{"history":[],"article":{"id":"3c1fbb63-40e5-4f8d-a6ee-4d4f7982f411","title":"Metra","slug":"metra","content":":::summary\n![Metra](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Metra///Logo.svg)\n**Name:** Metra \n**Image 2:** Metra F40PH-3 No. 135.jpg \n**Caption 2:** Metra 135, a rebuilt [EMD F40PH-3](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-f40ph), idles at [Barrington, Illinois](https://bliptext.com/articles/barrington-illinois) \n**Owner:** [Regional Transportation Authority](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois) (RTA) \n**Locale:** [Chicago metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-metropolitan-area), [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Transit Type:** [Commuter rail](https://bliptext.com/articles/commuter-rail) \n**Lines:** 11 \n**Stations:** 242 year-round, 1 seasonal, 1 under construction \n**Chief Executive:** James M. Derwinski \n**Website:** metra.com \n**Began Operation:** 1984 \n**Operator:** Metra, [Union Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad), [BNSF Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway) \n**Marks:** METX \n**System Length:** 487.5 mi \n**El:** 1= · [Metra Electric](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-electric): · Other lines: none \n**Headquarters:** 547 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661 \n:::\n\n# \n**Metra** is the primary [commuter rail](https://bliptext.com/articles/commuter-rail) system in the [Chicago metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-metropolitan-area) serving the city of [Chicago](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago) and its surrounding suburbs via the [Union Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad), [BNSF Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway), and other railroads.\nThe system operates 243 [stations](https://bliptext.com/articles/train-station) on 11 rail lines.\nIt is the [fourth busiest commuter rail system](https://bliptext.com/articles/list-of-united-states-commuter-rail-systems-by-ridership) in the [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) by ridership and the largest and busiest commuter rail system outside the [New York City metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-york-city-metropolitan-area).\nIn, the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of.\nThe estimated busiest day for Metra ridership occurred on November 4, 2016—the day of the Chicago Cubs [2016 World Series](https://bliptext.com/articles/2016-world-series) victory rally, with a record 460,000+ passengers.\nMetra is the descendant of numerous passenger rail services dating to the 1850s.\nThe present system dates to 1974, when the [Illinois General Assembly](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-general-assembly) established the [Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois) to consolidate transit operations in the Chicago area, including commuter rail as a public utility.\nThe RTA's creation was a result of the anticipated withdrawal of commuter service operated and owned by various private railroad companies in the 1970s.\nIn a 1983 reorganization, the RTA placed commuter rail under a newly formed Commuter Rail Division, which branded itself as Metra in 1985.\nFreight rail companies still operate four of Metra's routes under purchase-of-service agreements.\nMetra owns all [rolling stock](https://bliptext.com/articles/rolling-stock) and is responsible for all stations along with the respective municipalities.\nSince its inception, Metra has directed more than $5 billion into the commuter rail system of the Chicago metropolitan area alongside the [CTA](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-transit-authority).\nIn January 2023, Metra rolled out a new real-time train tracking website to allow passengers greater visibility into their commute.\n\n# History\n\n## Early Chicago commuter rail\nSince the 19th century, Chicago has been a major hub in the North American rail network.\nIt has more trackage radiating in more directions than any other city in North America.\nRailroads set up their headquarters in the city and Chicago became a center for building freight cars, passenger cars and diesel locomotives.\nEarly commuter services were run by the [Chicago, Burlington and Quincy](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-burlington-and-quincy-railroad), [Chicago and North Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-and-north-western-transportation-company), and [Milwaukee Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/milwaukee-road).\nBy the 1930s, Chicago had the world's largest public transportation system, but commuter rail services started to decline.\nBy the mid-1970s, the commuter lines faced an uncertain future.\nThe [Burlington Northern](https://bliptext.com/articles/burlington-northern), Milwaukee Road, Chicago and North Western and [Illinois Central](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-central) had been losing money for several years, and were using trainsets with [passenger cars](https://bliptext.com/articles/passenger-car-rail) dating as far back as the 1920s.\n\n## Formation of the RTA\nTo provide stability to the commuter rail system, the [Illinois General Assembly](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-general-assembly) formed the [Regional Transportation Authority](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois) in 1974.\nIts purpose was to fund and plan the Chicago region's public transportation.\nAfter initially using second-hand equipment, the RTA took delivery of the first new [EMD F40PH](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-f40ph) locomotives in 1976.\nThat F40PH fleet is still in service today.\nThe companies that had long provided commuter rail in the Chicago area continued to operate their lines under contract to the RTA.\nLess than a decade later the Regional Transportation Authority was already suffering from ongoing financial problems.\nAdditionally, two rail providers, the [Rock Island Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-rock-island-and-pacific-railroad) and the [Milwaukee Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/milwaukee-road), went bankrupt, forcing the RTA to create the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation to operate their lines directly in 1982.\nIn 1983 the Illinois Legislature reorganized the agency.\nThat reorganization left the Regional Transportation Authority in charge of day-to-day operations of all bus, heavy rail and commuter rail services throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.\nIt was also responsible for directing fare and service levels, setting up budgets, finding sources for capital investment and planning.\nA new Commuter Rail Division was created to handle commuter rail operations; along with CTA and [Pace](https://bliptext.com/articles/pace-transit), it was one of RTA's three \"service boards\".\n# [RTA EMD F40PH No. 123 crossing the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois, in 1981 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Elgin///%28289733876%29.jpg]\n\n## Metra branding\nThe board of the RTA Commuter Rail Division first met in 1984.\nIn an effort to simplify the operation of commuter rail in the Chicago area, in July 1985 it adopted a unified brand for the entire system–**Met**ra, or **Met**ropolitan **Ra**il.\nThe newly reorganized Metra service helped to bring a single identity to the many infrastructure components serviced by the Regional Transportation Authority's commuter rail system.\nHowever, the system is still legally known as the Commuter Rail Division of the RTA.\nToday, Metra's operating arm, the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, operates seven Metra owned routes.\nFour other routes continue to be operated by [Union Pacific](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific) (formerly [Chicago & North Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-and-north-western-transportation-company)) and [BNSF](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway) (formerly [Burlington Northern](https://bliptext.com/articles/burlington-northern-railroad)) under contract to Metra.\nService throughout the network is provided under the Metra name (in keeping with Metra's goal of providing a single identity for all commuter rail in the region).\nMetra also owns all rolling stock, controls fares and staffing levels, and is responsible for most of the stations.\nHowever, the freight carriers who operate routes under contract use their own employees and control the right-of-way for those routes.\nBy the first quarter of 2024, the Union Pacific Railroad is expected to transfer operations of the three Union Pacific lines to Metra.\nUnion Pacific will continue to own and maintain the right-of-way.\n# [Metra EMD F40C No. 614 in Chicago | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Metra///614.jpg]\n\n## Growth and expansion\nIn the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Metra experienced record ridership and expanded its services.\nIn 1996, Metra organized its first new line, the [North Central Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/north-central-service), running from Union Station to Antioch.\nBy 2006, it added new intermediate stops to that same route, extended the [Union Pacific West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-west-line) from Geneva to Elburn and extended [SouthWest Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/southwest-service) from Orland Park to Manhattan.\nIn 2012, it boasted 95.8% average [on-time performance](https://bliptext.com/articles/on-time-performance) (measured only for a train's arrivals at its last station no more than six minutes late).