Last Run of the Metra Electric Highliners.
(David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
HIGHLINER
The Highliner is a bilevel electric multiple unit (EMU) railcar. The original series of railcars were built in 1971 by the St. Louis Car Company for commuter service on the Illinois Central Railroad, in south Chicago, Illinois, with an additional batch later produced by Bombardier. A second generation featuring a completely new design was produced by Nippon Sharyo beginning in 2005.
Metra Electric Highliner I at Ivanhoe, IL.
(vxla from Chicago, US, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
History
In 1926, the Illinois Central's commuter rail lines were electrified, and began operating as the "IC Electric". For almost 40 years, the IC Electric continued to operate the original fleet of heavyweight cars, until the railroad decided that a more modern railcar was needed to improve commuter operations. The Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District was formed in 1967 in order to qualify for federal funding to purchase new equipment for the route. The original 130 car Highliner fleet had a cost of approximately $40 million; $26.6 million was funded by a federal grant, with the remainder coming from the Illinois Central. The railcars operated on electric catenary and were more efficient than their heavyweight predecessors. A typical Highliner was able to seat 156 passengers and run faster than the heavyweight fleet.
In 1976, the newly formed Regional Transportation Authority began to fund the IC Electric commuter service. In 1983, the RTA created Metra, Chicago's commuter rail service, and in 1987, Metra purchased the IC Electric line, forming the Metra Electric Line.
An additional batch of 36 Highliners was built from 1978 to 1979 by the Bombardier company. Starting in 2005, the aged original fleet, which was increasingly prone to breakage and experiencing soaring maintenance costs, began to be phased out. They were replaced by new Highliners built by Nippon Sharyo of Japan, the same company that is currently in charge of production of Metra's fleet of gallery cars. The last revenue run of the original Highliner cars was on February 12, 2016. Metra confirmed in a Facebook post that twenty-four cars are being sent to museums around the Midwestern United States, including the Illinois Railway Museum, while the other cars were sent to Mendota, Illinois to be scrapped.
A second generation Nippon Sharyo Highliner on Metra Electric at Bryn Mawr. (Zol87, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
A second generation Metra Nippon Sharyo Highliner at Millennium Station. (にび三郎, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
A second generation South Shore Line Nippon Sharyo Highliner at Millennium Station. (にび三郎, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Highliner II
The Nippon Sharyo Highliners are similar in appearance to the gallery cars used on Metra's diesel lines. The South Shore Line, which operates on the Metra Electric from Millennium Station to Kensington/115th Street before diverging east to Indiana, also purchased and operates the Highliner II to supplement its fleet of EMUs.
Metra has begun testing 90mph operations on part of the Metra Electric District and has committed to getting the entire network to 79mph. Signaling and catenary work has begun. The previous 65mph limit was a result of 1926 Pullman stock braking algorithms which were replaced by Highliner I and no longer relevant.
Fleet
| Car Numbers | Initial User | Year built | Builder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1227-1386 | Metra | 2012–2016 | Nippon Sharyo | |
| 1201-1226 | Metra | 2005–2006 | Nippon Sharyo | |
| 301-314 | NICTD | 2008–2009 | Nippon Sharyo | |
| 1631-1666 | RTA | 1978–1979 | Bombardier | |
| 1501-1630 | Illinois Central | 1971–1972 | St. Louis | Car No. 1509 destroyed in 1972 Chicago train collision |
Overview
In service: Highliner: 1971–2016; Highliner II: 2005–present
Manufacturer: Highliner: St. Louis Car Company, Bombardier; Highliner II: Nippon Sharyo
Family name: Highliner; Highliner II: Budd Gallery car
Constructed: Highliner: 1971, 1978–1979; Highliner II: 2005–2006, 2012–2016
Number built: St Louis: 130, Bombardier: 36, Nippon: 201+
Number preserved: Approx. 24
Number scrapped: Most First Generation cars scrapped, second generation cars still in service
Formation: Married pairs
Fleet numbers: 1201–1226, 1501–1663 (Metra)
Fleet numbers: 301–314 (NICTD)
Operators: Illinois Central, Metra, NICTD
Lines served: Metra Electric, South Shore Line
Specifications
Car body construction Highliner: carbon steel; Highliner II : stainless steel
Car length Highliner: 85 feet (25.91 m); Highliner II: 85 feet (25.91 m)
Width Highliner: 10.5 feet (3.20 m); Highliner II: 9.82 feet (2.99 m)
Height Highliner: 15.83 feet (4.82 m) (to roof); Highliner II: 15.87 feet (4.84 m)
Floor height Highliner: 4.298 feet (1.31 m)
Doors Highliner: 1 end vestibule, 2 center; Highliner II: 2 center
Maximum speed: Highliner: 80 mph (130 km/h); Highliner II: 90 mph (140 km/h)
Weight Highliner: 140,000 lb (64,000 kg) (empty); Highliner II: 148,000 lb (67,000 kg) (empty)
Traction system Highliner II: IGBT-VVVF
Traction motors Highliner: 1258 DC motor (GE); Highliner II: 3-phase 4 pole AC induction motor
Power output Highliner: 150 hp (110 kW) continuous, 160 hp (120 kW) maximum 1-hr rating per motor (4 per car)
Power output Highliner II: 200 hp (150 kW) per motor (4 per car)
Acceleration Highliner: 1.36 mph/s (2.19 km/(h⋅s))
Deceleration Highliner: 1.5 mph/s (2.4 km/(h⋅s))
HVAC: Electric heat, air conditioning
Electric system: 1,500 V DC overhead lines
Current collector: Pantograph
UIC classification: Bo’Bo’+Bo’Bo’
AAR wheel arrangement: B-B+B-B
Bogies Highliner: Outboard Bearing GSI 70
Braking system: Pneumatic, dynamic
Coupling system: Tomlinson
Track gauge: 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
