.

[frankthetank961]

I think the Illinois Railway Museum should get one and keep it preserved and running

[90Blakey]

i think some are still used. the new ones are shiny but i like the F40s better

[Leveractionjake]

These engines always reminded me of a crossbreed between EMD's first generation F units and a geep.

[sethamtrak]

I love f40c's!

[BentraxVideos]

Awesome!

[PsPmax95]

why did metra remove the F40C's operation?

[xrecon815]

horn at 00:43 is the best horn ever!!!

[metraF40PH163]

Man, that last clip with them sitting on the deadline was sad. I saw the same deadline when I went to chicago a few years back. It is sad the only kept the 611 and 614.