\nIt also posted its fourth highest volume in its history despite decreases in employment opportunities in downtown Chicago.\nMetra continued to seek expansion options and to improve passenger service.\nOver the past three decades, Metra has invested more than $5 billion into its infrastructure.\nThat investment has been used to purchase new rolling stock, build new stations, renovate tracks, modernize signal systems and upgrade support facilities.\nIn addition to core improvements on the [Union Pacific Northwest](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-northwest-line) and Union Pacific West Lines, planning advanced on two new Metra routes, [SouthEast Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/southeast-service-metra) and the [Suburban Transit Access Route](https://bliptext.com/articles/suburban-transit-access-route) (\"STAR\" Line).\nIn 2023, Metra announced plans to extend the [Milwaukee District West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/milwaukee-district-west-line) to [Rockford, Illinois](https://bliptext.com/articles/rockford-illinois), with intermediate stops at [Huntley](https://bliptext.com/articles/huntley-illinois) and [Belvidere](https://bliptext.com/articles/belvidere-illinois), by 2027.\nIn August 2024, Metra ran hourly shuttles on the North Central Service between [O'Hare International Airport](https://bliptext.com/articles/o-hare-international-airport) and Union Station during the [Democratic National Convention](https://bliptext.com/articles/2024-democratic-national-convention), leading some to question whether more frequent service to O'Hare could be permanently obtained.\nSuch an agreement would require contracts with the two freight railroads - [Canadian National](https://bliptext.com/articles/canadian-national-railway), which owns some of the NCS track, and [CPKC](https://bliptext.com/articles/canadian-pacific-kansas-city), which dispatches trains on another portion of the route.\nAdditionally, improved service to O'Hare would likely require major infrastructure upgrades to track, sidings, crossovers, and flyovers, with the potential for dedicated rolling stock another consideration.\n\n## Corruption\nMetra also has been marred by allegations and investigations of corruption.\nIn April 2002, board member Don Udstuen resigned from both Metra and his executive job with the Illinois State Medical Society, after admitting to taking bribes to steer Metra contracts to firms associated with former legislator [Roger Stanley](https://bliptext.com/articles/roger-stanley) and pleading guilty to his part in Illinois's [Operation Safe Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-ryan) scandal.\nIn April 2010, Metra's executive director, Phil Pagano, faced investigation for taking an unauthorized $56,000 bonus and was later found to have improperly received $475,000 in vacation pay.\nThe day that the agency's board was scheduled to discuss his fate, Pagano stepped in front of a moving Metra train in an apparent suicide.\nAround the time of Pagano's death, allegations also surfaced that a Metra employee demanded a $2,000 payoff from the studio that used Metra in the 2011 film [Source Code](https://bliptext.com/articles/source-code).\nThat employee was later relieved of his duties, and retired.\nIn June 2013, Metra CEO Alex Clifford abruptly resigned his position with no public comment.\nIt was later reported that his exit had been demanded by the Metra board, which negotiated a $871,000 severance package including a [non-disclosure agreement](https://bliptext.com/articles/non-disclosure-agreement).\nClifford's ouster was allegedly arranged because he rejected requests for [patronage](https://bliptext.com/articles/patronage) hiring and promotion, including a request to promote a longtime supporter of State Representative [Michael Madigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/michael-madigan).\nIn the wake of this scandal, five board members resigned.\nIn August 2013, the remaining board members unanimously elected Don Orseno as interim CEO.\n(The six-member board was operating with reduced membership and thus lacked the authority to elect a permanent CEO. Orseno and Alex Wiggins shared duties as co-executive directors.) Orseno's long railroad career, beginning with work to set up trains and check doors for the [Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-rock-island-and-pacific-railroad) played favorably in the board's decision.\nBy October 2013, local officials had restored Metra's board to 11 members.\nAfter reviewing four candidates, the re-constituted board formally appointed Orseno CEO of Metra in January 2014.\nIn 2014, \"a lengthy history of political patronage hiring at\" Metra was reported, based on past files.\n\n## Underfunding\nFor a long time, Metra was not being funded enough to keep most equipment and rolling stock up to date.\nOn average, the agency received approximately $700 million a year, but Metra claims to need about $2 billion a year, which only since 2020 has been accomplished.\nBecause of this, Metra had to cut back on new rolling stock, instead resorting to their Rebuild Programs, in which they rebuild railcars and locomotives with newer state of the art utilities.\nRebuilds cost only a fraction as much as buying new rolling stock, such as with their Amerail built cars.\nRebuild programs can rebuild aging cars for approximately $650,000, whereas buying that same railcar new would be approximately $3 million.\n\n# Operations\n# [Passengers near an inbound train at Geneva Station | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Geneva///Metra///071020.jpg]\n\n## Stations\nMetra serves passengers through stations throughout the [Chicago metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-metropolitan-area).\nEach station, unless a route or branch terminus, provides travel toward (inbound) and away from (outbound) downtown Chicago.\nTherefore, a passenger can connect between the city and a suburb or between two points in the suburbs using Metra service.\nAlthough Metra's commuter rail system is designed to connect points all over the Chicago metropolitan area, it does provide some intracity connections within Chicago.\nMetra trains originate from one of four stations in downtown Chicago.\nSix lines originate at [Union Station](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-station-chicago).\nThe three Union Pacific lines originate at [Ogilvie Transportation Center](https://bliptext.com/articles/ogilvie-transportation-center), formerly and still popularly called North Western Station.\nThe [Rock Island District](https://bliptext.com/articles/rock-island-district) originates at [LaSalle Street Station](https://bliptext.com/articles/lasalle-street-station).\nThe [Metra Electric District](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-electric-district) originates at [Millennium Station](https://bliptext.com/articles/millennium-station), formerly and still often called Randolph Street Terminal.\nAll four terminals are situated within walking distance of the [Chicago Loop](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-loop), so Metra passengers can easily transfer to a different Metra line upon their arrival downtown.\nMetra's urban-centric service remains popular with suburban commuters working downtown, [reverse commuters](https://bliptext.com/articles/reverse-commute), and those who visit Chicago for recreational activities and [tourism](https://bliptext.com/articles/tourism).\nStations are found throughout Chicago, as well as in suburban [Cook](https://bliptext.com/articles/cook-county-illinois), [DuPage](https://bliptext.com/articles/dupage-county-illinois), [Kane](https://bliptext.com/articles/kane-county-illinois), [Lake](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-county-illinois), [McHenry](https://bliptext.com/articles/mchenry-county-illinois), and [Will](https://bliptext.com/articles/will-county-illinois) counties—an area largely coextensive with the inner ring of the Chicago metropolitan area.\nOne station is located in [Kenosha, Wisconsin](https://bliptext.com/articles/kenosha-station).\n\n## Routes\nMetra operates on 11 lines, most of which date from the mid-19th century.\nFour lines are operated under purchase-of-service agreements.\nThe BNSF Line service is operated by [BNSF Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway).\nThe three lines out of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly North Western Station) are operated by the [Union Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad).\nThe other seven lines are operated by the **Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Rail Corporation** (NIRC), Metra's operating subsidiary; five of these primarily run over track owned by other railroads, while two (the Electric and Rock Island districts) run entirely on Metra-owned track.\nInbound trains on every line at all times run through to their Chicago terminus, however, many outbound trains do not run through to their respective lines' terminus (for example, most trains on the Union Pacific Northwest Line do not run through to Harvard; instead, terminating at Crystal Lake).\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n****<****s****p****a****n**** ****s****t****y****l****e****=****\"****c****o****l****o****r****:****#****;****\"****>****█**** ****\n# [Metra Electric Highliners at 59th Street station | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Metra///Electric///train.jpg]\n# [Various timetables (2018–19) | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Metra///Timetables///%282019%29.jpg]\n\n### Proposed routes\nMetra proposed two routes in the early 2000s: the [SouthEast Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/southeast-service), which would connect some portions of the southern suburbs with downtown Chicago; and the [Suburban Transit Access Route](https://bliptext.com/articles/suburban-transit-access-route), which would connect various suburbs with each other without going into downtown.