Customer Reviews

American Trains-Metra Milwaukee District Cab Car Ride: Ride the cab car from Libertyville into Chicago

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I gave it a three star because I thought the Video was too short (1HR) and it doesnt have much runbuys, just a couple of Metra trains and 1 three car Amtrak train that goes by in a few seconds. It almost seems as if they filmed it on a Sunday. I would've at least like to have seen an Amtrak superliner and some trackside footage. As a Northeast corridor Fan when i watch video cab rides of the NEC i can see and feel the history. Here on this video I only saw the history in the trackage, which was interesting to know. Not ever being in chicago it was nice to see how the route runs and arriving into the station, but also, Amtrak took alot of the track away because they were refurbishing it for upgrades possibly for faster service similiar to New Have, but you dont even see standby trains or any double crossovers going into the station. Over all its ok (3 star), but dont expect to see much action.

I admit, I bought this mostly on a whim, and then only after having left it in my Amazon shopping cart for about 6 months. I'd previously bought my son some Pentrex videos -- "Great American Train Rides" or something like that -- and they were pretty boring. So, I had some reservations.

When I first put it in to watch, I thought, "This can't possibly be just an hour of looking out the window." Well, it was -- and I absolutely loved it!!!

As another reviewer pointed out, one of the best parts is listening to the impromptu commentary given by the engineer, a Metra PR spokesman, and the cameraman. (I was a little afraid it'd just be some b.s. corporate propaganda).

They told a great story about a maintenance truck that had accidentally gone onto the wrong track (or, right track -- wrong railroad), and someone pointed out that this guy was clearly from out of state, as any railfan from the area would have instantly noticed the mistake, as the ballast is different on the Milwaukee tracks versus that found on UP / CNW. And I thought, "Wow! I guess the rock IS sorta pinkish on UP." And from that point, I was hooked.

Sure, it's not without its faults. I could have done without the bird mess or dead bug or whatever it was splattered across the left side of the windshield. And, it was somewhat amusing that while the run started in Fox Lake, the cameraman apologetically noted that he didn't have much time to get the camera set up, so the cab view doesn't start until Libertyville. (However, we do get a shot of the train leaving the siding at Fox Lake, so how did he manage that?)

Coincidentally, the one time I rode Metra's MILW-N line, it was from Libertyville, so this was perfect for me.

And, the cameraman does insist on pronouncing "Rondout" as "Round Out", even though the engineer says it correctly at least twice. However, the cameraman went on to say that he grew up in northwest Indiana, and I went to elementary school in Valparaiso, myself, so it was like being with an old friend.

I have read that the Mayfair station is a good place for railfanning, but this makes it abundantly clear, as the platform is just south of the UP-NW junction.

And, you pass three running F40Cs, for those that are fans of that type. Two are pulling trains, and one is a simple engine move. And, there are more in the yard near Western Avenue.

Finally, yes, it does go all the way to the bumper at Union Station. I was a little dismayed to see the approach tracks were all torn up with construction, but that's not the fault of the DVD, by any means.

In conclusion, I do highly recommend this one.

This is a must-see for Chicago-Metra commuters as well as passenger rail fans in all cities. I don't own any other train ride videos, but bought this one because I grew up in the Chicago burbs riding these trains.

You're riding in the cab control car at the front end of a Metra commuter train pushing it's way to the city. You'll get a quick overview of the route and brief view of the engineer and his controls, then it's straight forward out-the-window cab view for your ride from Libertyville into Chicago. The sound and picture quality are excellent.

You'll get plenty of station stops, opposing traffic, reduced speed and whistle blowing. But what really makes this DVD worth watching over and over is the casual commentary between the filmmaker, engineer, and Metra PR spokesman - three down-to-earth, conversational rail people you'd like to know. You'll hear history and stories of the line today and how it evolved. Watching this DVD makes you feel like you're taking a train ride with the boys, and you're right up front. Pop it in on a Saturday morning, put your feet up and enjoy the ride!