Metra's New Rebuilt F40PH-3’s

This is the first footage we have of Metra's new F40PH-3’s.
Metra commonly uses the F40PH-2 engine (shown at the 0:43 mark), but most are over 20-30 years old. Recently, Metra has begun rebuilding them by replacing the trucks, couplers, motors, controls, and other worn out parts and calling it an F40PH-3. They are also painting them with Metra's new paint scheme, which has a lighter blue color and an orange and pink stripe along the side.
Starting at the 0:25 mark, this is actually the last 10 minutes of a video I'm making that will show each of the 4 types of engines that Metra currently uses. The F40PH-2 (and also the F40PHM-2 which is not shown here) will probably be gone in a few years.

[@hakeemsd70m]

I'm very pleased to see that they are rebuilding their f40s, giving them a new chapter of active-duty instead of retiring these classic motive beauties.

[@ninyaninjabrifsanovichthes45]

yes, if only MBTA would do the same.

[@Emdsd45T]

Hakeem Sd70M yeeeees!!!

[@eastcoastlocomotives8326]

But the old classic EMD F40 ph cat will never compare the old one always win

[@brucewallace4337]

Even better if they would have rebuilt their BN E units they have been gone for 30 years now since 1992 even then that was the last E Unit fleet in the country

[@MPIEMDRailfan4]

There are about 50 or so F40PH-3's in service as of June 2017. They are numbers 100 through 149, and the repainted ones are 181, 182, 183, 184, 174, 178, and 175. More and more are being converted as we speak.

[@MetraEmdF40PH]

Update: The only new ones I’ve seen is unit 176 and 177.

[@TuxTheTrainGuy]

sees a train coming and proceeds anyway. Big Brain moment. 2:52

[@fastcsx1412]

Cool video and great catches so so very cool and lucky!!!

[@4FlyRockets]

Thanks for the video. I just happen to be custom panting a HO KATO loco into Metra engine 175! I had some questions concerning the color scheme and decal placement and your video answered those questions. I especially liked the drone video and great editing......

[@michaelglass4701]

Loooove your video.

[@coasternamegenerator5611]

3:02 the best k3la ever. It sounds like a rs3k.

[@randallbanks1589]

I noticed that too. He didn't even look the other way. What if that were an express?

[@veniciocaldas1514]

the metra f40ph is from chicago train idle manager tycoon game

[@meverything2216]

160 is my favorite f40

[@texasandpacific610]

So are they still seeing use today?

[@D2Kprime]

We need to write congress to get them to allocate more funds to Amtrak so that they can turn the F40PH NPCU back into regular cabs so they can get back in service.

[@dannythecoolboyborto3387]

Where is this Metra station at

[@Ramseylove]

Nice job 👍

[@Creeperboy099]

So the F40 series is the passenger equivalent of the SD/GP40?

[@WindyCityExpeditionist]

It has 3,000 horsepower.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

Are they replacing the P5's on the engines with K5LA's on each rebuild?

[@ingenjelly5480]

I don't think so. I've never heard a difference when they go by my town

[@texasandpacific610]

So how many f40ph locomotives remain? They’re my favorite passenger locomotive

[@WindyCityExpeditionist]

Metra is the main reason there is about 150 left in existence.

[@texasandpacific610]

So is Metra the only Commuter Railroad that still uses the f40ph locomotive model? I prefer the f40ph-3 of the f40ph series

[@schnuurtchke]

Why does the crossing have a WC Hayes bell

[@Railfan_2010]

3:11 what station?

[@chicagolandrailfan1550]

I Actually caught the F40PH-3, on my Metra watching. and also, why did he cross the tracks when there was a inbound train coming. He should have crossed the crossing (2:48)

[@roundlakerailfan6853]

What line(s) are these stations on, again?

[@eolafan100]

Union Pacific Northwest and west lines.

[@BossSpringsteen69]

Hmmmm....they sound like a standard 645 series engine so it must have been replaced with a less worn cylinder block,pistons or something. I know years ago GP 38's,GP40's and SD40's and the like were upgraded via many electrical components and that is how they got upgraded to Dash-2 standards. I'm assuming Metra did the same

[@jeremywilliams5675]

why couldn't Amtrak rebuilt theirs? They seem to be stronger and can take a lot more than their current engines.

