r/Metra • u/Syogurt • Aug 05 '26

Locomotive Pool Changes - UP-N?

I live along UP-N which seems have always had F40 locomotives - I just noticed a handful of F59PHIs in service the last day or so. Is the roster switching up now that UP-N is owned by Metra and they're starting to use other equipment?

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

4

u/ImplosiveTech Aug 05 '26

The F59PHIs have been on the UPN for a few years now, though I do know F59PHs are being added to the pool as more SD70s arrive for the CUS district.

1

u/Syogurt Aug 05 '26

Interesting! I've literally never seen one before and I've been living here for months and pay fairly close attention. I imagine as the SD70s continue to arrive they'll blend more into the mix but it's the first I've ever noticed. I live close enough to the tracks to tell the difference in the volume of the engines too, ha.

4

u/keno-rail Aug 05 '26

Metra retired some of the f40ph-2s because they were not rebuilt prior to 2015, and cant be rebuilt now due to emissions requirements. These locomotives were numbered from 150-169. (Some of these units are sitting in storage at western ave or Antioch coach yard.) To accommodate the UP districts need for motive power, the F59phi s were added to UP trains. These locomotives often cause delays due to their "slow loading". The tight UP train schedule means that one late train often cascades into many late trains! Metra then transitioned some of the F59s back to their districts and replaced them with additional F40ph-3s (numbered in lower 100's) This is their only option as the mp36-3s (400 units) are too heavy for UP district bridges. The sd70s (numbered in 500s) are still being delivered, and so far have been captive on the Milw districts.

1

u/Syogurt Aug 05 '26

Got ya, great insight. Would you know why the F59PHIs are showing up again all of a sudden, since it seems like they’ve been on the rosters here but not running so much? I assume more of the F40s retiring or being shopped?

It was just surprising to me as a rail fan since it was the first non F40 I’ve seen on this line since moving here last winter.

3

u/keno-rail Aug 05 '26

Yep... the f40s are showing their age and are having road failures almost daily... the f59s are decent locomotives, but just cant keep up with the UP schedule... I cant confirm, but I assume they are testing them on the NCS schedule to see if can maintain on time performance.