\n, only the SouthEast Service is still being considered.\nIn 2023, the [Illinois Department of Transportation](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-department-of-transportation) selected Metra as the agency to run [restored rail service](https://bliptext.com/articles/rockford-intercity-passenger-rail) to [Rockford](https://bliptext.com/articles/rockford-illinois).\n\n### Pre-Metra routes\nSeveral commuter lines were discontinued before Metra was established.\nThe [Illinois Central West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-central-west-line) from present-day Millennium Station to Addison, Illinois, (closed 1931), Pennsylvania Railroad line to Valparaiso, Indiana, (closed 1935), New York Central line from LaSalle Street Station to Elkhart, Indiana, (closed 1964), and four Chicago & North Western lines to St. Charles, Aurora, Freeport, and Kenosha-Harvard (all municipalities in Illinois and Wisconsin, closed 1930–51).\nThe Burlington Route had service between Aurora and West Chicago, Illinois (closed 1943).\nChicago Eastern Illinois operated commuter service on this line out of Dearborn Station to Dolton and Momence, respectively.\nThe Chicago and Eastern Illinois commuter line to Momence, Illinois, ended in 1935, while the Chicago and Western Indiana service to Dolton, Illinois, was discontinued in 1964.\nChicago Great Western had commuter service to DeKalb, Illinois (closed 1906).\nSanta Fe service to Joliet, Illinois (closed 1903).\nHowever, Metra runs service to Joliet, Illinois, on two routes: Heritage Corridor and Rock Island District.\n\n## Ridership\nRidership has been slowly declining on all but one line since 2014, as seen below.\nThe figures post-2020 have been drastically affected by the ongoing [COVID-19 pandemic](https://bliptext.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic).\nThough monthly reports from 2024 show heavy improvement over 2021 figures, they are still below pre-pandemic levels.\nPeak-direction ridership is at only 56% of pre-pandemic ridership, while other types of weekday travel are between 80% and 95% recovery rates.\nSystemwide, Saturday and Sunday ridership has fully recovered to pre-pandemic numbers.\n\n### Annual ridership\n\n### Weekday ridership\n\n### Weekend ridership\n\n## Connections\n[Transportation in Chicago](https://bliptext.com/articles/transportation-in-chicago) consists of a public transportation infrastructure allowing for [intermodal connections](https://bliptext.com/articles/intermodal-passenger-transport) to local, regional, national and international transportation services.\n[Parking lots](https://bliptext.com/articles/parking-lot) are available adjacent to most suburban Metra stations for passengers connecting with their train by [car](https://bliptext.com/articles/automobile).\nMost parking lots are operated by the municipality they are located in.\nFees and fines are also assessed by the local municipality; however, parking is usually free on weekends and most holidays.\nMass transit [CTA](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-transit-authority) and suburban [Pace](https://bliptext.com/articles/pace-transit) buses connect with many Metra stations downtown and in the suburbs.\nMonthly pass holders are offered link-up options with these services.\nIn addition, many [intercity bus](https://bliptext.com/articles/intercity-bus) lines connect with passengers outside of Union Station.\nThe [Chicago \"L\"](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-l) also has transfers with Metra at some Chicago stations.\nMost 'L' lines traverse [the Loop](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-loop-cta) allowing nearby access to all downtown Metra terminals.\nThere are also transfer points between Metra and the 'L' outside of the Loop, such as transfers from the [Union Pacific Northwest Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-northwest-line) to the [Blue Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/blue-line-cta) at [Irving Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/irving-park-station-cta-blue-line) and [Jefferson Park Transit Center](https://bliptext.com/articles/jefferson-park-transit-center); and from the [Union Pacific West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-west-line) to the [Green Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/green-line-cta) at Oak Park.\n'L' trains announce downtown Metra connections on board when announcing the next 'L' stop.\nUnion Station doubles as both a Metra station and [Amtrak](https://bliptext.com/articles/amtrak)'s station in Chicago.\nIn addition to [Illinois Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-service) and [Hiawatha](https://bliptext.com/articles/hiawatha-amtrak-train), Amtrak trains run nationwide including service to [states spanning both coastlines](https://bliptext.com/articles/coastal-states).\nPassengers connecting from Ogilvie Transportation Center can access Union Station through its north platforms on the opposite side of [Madison Street](https://bliptext.com/articles/madison-street-chicago), with Millennium and LaSalle stations also within a short walking distance of Union Station as well.\nA number of suburban Metra stations are also shared with Amtrak as well.\nThe [South Shore Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-shore-line), an [interurban](https://bliptext.com/articles/interurban) line connecting Chicago with the Indiana suburbs and [South Bend](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-bend-indiana), originates at Millennium Station and operates along much of the Chicago portion of the Electric District line, as far south as [63rd Street](https://bliptext.com/articles/63rd-street-station-metra).\nPer a longstanding noncompete agreement, eastbound South Shore trains only stop at shared Electric District stations to board passengers, and westbound South Shore trains only stop to discharge passengers.\n\n## Positive train control\nIn regards to the [PTC mandate](https://bliptext.com/articles/positive-train-control) that passed [Congress](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-congress), Metra took steps to meet the deadline.\nMetra concluded that the December 31, 2015 mandate to have PTC running was an unreasonable requirement.\nThis aligned with the stance taken by much of the railroad industry.\nThis is due to a variety of factors including but not limited to: delays from the government, and the fundamental complexity of building a program from the ground up.\nMoreover, Metra estimates the cost of implementing the system on their 1100 mi of track in the Chicago region to be over $200 million.\nThe fear is this unfunded mandate will divert scarce capital funds from other essential needs.\nThis includes building and maintaining existing tracks, stations, signals, and other equipment that ensures a safe operating environment for all of Metra's passengers.\nHowever, Metra recognizes the need for PTC but needed a more reasonable timeline to implement such a program.\nThis recognition is partially based on Metra's previous accident history.\nTwo noteworthy events were a pair of accidents on the Rock Island District within a span of a couple of years.\nThe first event was a derailment that occurred on October 12, 2003, when a train flew through a 10 mph crossing at 68 mph. A second very similar occurrence happened on September 17, 2005, but was more serious.\nThe latter derailment killed two passengers and injured 117.\nBoth of these incidents could have been prevented if PTC were in place.\nIn both circumstances, PTC would have overridden the engineer and slowed the train down to the appropriate speed to prevent an accident from occurring.\nRecently, Metra has taken significant steps in the process to fully implementing PTC.\nOn April 22, 2015, the Metra board approved an $80 million contract to Parsons Transportation Group.\nParsons was the sole bidder and speaks to the complexities of the project.\nThey will be in charge of incorporating various devices from GPS, radio, to trackside antennas into one cohesive system.\nThe group has some experience in this sector previously as Parsons worked with the southern California commuter rail agency [Metrolink](https://bliptext.com/articles/metrolink-california) to install their system.\nBy the year 2020, Metra completed installation of the Positive Train Control.\nThis came at a capital cost of $400 million and an annual operating cost of $20 million.\nMetra's PTC system works with the trains of 12 other railroad companies.\n\n# Fare system and ticketing\nFare is determined by the distance traveled by a passenger.\nEach station along every route has generally been placed in a specific zone based on its distance from its respective downtown station.\nMultiple stations can be placed in the same zone even though they are on the same line.\nHistorically, the downtown terminals and stations in the vicinity of downtown were classified as zone 'A' and each additional zone represented an added 5 mi from the downtown terminus.\nThere were originally thirteen fare zones: zones A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and M (zone L would not have any stations since 1984 when Hartland station closed on the Northwest Line).\nZones K and M were merged into zone J on July 15, 2018, reducing the number of zones to ten.\nOn February 1, 2024, Metra reduced the number of fare zones from 10 to 4 and labeled each of the four zones by number instead of letter.\nThis was proposed in an effort to simplify its fare structure.\nIn addition, trips not entering or exiting the downtown area (zone 1) are subjected to a flat $3.75 fee.