[@ninyaninjabrifsanovichthes45]

Or MBTA.

[@coasternamegenerator5611]

Ninja Briefs the Saiyan mbta has f40's still.

[@mikeytrains1]

Jeremy Williams That answer, is because of money. Amtrak is underfunded, and saw no use in the F40s other than scrapping them or converting them into NPCUs. There’s a few still laying around in the Bear Shops I think, they can just rebuild those and stick them on regional services or intercity trains, maybe revive servives like the Silver Palm here in Florida and run them on those.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

The kind of use and maintenance that Amtrak F40PHs got beat the crap out of them worse than Metra's. In the last five years or so Metra bought a few used up Amtrak units because they were the absolute only option for Metra's budget and fleet philosophy. All of the F40PH-3s are pretty much jacking up the horn and sliding a new locomotive underneath anyway.

[@bwallace5945]

Because you and I the taxpayers will just buy them new ones. They sold I think 4 to the Nashville Star System and they appear to be holding up.

[@therookie9276]

3:26 I see your drone!

[@MB_Videos1]

Hey bud great video are you going to be out this weekend to catch the Metra Steam action?

[@tyhik9338]

are you saying that they are being retired?

[@Trainlover1995]

No, being rebuilt.

[@ConductorDon]

Is it just me or does Metra seem to avoid purchasing brand new locomotives at all costs? Maybe they just don't have the funds to purchase new engines and rebuilding the whole fleet is cheaper? Im just curious as to why they would keep a large fleet of engines that are decades old when there are multiple options out there for new power? New locomotives "like the siemens charger or EMD F-125 for instance" are more fuel efficient, yet produce a lot more hp. They also have modern safety and collision avoidance systems like PTC, and while not something I assume is a concern for the big wigs making the financial decisions, they seem to have much more ergonomic cabs and control stands, and also give the engineer a better field of view.

[@roundlakerailfan6853]

The reason that Metra doesn't buy new ones is because a new one costs about $7,000,000. Metra can't afford that.

[@cadespencer6320]

They bought some former Amtrak f-59phi's

[@roundlakerailfan6853]

@@cadespencer6320 Everyone already knows that.

[@justanotherasian4395]

Cade Spencer and those are only about 1mil.

[@JohnAckerman93]

Round Lake Railfan I heard that Metra will be buying some new locomotives and new railcars. The reason is that the state finally passed a capital bill of $45 billion. With the money Metra gets, they’re going to purchase some new equipment, and fix up their infrastructure. They also expect to receive $2.6 billion over the next five years

[@ninyaninjabrifsanovichthes45]

MBTA should take notes from this.

[@BossSpringsteen69]

Funny you mention that i've seen older MBTA unints in a couple of Chicago area locations. I think i've handled on or two in my career. I know about a year ago i handled a "strech" F40PH (as i call it) going on a train heading west and i think it went to a small startup carrier that started passenger operations.

[@WindyCityExpeditionist]

Agreed.

[@siemenstraffic]

Why did Metra have to sell off nearly there whole fleet of F40C's to scrap? They could had been refurbished and pushed pack into service!

[@bwallace5945]

Don't know they could have been rebuilt just get rid of those ugly Stainless Steel side panels so they look more like a F45 I guess they were drooling at the chance to buy that MPI junk an untested Locomotive Manufacturer. Yes I know they were a rebuilder but that is not the same as building a brand new locomotive. Even the BN E9's could have been rebuilt. After all they were the best Passenger Locomotives ever built.

[@TheShad_1]

@@bwallace5945 oi those panels aren’t ugly

[@maas1208]

@@bwallace5945 They could've rebuilt them with Caterpillar HEP Generators

[@mikelowery5741]

Sorry but Metra has some ugly ass passenger cars

[@WindyCityExpeditionist]

Ours are historic and better than those comet railcar/LIRR bilevel rubbish.

[@trevorderper5050]

@@WindyCityExpeditionist uh not rubbish, the comet originates way back from pullman to the time when the Gallery cars were first born so that means the Comet are distant cousins of the gallery car.

[@maas1208]

@@trevorderper5050 the Comet cars have the same flaw as the gallery cars don't get me wrong I like the gallery cars but they do need replacing or at least convert them into EMUS for the metra electric district line