CHICAGO – This Sunday morning, the installation of steel supports for a new canopy at the Stony Island station on Metra Electric's South Chicago branch will require de-energizing the overhead wire between 67th Street and Windsor Park, a Metra spokeswoman confirmed Friday. The activity will require a diesel-powered shuttle from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the branch. Outbound Highliner trains 8303, 8305, 8307, and 8309, and inbound trains 8302, 8304, 8306, and 8308 will be affected.

The main line and the Blue Island Branch are not affected. Outbound South Chicago trains will operate normally on the main line between Randolph Street Terminal in downtown Chicago and 63rd Street. For the South Chicago branch, a shuttle train consisting of Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter diesel switcher locomotive No. 1, which is equipped with Highliner-compatible couplers, and a single Highliner electric car, will operate through the non-energized segment, shuttling between 63rd St. and Windsor Park. A Highliner train will operate on the outer end of the branch beyond Windsor Park, to the outermost station, 93rd Street. The shuttle train will not have lighting, heating, or air-conditioning because the diesel locomotive is not equipped to use 1500-volt d.c. cables.

When the last Saturday train, No. 353, arrives at 93rd Street, its
Highliners will deadhead to Windsor Park to be Sunday's shuttle train. The locomotive will come from Blue Island on Metra's Rock Island District, via Metra Electric's Blue Island Branch, to be the shuttle's motive power.

Operations are expected to return to normal after 1 p.m. Sunday. The
property is former Illinois Central.

Any particular reason why one of Metra's HEP-equipped locomotives can't be used for the shuttle(s)?

Not that there isn't anything wrong with using the switcher, just seems like it would be very uncomfortable for passengers...

For the patronage on that line I would think that one cta bus would be able to do the job for a few hours.

Bill

From Kevin's orignal post:I don't think METRA has any "standard" coaches that can go "under the wire," and only has this switcher with the "unique" couplers used on the Highliner cars.

Ross

In that case I can understand the use seeing as it is only for shuttles of a short length...