\n# [Entrance to a Metra bilevel rail car | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Metra///bilevel///entrance.jpg]\n\n## Tickets\nSeveral ticketing options exist for passengers.\nRiders may choose to purchase one-way tickets, day passes, day pass five-packs, weekend passes, or monthly passes.\n\n## Reduced fare programs\nMetra allows some travelers to purchase reduced fare tickets or even ride for free.\nThese reduced fare and free ride programs are administered by Metra and the [RTA](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois).\nSome pre-college [students](https://bliptext.com/articles/student), [youth](https://bliptext.com/articles/youth), [senior citizens](https://bliptext.com/articles/senior-citizen), members of the [United States Armed Forces](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-armed-forces) and persons with [disabilities](https://bliptext.com/articles/disability) may qualify for these programs.\nTime-based and geographical restrictions apply to these programs and passengers must ensure they qualify before attempting to purchase special tickets or ride for free.\nCook County launched The Fair Transit pilot on January 4, 2021, scheduled to initially last for three years.\nUnder the pilot, all riders on the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines will pay Metra's reduced fare rates.\nOn the [Union Pacific North Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-north-line), passengers headed to an event at may ride to the event for free after showing their Ravinia Festival e-ticket to the conductor.\n\n# Safety and security\nMetra employees, the [Metra Police Department](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-police-department) and other public safety agencies are responsible for maintaining safety and security on its lines, aboard its trains and at stations all to various degrees.\nAlthough rail transport is one of the safest forms of land travel, compromises to Metra's safety and security can occur through pedestrian accidents, [suicide](https://bliptext.com/articles/suicide) attempts, vehicle collisions, [derailment](https://bliptext.com/articles/derailment), [terrorism](https://bliptext.com/articles/terrorism) and other [incidents](https://bliptext.com/articles/train-wreck).\nFailing to maintain safety and security can result in equipment and infrastructure damage, extensive service disruptions, traumatic injuries and [loss of life](https://bliptext.com/articles/death).\nTherefore, Metra and other agencies consider safety a top priority and dedicate a significant amount of resources to combat these dangers.\nStarting in the early summer of 2013, Metra has announced plans to up police patrols on to the seven lines the agency operates: the Milwaukee Districts North and West, the North Central Service, the Heritage Corridor, South West Service, Rock Island, and Electric District.\nThe police patrols will not be on the BNSF and Union Pacific train lines because those lines are operated by the railroads that own them and security falls to those companies.\nWhen asked why there were increasing patrols spokesman Michael Gillis said, \"There is no particular reason, other than the fact that we want to be more proactive and more deliberately visible to our riders\".\n# [Metra F40PH locomotives at the Waukegan Station | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Metra///Trains///at///Waukeegan.jpg]\n# [A Nippon Sharyo gallery car, built in the early 2000s | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Aurora///%28Metra%29-6.JPG]\n\n## Law enforcement\nThe [Metra Police Department](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-police-department) is a special law enforcement agency charged with providing police services to passengers, employees, equipment and property.\nThe department has more than 100 [police officers](https://bliptext.com/articles/police-officer) and is responsible for the safety of all routes and stations.\nIn an effort to help coordinate [emergency preparedness](https://bliptext.com/articles/emergency-preparedness) and [incident management](https://bliptext.com/articles/incident-management), all Metra police officers are certified in the [National Incident Management System](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-incident-management-system).\nIn addition, Metra police works with the [Chicago Police Department](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-police-department) as a member of the [Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-alternative-policing-strategy).\nThomas A. Cook was the only Metra police officer that has been killed in the line of duty thus far.\n\n## Rail safety\nThe focus on rail safety by Metra comes from many fronts beyond operations including emergency preparedness and public awareness.\nThe setup of [railway platforms](https://bliptext.com/articles/railway-platform), use of [grade crossing signals](https://bliptext.com/articles/grade-crossing-signals) and [horn blasts](https://bliptext.com/articles/crossing-sequence-railways) make up a critical system used to communicate movements of commuter trains to pedestrians and vehicles.\nOutside of these operational components, Metra aggressively pursues safety through public awareness.\nMetra utilizes its own [Operation Lifesaver](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-lifesaver) program and uses it to help spread safety messages.\nMetra also holds events promoting rail safety at schools and organizes a safety poster contest awarding winners with prizes and features their posters on monthly passes and at stations.\nMetra has been honored with several [E. H. Harriman Awards](https://bliptext.com/articles/e-h-harriman-award) for employee safety, most recently with a Bronze award in class B (line-haul railroads with between 4 and 15 million employee hours per year) for 2005.\nPrevious Harriman Awards conferred to Metra include Gold awards for 2003 and 2004 and a Silver award for 2002.\nMetra expects to implement [positive train control](https://bliptext.com/articles/positive-train-control) on its entire system in 2019, four years after the federally mandated 2015 deadline.\n\n## Incidents\nThere were 156 non-employee fatalities involving Metra equipment and Metra owned track between 2001 and 2010.\nOn average 15 people were killed annually based on data from that decade.\nThe highest number of fatalities in a year throughout that time occurred in 2002, with 23 deaths and in 2010, with 21 deaths.\nThe majority of these fatalities occurred at grade crossings and on railway involving an impact with a train; only four deaths involved passengers aboard the train.\nThe worst commuter rail disaster in Illinois occurred before the formation of Regional Transportation Authority.\nThe [1972 Chicago commuter rail crash](https://bliptext.com/articles/1972-chicago-commuter-rail-crash) consisted of a two train collision on the Metra Electric, then under the control of the Illinois Central.\nThe collision resulted in 45 deaths and 332 injuries.\nTwo decades later, Metra experienced its first rail disaster, the [1995 Fox River Grove bus–train collision](https://bliptext.com/articles/1995-fox-river-grove-bus-train-collision).\nThis accident involved a collision of a [Union Pacific Northwest Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-northwest-line) train and a [school bus](https://bliptext.com/articles/school-bus) at a grade crossing resulting in 21 injuries and the deaths of seven high school students.\nIn 2003, another incident involved a [Rock Island District](https://bliptext.com/articles/rock-island-district) train derailing while switching from one track to another, injuring 45 passengers.\nIn 2005, a train carrying 200 passengers along the same stretch of track derailed and then collided with a steel bridge resulting in two deaths and 117 injured.\nThe cause of both accidents was ruled to be human error; the trains were going at speeds in excess of 68 mph when they should have been going 10 mph.\nOn May 11, 2022, Metra train #1242 collided with a box truck at on the Metra [BNSF Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-line), resulting in four injuries, and one death.\nThe passenger who was killed, a 72-year-old woman from Downers Grove, was ejected from a window of the train during the collision.\nThis incident, as of May 2022, is the second incident in Metra's history that resulted in a passenger fatality.\nIn addition to the loss of life, injuries, damage and service disruptions caused by accidents, Metra and other transportation agencies have been involved in multimillion-dollar [lawsuits](https://bliptext.com/articles/lawsuit) and [settlements](https://bliptext.com/articles/settlement-litigation) stemming from safety failures.\nThese failures have also resulted in updated safety policies and adjustments of equipment and warning devices.\n# [Metra related fatalities: The bar graph above shows the number of non-employee, Metra related deaths (listed vertically). This graph uses data from the previous decade and is organized by year (horizontally). | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/MetraFatalities20012010.png]\n\n# Rolling stock\n\n## Current locomotives\nAll of Metra's locomotives are [diesel-electric locomotives](https://bliptext.com/articles/diesel-electric-locomotive).\nThe bulk of its locomotive fleet consists of F40PH locomotives.\nThe [Electric District](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-electric-district) uses [electric multiple units](https://bliptext.com/articles/electric-multiple-unit).