Highliner

Highliner
A Highliner on the Metra Electric line berthed at a station in Chicago, Illinois.
Manufacturer	St. Louis Car Company, Bombardier, Nippon Sharyo
Family name	Original: Highliner Stainless: Budd Gallery car
Constructed	Original: 1971, 1978-1979 Stainless: 2005, 2012-present
Entered service	Original: 1971-present Stainless: 2005-present
Number built	St Louis: 130 Bombardier: 36 Nippon: 201+
Formation	Married-pair
Fleet numbers	1201–1226, 1501–1663 (Metra) 301–314 (NICTD)
Operator	Illinois Central, Metra, NICTD
Line(s) served	Metra Electric, South Shore Line
Specifications
Car body construction	carbon steel (original), stainless steel (new)
Car length	85 feet (25.91 m)
Width	10.5 feet (3.20 m)
Height	15.83 feet (4.82 m) (to roof)
Floor height	4.298 feet (1.31 m)
Doors	Original: 1 end vestibule, 2 center Stainless: 2 center
Maximum speed	80 mph
Weight	140,000 pounds (64,000 kg) (empty)
Traction system	General Electric DC Motor model 1258
Power output	150 hp continuous, 160 hp maximum 1-hr rating per motor (4 per car)
Acceleration	1.36 mphph
Deceleration	1.5mphps
Train heating	Electric heat, air conditioning
Electric system(s)	1,500V DC Overhead lines
Current collection method	Pantograph
Bogies	Original: Outboard Bearing GSI 70
Braking system(s)	Pneumatic, dynamic
Coupling system	Tomlinson
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Highliner is a bilevel Electric Multiple Unit 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.

History

A second generation Nippon Sharyo Highliner on Metra Electric at Bryn Mawr.

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 resume commuter operations. The original Highliner fleet had a cost of approximately $40 Million. 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.

The original Highliners were rebuilt from 1978 to 1979 by the Bombardier company. Starting in 2005, the original fleet 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 Nippon Sharyo Highliners are similar in appearance to the passenger cars used on Metra's diesel lines.

Currently, the South Shore Line electric railroad of Illinois and Indiana is purchasing new Highliners to supplement its fleet of EMUs.^[1]

Fleet

References

External links

• Image of a Nippon-Sharyo Highliner on the Metra Electric Line
• Specification for Highliner I at bottom of PDF