\n\n### Retired locomotives\n\n## Coaches\n\n### Former coaches\n\n### Private club coaches\n\n## Multiple units\nMetra's electric units, except for the future battery electric multiple units, are also known as [Highliners](https://bliptext.com/articles/highliner).","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-25T19:41:54.387Z","updated_at":"2025-01-25T19:41:54.387Z","search_vector":"'metra':1","search_content":" \n \n**Name:** Metra \n**Image 2:** Metra F40PH-3 No. 135.jpg \n**Caption 2:** Metra 135, a rebuilt [EMD F40PH-3](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-f40ph), idles at [Barrington, Illinois](https://bliptext.com/articles/barrington-illinois) \n**Owner:** [Regional Transportation Authority](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois) (RTA) \n**Locale:** [Chicago metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-metropolitan-area), [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Transit Type:** [Commuter rail](https://bliptext.com/articles/commuter-rail) \n**Lines:** 11 \n**Stations:** 242 year-round, 1 seasonal, 1 under construction \n**Chief Executive:** James M. Derwinski \n**Website:** metra.com \n**Began Operation:** 1984 \n**Operator:** Metra, [Union Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad), [BNSF Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway) \n**Marks:** METX \n**System Length:** 487.5 mi \n**El:** 1= · [Metra Electric](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-electric): · Other lines: none \n**Headquarters:** 547 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661 \n \n\n# \n**Metra** is the primary [commuter rail](https://bliptext.com/articles/commuter-rail) system in the [[Chicago](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago) metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-metropolitan-area) serving the city of [Chicago](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago) and its surrounding suburbs via the [Union Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad), [BNSF Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway), and other railroads.\nThe system operates 243 [stations](https://bliptext.com/articles/train-station) on 11 rail lines.\nIt is the [fourth busiest commuter rail system](https://bliptext.com/articles/list-of-united-states-commuter-rail-systems-by-ridership) in the [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) by ridership and the largest and busiest commuter rail system outside the [New York City metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-york-city-metropolitan-area).\nIn, the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of.\nThe estimated busiest day for Metra ridership occurred on November 4, 2016—the day of the Chicago Cubs [2016 World Series](https://bliptext.com/articles/2016-world-series) victory rally, with a record 460,000+ passengers.\nMetra is the descendant of numerous passenger rail services dating to the 1850s.\nThe present system dates to 1974, when the [Illinois General Assembly](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-general-assembly) established the [Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois) to consolidate transit operations in the Chicago area, including commuter rail as a public utility.\nThe RTA's creation was a result of the anticipated withdrawal of commuter service operated and owned by various private railroad companies in the 1970s.\nIn a 1983 reorganization, the RTA placed commuter rail under a newly formed Commuter Rail Division, which branded itself as Metra in 1985.\nFreight rail companies still operate four of Metra's routes under purchase-of-service agreements.\nMetra owns all [rolling stock](https://bliptext.com/articles/rolling-stock) and is responsible for all stations along with the respective municipalities.\nSince its inception, Metra has directed more than $5 billion into the commuter rail system of the Chicago metropolitan area alongside the [CTA](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-transit-authority).\nIn January 2023, Metra rolled out a new real-time train tracking website to allow passengers greater visibility into their commute.\n\n# History\n\n## Early Chicago commuter rail\nSince the 19th century, Chicago has been a major hub in the North American rail network.\nIt has more trackage radiating in more directions than any other city in North America.\nRailroads set up their headquarters in the city and Chicago became a center for building freight cars, passenger cars and diesel locomotives.\nEarly commuter services were run by the [Chicago, Burlington and Quincy](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-burlington-and-quincy-railroad), [Chicago and North Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-and-north-western-transportation-company), and [Milwaukee Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/milwaukee-road).\nBy the 1930s, Chicago had the world's largest public transportation system, but commuter rail services started to decline.\nBy the mid-1970s, the commuter lines faced an uncertain future.\nThe [Burlington Northern](https://bliptext.com/articles/burlington-northern), Milwaukee Road, Chicago and North Western and [Illinois Central](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-central) had been losing money for several years, and were using trainsets with [passenger cars](https://bliptext.com/articles/passenger-car-rail) dating as far back as the 1920s.\n\n## Formation of the RTA\nTo provide stability to the commuter rail system, the [Illinois General Assembly](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-general-assembly) formed the [Regional Transportation Authority](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois) in 1974.\nIts purpose was to fund and plan the Chicago region's public transportation.\nAfter initially using second-hand equipment, the RTA took delivery of the first new [EMD F40PH](https://bliptext.com/articles/emd-f40ph) locomotives in 1976.\nThat F40PH fleet is still in service today.\nThe companies that had long provided commuter rail in the Chicago area continued to operate their lines under contract to the RTA.\nLess than a decade later the Regional Transportation Authority was already suffering from ongoing financial problems.\nAdditionally, two rail providers, the [Rock Island Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-rock-island-and-pacific-railroad) and the [Milwaukee Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/milwaukee-road), went bankrupt, forcing the RTA to create the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation to operate their lines directly in 1982.\nIn 1983 the Illinois Legislature reorganized the agency.\nThat reorganization left the Regional Transportation Authority in charge of day-to-day operations of all bus, heavy rail and commuter rail services throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.\nIt was also responsible for directing fare and service levels, setting up budgets, finding sources for capital investment and planning.\nA new Commuter Rail Division was created to handle commuter rail operations; along with CTA and [Pace](https://bliptext.com/articles/pace-transit), it was one of RTA's three \"service boards\".\n# [RTA EMD F40PH No. 123 crossing the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois, in 1981 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Elgin///%28289733876%29.jpg]\n\n## Metra branding\nThe board of the RTA Commuter Rail Division first met in 1984.\nIn an effort to simplify the operation of commuter rail in the Chicago area, in July 1985 it adopted a unified brand for the entire system–**Met**ra, or **Met**ropolitan **Ra**il.\nThe newly reorganized Metra service helped to bring a single identity to the many infrastructure components serviced by the Regional Transportation Authority's commuter rail system.\nHowever, the system is still legally known as the Commuter Rail Division of the RTA.\nToday, Metra's operating arm, the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, operates seven Metra owned routes.\nFour other routes continue to be operated by [Union Pacific](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific) (formerly [Chicago & North Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-and-north-western-transportation-company)) and [BNSF](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway) (formerly [Burlington Northern](https://bliptext.com/articles/burlington-northern-railroad)) under contract to Metra.\nService throughout the network is provided under the Metra name (in keeping with Metra's goal of providing a single identity for all commuter rail in the region).\nMetra also owns all rolling stock, controls fares and staffing levels, and is responsible for most of the stations.\nHowever, the freight carriers who operate routes under contract use their own employees and control the right-of-way for those routes.\nBy the first quarter of 2024, the Union Pacific Railroad is expected to transfer operations of the three Union Pacific lines to Metra.\nUnion Pacific will continue to own and maintain the right-of-way.\n# [Metra EMD F40C No. 614 in Chicago | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Metra///614.jpg]\n\n## Growth and expansion\nIn the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Metra experienced record ridership and expanded its services.\nIn 1996, Metra organized its first new line, the [North Central Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/north-central-service), running from Union Station to Antioch.\nBy 2006, it added new intermediate stops to that same route, extended the [Union Pacific West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-west-line) from Geneva to Elburn and extended [SouthWest Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/southwest-service) from Orland Park to Manhattan.\nIn 2012, it boasted 95.8% average [on-time performance](https://bliptext.com/articles/on-time-performance) (measured only for a train's arrivals at its last station no more than six minutes late).\nIt also posted its fourth highest volume in its history despite decreases in employment opportunities in downtown Chicago.\nMetra continued to seek expansion options and to improve passenger service.\nOver the past three decades, Metra has invested more than $5 billion into its infrastructure.\nThat investment has been used to purchase new rolling stock, build new stations, renovate tracks, modernize signal systems and upgrade support facilities.\nIn addition to core improvements on the [Union Pacific Northwest](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-northwest-line) and Union Pacific West Lines, planning advanced on two new Metra routes, [SouthEast Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/southeast-service-metra) and the [Suburban Transit Access Route](https://bliptext.com/articles/suburban-transit-access-route) (\"STAR\" Line).\nIn 2023, Metra announced plans to extend the [Milwaukee District West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/milwaukee-district-west-line) to [Rockford, Illinois](https://bliptext.com/articles/rockford-illinois), with intermediate stops at [Huntley](https://bliptext.com/articles/huntley-illinois) and [Belvidere](https://bliptext.com/articles/belvidere-illinois), by 2027.\nIn August 2024, Metra ran hourly shuttles on the North Central Service between [O'Hare International Airport](https://bliptext.com/articles/o-hare-international-airport) and Union Station during the [Democratic National Convention](https://bliptext.com/articles/2024-democratic-national-convention), leading some to question whether more frequent service to O'Hare could be permanently obtained.\nSuch an agreement would require contracts with the two freight railroads - [Canadian National](https://bliptext.com/articles/canadian-national-railway), which owns some of the NCS track, and [CPKC](https://bliptext.com/articles/canadian-pacific-kansas-city), which dispatches trains on another portion of the route.\nAdditionally, improved service to O'Hare would likely require major infrastructure upgrades to track, sidings, crossovers, and flyovers, with the potential for dedicated rolling stock another consideration.\n\n## Corruption\nMetra also has been marred by allegations and investigations of corruption.\nIn April 2002, board member Don Udstuen resigned from both Metra and his executive job with the Illinois State Medical Society, after admitting to taking bribes to steer Metra contracts to firms associated with former legislator [Roger Stanley](https://bliptext.com/articles/roger-stanley) and pleading guilty to his part in Illinois's [Operation Safe Road](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-ryan) scandal.\nIn April 2010, Metra's executive director, Phil Pagano, faced investigation for taking an unauthorized $56,000 bonus and was later found to have improperly received $475,000 in vacation pay.\nThe day that the agency's board was scheduled to discuss his fate, Pagano stepped in front of a moving Metra train in an apparent suicide.\nAround the time of Pagano's death, allegations also surfaced that a Metra employee demanded a $2,000 payoff from the studio that used Metra in the 2011 film [Source Code](https://bliptext.com/articles/source-code).\nThat employee was later relieved of his duties, and retired.\nIn June 2013, Metra CEO Alex Clifford abruptly resigned his position with no public comment.\nIt was later reported that his exit had been demanded by the Metra board, which negotiated a $871,000 severance package including a [non-disclosure agreement](https://bliptext.com/articles/non-disclosure-agreement).\nClifford's ouster was allegedly arranged because he rejected requests for [patronage](https://bliptext.com/articles/patronage) hiring and promotion, including a request to promote a longtime supporter of State Representative [Michael Madigan](https://bliptext.com/articles/michael-madigan).\nIn the wake of this scandal, five board members resigned.\nIn August 2013, the remaining board members unanimously elected Don Orseno as interim CEO.\n(The six-member board was operating with reduced membership and thus lacked the authority to elect a permanent CEO. Orseno and Alex Wiggins shared duties as co-executive directors.) Orseno's long railroad career, beginning with work to set up trains and check doors for the [Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-rock-island-and-pacific-railroad) played favorably in the board's decision.\nBy October 2013, local officials had restored Metra's board to 11 members.\nAfter reviewing four candidates, the re-constituted board formally appointed Orseno CEO of Metra in January 2014.\nIn 2014, \"a lengthy history of political patronage hiring at\" Metra was reported, based on past files.\n\n## Underfunding\nFor a long time, Metra was not being funded enough to keep most equipment and rolling stock up to date.\nOn average, the agency received approximately $700 million a year, but Metra claims to need about $2 billion a year, which only since 2020 has been accomplished.\nBecause of this, Metra had to cut back on new rolling stock, instead resorting to their Rebuild Programs, in which they rebuild railcars and locomotives with newer state of the art utilities.\nRebuilds cost only a fraction as much as buying new rolling stock, such as with their Amerail built cars.\nRebuild programs can rebuild aging cars for approximately $650,000, whereas buying that same railcar new would be approximately $3 million.\n\n# Operations\n# [Passengers near an inbound train at Geneva Station | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Geneva///Metra///071020.jpg]\n\n## Stations\nMetra serves passengers through stations throughout the [Chicago metropolitan area](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-metropolitan-area).\nEach station, unless a route or branch terminus, provides travel toward (inbound) and away from (outbound) downtown Chicago.\nTherefore, a passenger can connect between the city and a suburb or between two points in the suburbs using Metra service.\nAlthough Metra's commuter rail system is designed to connect points all over the Chicago metropolitan area, it does provide some intracity connections within Chicago.\nMetra trains originate from one of four stations in downtown Chicago.\nSix lines originate at [Union Station](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-station-chicago).\nThe three Union Pacific lines originate at [Ogilvie Transportation Center](https://bliptext.com/articles/ogilvie-transportation-center), formerly and still popularly called North Western Station.\nThe [Rock Island District](https://bliptext.com/articles/rock-island-district) originates at [LaSalle Street Station](https://bliptext.com/articles/lasalle-street-station).\nThe [Metra Electric District](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-electric-district) originates at [Millennium Station](https://bliptext.com/articles/millennium-station), formerly and still often called Randolph Street Terminal.\nAll four terminals are situated within walking distance of the [Chicago Loop](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-loop), so Metra passengers can easily transfer to a different Metra line upon their arrival downtown.\nMetra's urban-centric service remains popular with suburban commuters working downtown, [reverse commuters](https://bliptext.com/articles/reverse-commute), and those who visit Chicago for recreational activities and [tourism](https://bliptext.com/articles/tourism).\nStations are found throughout Chicago, as well as in suburban [Cook](https://bliptext.com/articles/cook-county-illinois), [DuPage](https://bliptext.com/articles/dupage-county-illinois), [Kane](https://bliptext.com/articles/kane-county-illinois), [Lake](https://bliptext.com/articles/lake-county-illinois), [McHenry](https://bliptext.com/articles/mchenry-county-illinois), and [Will](https://bliptext.com/articles/will-county-illinois) counties—an area largely coextensive with the inner ring of the Chicago metropolitan area.\nOne station is located in [Kenosha, Wisconsin](https://bliptext.com/articles/kenosha-station).\n\n## Routes\nMetra operates on 11 lines, most of which date from the mid-19th century.\nFour lines are operated under purchase-of-service agreements.\nThe BNSF Line service is operated by [BNSF Railway](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-railway).\nThe three lines out of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly North Western Station) are operated by the [Union Pacific Railroad](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-railroad).\nThe other seven lines are operated by the **Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Rail Corporation** (NIRC), Metra's operating subsidiary; five of these primarily run over track owned by other railroads, while two (the Electric and Rock Island districts) run entirely on Metra-owned track.\nInbound trains on every line at all times run through to their Chicago terminus, however, many outbound trains do not run through to their respective lines' terminus (for example, most trains on the Union Pacific Northwest Line do not run through to Harvard; instead, terminating at Crystal Lake).\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n**** ****█**** ****\n# [Metra Electric Highliners at 59th Street station | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Metra///Electric///train.jpg]\n# [Various timetables (2018–19) | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Metra///Timetables///%282019%29.jpg]\n\n### Proposed routes\nMetra proposed two routes in the early 2000s: the [SouthEast Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/southeast-service), which would connect some portions of the southern suburbs with downtown Chicago; and the [Suburban Transit Access Route](https://bliptext.com/articles/suburban-transit-access-route), which would connect various suburbs with each other without going into downtown.\n, only the SouthEast Service is still being considered.\nIn 2023, the [Illinois Department of Transportation](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-department-of-transportation) selected Metra as the agency to run [restored rail service](https://bliptext.com/articles/rockford-intercity-passenger-rail) to [Rockford](https://bliptext.com/articles/rockford-illinois).\n\n### Pre-Metra routes\nSeveral commuter lines were discontinued before Metra was established.\nThe [Illinois Central West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-central-west-line) from present-day Millennium Station to Addison, Illinois, (closed 1931), Pennsylvania Railroad line to Valparaiso, Indiana, (closed 1935), New York Central line from LaSalle Street Station to Elkhart, Indiana, (closed 1964), and four Chicago & North Western lines to St. Charles, Aurora, Freeport, and Kenosha-Harvard (all municipalities in Illinois and Wisconsin, closed 1930–51).\nThe Burlington Route had service between Aurora and West Chicago, Illinois (closed 1943).\nChicago Eastern Illinois operated commuter service on this line out of Dearborn Station to Dolton and Momence, respectively.\nThe Chicago and Eastern Illinois commuter line to Momence, Illinois, ended in 1935, while the Chicago and Western Indiana service to Dolton, Illinois, was discontinued in 1964.\nChicago Great Western had commuter service to DeKalb, Illinois (closed 1906).\nSanta Fe service to Joliet, Illinois (closed 1903).\nHowever, Metra runs service to Joliet, Illinois, on two routes: Heritage Corridor and Rock Island District.\n\n## Ridership\nRidership has been slowly declining on all but one line since 2014, as seen below.\nThe figures post-2020 have been drastically affected by the ongoing [COVID-19 pandemic](https://bliptext.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic).\nThough monthly reports from 2024 show heavy improvement over 2021 figures, they are still below pre-pandemic levels.\nPeak-direction ridership is at only 56% of pre-pandemic ridership, while other types of weekday travel are between 80% and 95% recovery rates.\nSystemwide, Saturday and Sunday ridership has fully recovered to pre-pandemic numbers.\n\n### Annual ridership\n\n### Weekday ridership\n\n### Weekend ridership\n\n## Connections\n[Transportation in Chicago](https://bliptext.com/articles/transportation-in-chicago) consists of a public transportation infrastructure allowing for [intermodal connections](https://bliptext.com/articles/intermodal-passenger-transport) to local, regional, national and international transportation services.\n[Parking lots](https://bliptext.com/articles/parking-lot) are available adjacent to most suburban Metra stations for passengers connecting with their train by [car](https://bliptext.com/articles/automobile).\nMost parking lots are operated by the municipality they are located in.\nFees and fines are also assessed by the local municipality; however, parking is usually free on weekends and most holidays.\nMass transit [CTA](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-transit-authority) and suburban [Pace](https://bliptext.com/articles/pace-transit) buses connect with many Metra stations downtown and in the suburbs.\nMonthly pass holders are offered link-up options with these services.\nIn addition, many [intercity bus](https://bliptext.com/articles/intercity-bus) lines connect with passengers outside of Union Station.\nThe [Chicago \"L\"](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-l) also has transfers with Metra at some Chicago stations.\nMost 'L' lines traverse [the Loop](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-loop-cta) allowing nearby access to all downtown Metra terminals.\nThere are also transfer points between Metra and the 'L' outside of the Loop, such as transfers from the [Union Pacific Northwest Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-northwest-line) to the [Blue Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/blue-line-cta) at [Irving Park](https://bliptext.com/articles/irving-park-station-cta-blue-line) and [Jefferson Park Transit Center](https://bliptext.com/articles/jefferson-park-transit-center); and from the [Union Pacific West Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-west-line) to the [Green Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/green-line-cta) at Oak Park.\n'L' trains announce downtown Metra connections on board when announcing the next 'L' stop.\nUnion Station doubles as both a Metra station and [Amtrak](https://bliptext.com/articles/amtrak)'s station in Chicago.\nIn addition to [Illinois Service](https://bliptext.com/articles/illinois-service) and [Hiawatha](https://bliptext.com/articles/hiawatha-amtrak-train), Amtrak trains run nationwide including service to [states spanning both coastlines](https://bliptext.com/articles/coastal-states).\nPassengers connecting from Ogilvie Transportation Center can access Union Station through its north platforms on the opposite side of [Madison Street](https://bliptext.com/articles/madison-street-chicago), with Millennium and LaSalle stations also within a short walking distance of Union Station as well.\nA number of suburban Metra stations are also shared with Amtrak as well.\nThe [South Shore Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-shore-line), an [interurban](https://bliptext.com/articles/interurban) line connecting Chicago with the Indiana suburbs and [South Bend](https://bliptext.com/articles/south-bend-indiana), originates at Millennium Station and operates along much of the Chicago portion of the Electric District line, as far south as [63rd Street](https://bliptext.com/articles/63rd-street-station-metra).\nPer a longstanding noncompete agreement, eastbound South Shore trains only stop at shared Electric District stations to board passengers, and westbound South Shore trains only stop to discharge passengers.\n\n## Positive train control\nIn regards to the [PTC mandate](https://bliptext.com/articles/positive-train-control) that passed [Congress](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-congress), Metra took steps to meet the deadline.\nMetra concluded that the December 31, 2015 mandate to have PTC running was an unreasonable requirement.\nThis aligned with the stance taken by much of the railroad industry.\nThis is due to a variety of factors including but not limited to: delays from the government, and the fundamental complexity of building a program from the ground up.\nMoreover, Metra estimates the cost of implementing the system on their 1100 mi of track in the Chicago region to be over $200 million.\nThe fear is this unfunded mandate will divert scarce capital funds from other essential needs.\nThis includes building and maintaining existing tracks, stations, signals, and other equipment that ensures a safe operating environment for all of Metra's passengers.\nHowever, Metra recognizes the need for PTC but needed a more reasonable timeline to implement such a program.\nThis recognition is partially based on Metra's previous accident history.\nTwo noteworthy events were a pair of accidents on the Rock Island District within a span of a couple of years.\nThe first event was a derailment that occurred on October 12, 2003, when a train flew through a 10 mph crossing at 68 mph. A second very similar occurrence happened on September 17, 2005, but was more serious.\nThe latter derailment killed two passengers and injured 117.\nBoth of these incidents could have been prevented if PTC were in place.\nIn both circumstances, PTC would have overridden the engineer and slowed the train down to the appropriate speed to prevent an accident from occurring.\nRecently, Metra has taken significant steps in the process to fully implementing PTC.\nOn April 22, 2015, the Metra board approved an $80 million contract to Parsons Transportation Group.\nParsons was the sole bidder and speaks to the complexities of the project.\nThey will be in charge of incorporating various devices from GPS, radio, to trackside antennas into one cohesive system.\nThe group has some experience in this sector previously as Parsons worked with the southern California commuter rail agency [Metrolink](https://bliptext.com/articles/metrolink-california) to install their system.\nBy the year 2020, Metra completed installation of the Positive Train Control.\nThis came at a capital cost of $400 million and an annual operating cost of $20 million.\nMetra's PTC system works with the trains of 12 other railroad companies.\n\n# Fare system and ticketing\nFare is determined by the distance traveled by a passenger.\nEach station along every route has generally been placed in a specific zone based on its distance from its respective downtown station.\nMultiple stations can be placed in the same zone even though they are on the same line.\nHistorically, the downtown terminals and stations in the vicinity of downtown were classified as zone 'A' and each additional zone represented an added 5 mi from the downtown terminus.\nThere were originally thirteen fare zones: zones A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and M (zone L would not have any stations since 1984 when Hartland station closed on the Northwest Line).\nZones K and M were merged into zone J on July 15, 2018, reducing the number of zones to ten.\nOn February 1, 2024, Metra reduced the number of fare zones from 10 to 4 and labeled each of the four zones by number instead of letter.\nThis was proposed in an effort to simplify its fare structure.\nIn addition, trips not entering or exiting the downtown area (zone 1) are subjected to a flat $3.75 fee.\n# [Entrance to a Metra bilevel rail car | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Metra///bilevel///entrance.jpg]\n\n## Tickets\nSeveral ticketing options exist for passengers.\nRiders may choose to purchase one-way tickets, day passes, day pass five-packs, weekend passes, or monthly passes.\n\n## Reduced fare programs\nMetra allows some travelers to purchase reduced fare tickets or even ride for free.\nThese reduced fare and free ride programs are administered by Metra and the [RTA](https://bliptext.com/articles/regional-transportation-authority-illinois).\nSome pre-college [students](https://bliptext.com/articles/student), [youth](https://bliptext.com/articles/youth), [senior citizens](https://bliptext.com/articles/senior-citizen), members of the [United States Armed Forces](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-armed-forces) and persons with [disabilities](https://bliptext.com/articles/disability) may qualify for these programs.\nTime-based and geographical restrictions apply to these programs and passengers must ensure they qualify before attempting to purchase special tickets or ride for free.\nCook County launched The Fair Transit pilot on January 4, 2021, scheduled to initially last for three years.\nUnder the pilot, all riders on the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines will pay Metra's reduced fare rates.\nOn the [Union Pacific North Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-north-line), passengers headed to an event at may ride to the event for free after showing their Ravinia Festival e-ticket to the conductor.\n\n# Safety and security\nMetra employees, the [Metra Police Department](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-police-department) and other public safety agencies are responsible for maintaining safety and security on its lines, aboard its trains and at stations all to various degrees.\nAlthough rail transport is one of the safest forms of land travel, compromises to Metra's safety and security can occur through pedestrian accidents, [suicide](https://bliptext.com/articles/suicide) attempts, vehicle collisions, [derailment](https://bliptext.com/articles/derailment), [terrorism](https://bliptext.com/articles/terrorism) and other [incidents](https://bliptext.com/articles/train-wreck).\nFailing to maintain safety and security can result in equipment and infrastructure damage, extensive service disruptions, traumatic injuries and [loss of life](https://bliptext.com/articles/death).\nTherefore, Metra and other agencies consider safety a top priority and dedicate a significant amount of resources to combat these dangers.\nStarting in the early summer of 2013, Metra has announced plans to up police patrols on to the seven lines the agency operates: the Milwaukee Districts North and West, the North Central Service, the Heritage Corridor, South West Service, Rock Island, and Electric District.\nThe police patrols will not be on the BNSF and Union Pacific train lines because those lines are operated by the railroads that own them and security falls to those companies.\nWhen asked why there were increasing patrols spokesman Michael Gillis said, \"There is no particular reason, other than the fact that we want to be more proactive and more deliberately visible to our riders\".\n# [Metra F40PH locomotives at the Waukegan Station | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Metra///Trains///at///Waukeegan.jpg]\n# [A Nippon Sharyo gallery car, built in the early 2000s | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Aurora///%28Metra%29-6.JPG]\n\n## Law enforcement\nThe [Metra Police Department](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-police-department) is a special law enforcement agency charged with providing police services to passengers, employees, equipment and property.\nThe department has more than 100 [police officers](https://bliptext.com/articles/police-officer) and is responsible for the safety of all routes and stations.\nIn an effort to help coordinate [emergency preparedness](https://bliptext.com/articles/emergency-preparedness) and [incident management](https://bliptext.com/articles/incident-management), all Metra police officers are certified in the [National Incident Management System](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-incident-management-system).\nIn addition, Metra police works with the [Chicago Police Department](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-police-department) as a member of the [Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy](https://bliptext.com/articles/chicago-alternative-policing-strategy).\nThomas A. Cook was the only Metra police officer that has been killed in the line of duty thus far.\n\n## Rail safety\nThe focus on rail safety by Metra comes from many fronts beyond operations including emergency preparedness and public awareness.\nThe setup of [railway platforms](https://bliptext.com/articles/railway-platform), use of [grade crossing signals](https://bliptext.com/articles/grade-crossing-signals) and [horn blasts](https://bliptext.com/articles/crossing-sequence-railways) make up a critical system used to communicate movements of commuter trains to pedestrians and vehicles.\nOutside of these operational components, Metra aggressively pursues safety through public awareness.\nMetra utilizes its own [Operation Lifesaver](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-lifesaver) program and uses it to help spread safety messages.\nMetra also holds events promoting rail safety at schools and organizes a safety poster contest awarding winners with prizes and features their posters on monthly passes and at stations.\nMetra has been honored with several [E. H. Harriman Awards](https://bliptext.com/articles/e-h-harriman-award) for employee safety, most recently with a Bronze award in class B (line-haul railroads with between 4 and 15 million employee hours per year) for 2005.\nPrevious Harriman Awards conferred to Metra include Gold awards for 2003 and 2004 and a Silver award for 2002.\nMetra expects to implement [positive train control](https://bliptext.com/articles/positive-train-control) on its entire system in 2019, four years after the federally mandated 2015 deadline.\n\n## Incidents\nThere were 156 non-employee fatalities involving Metra equipment and Metra owned track between 2001 and 2010.\nOn average 15 people were killed annually based on data from that decade.\nThe highest number of fatalities in a year throughout that time occurred in 2002, with 23 deaths and in 2010, with 21 deaths.\nThe majority of these fatalities occurred at grade crossings and on railway involving an impact with a train; only four deaths involved passengers aboard the train.\nThe worst commuter rail disaster in Illinois occurred before the formation of Regional Transportation Authority.\nThe [1972 Chicago commuter rail crash](https://bliptext.com/articles/1972-chicago-commuter-rail-crash) consisted of a two train collision on the Metra Electric, then under the control of the Illinois Central.\nThe collision resulted in 45 deaths and 332 injuries.\nTwo decades later, Metra experienced its first rail disaster, the [1995 Fox River Grove bus–train collision](https://bliptext.com/articles/1995-fox-river-grove-bus-train-collision).\nThis accident involved a collision of a [Union Pacific Northwest Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-pacific-northwest-line) train and a [school bus](https://bliptext.com/articles/school-bus) at a grade crossing resulting in 21 injuries and the deaths of seven high school students.\nIn 2003, another incident involved a [Rock Island District](https://bliptext.com/articles/rock-island-district) train derailing while switching from one track to another, injuring 45 passengers.\nIn 2005, a train carrying 200 passengers along the same stretch of track derailed and then collided with a steel bridge resulting in two deaths and 117 injured.\nThe cause of both accidents was ruled to be human error; the trains were going at speeds in excess of 68 mph when they should have been going 10 mph.\nOn May 11, 2022, Metra train #1242 collided with a box truck at on the Metra [BNSF Line](https://bliptext.com/articles/bnsf-line), resulting in four injuries, and one death.\nThe passenger who was killed, a 72-year-old woman from Downers Grove, was ejected from a window of the train during the collision.\nThis incident, as of May 2022, is the second incident in Metra's history that resulted in a passenger fatality.\nIn addition to the loss of life, injuries, damage and service disruptions caused by accidents, Metra and other transportation agencies have been involved in multimillion-dollar [lawsuits](https://bliptext.com/articles/lawsuit) and [settlements](https://bliptext.com/articles/settlement-litigation) stemming from safety failures.\nThese failures have also resulted in updated safety policies and adjustments of equipment and warning devices.\n# [Metra related fatalities: The bar graph above shows the number of non-employee, Metra related deaths (listed vertically). This graph uses data from the previous decade and is organized by year (horizontally). | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/MetraFatalities20012010.png]\n\n# Rolling stock\n\n## Current locomotives\nAll of Metra's locomotives are [diesel-electric locomotives](https://bliptext.com/articles/diesel-electric-locomotive).\nThe bulk of its locomotive fleet consists of F40PH locomotives.\nThe [Electric District](https://bliptext.com/articles/metra-electric-district) uses [electric multiple units](https://bliptext.com/articles/electric-multiple-unit).\n\n### Retired locomotives\n\n## Coaches\n\n### Former coaches\n\n### Private club coaches\n\n## Multiple units\nMetra's electric units, except for the future battery electric multiple units, are also known as [Highliners](https://bliptext.com/articles/highliner).","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}