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Revision as of 09:24, 22 April 2009

Metra
Overview
LocaleChicago Metropolitan Area, United States
Transit typeRegional rail
Number of lines11
Number of stations237
Daily ridership335,900
Operation
Began operation1984
Operator(s)Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)
Reporting marksMETX, METZ, NIRC
Technical
System length495 mi (797 km)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)

Metra (officially known as the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation) is a regional rail system that serves the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States and surrounding suburbs. The railroad serves over 200 stations on 11 different rail lines across the Regional Transportation Authority's six-county service area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties) providing over 80 million rides annually. Metra has been honored with several E. H. Harriman Awards 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. Previous Harriman Awards conferred to Metra include Gold awards for 2003 and 2004 and a Silver award for 2002.[1]

History

Metra locomotives at Waukegan.
Locomotive 180 with bi-level cars at West Chicago.

The commuter rail service in Chicago had slowly started to decline from the mid to late-1960s, and by the mid-1970s, they faced an uncertain future. The railroads operating the lines (Including the Burlington Northern, Milwaukee Road, Chicago & Northwestern, Illinois Central and many others) were barely making enough revenue from the services to continue them.[2] This, coupled with a need for newer passenger equipment (The railroads were still using passenger cars from as far back as the 1920s [3]) left the future looking bleak and uncertain. As a result, Chicago formed the Regional Transportation Authority in 1974 to handle the operations of Chicago's public transportation. In the beginning, their fleet consisted of second-hand equipment, until 1976, when the first order of new EMD F40PH locomotives arrived. The F40PH fleet would find itself in service for many years to come.

In 1984, the RTA's rail operations were reorganized into Metra, and all commuter rail operations were handed over.[4]

Lines and stations

Schematic of Metra's routes, as well as the South Shore Line. This schematic is not to scale.

Until the 1960s, Chicago had six major intercity terminals. Three of them – Central Station, Dearborn Station and Grand Central Station – have closed. Metra still uses the other three – LaSalle Street Station, Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center – as well as the Millennium Station (formerly Randolph Street Station), a terminal for commuter lines that operated through Central Station.

Union Station serves all Amtrak intercity trains. It also serves Metra trains on several lines that operated into Union Station from before the 1960s:

Since the 1960s, other routes have been rerouted into Union Station:

The Ogilvie Transportation Center, originally the Chicago and North Western Terminal, serves the three lines formerly operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway – the Union Pacific/North Line, Union Pacific/Northwest Line and Union Pacific/West Line.

LaSalle Street Station serves only trains of the Rock Island District, originally operated by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.

Bilevel electric train

Millennium Station (previously Randolph Street Station) serves the ex-Illinois Central Railroad Metra Electric Line, and the South Shore Line service to South Bend, Indiana, a former interurban railroad operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District.

Extension projects

Newer locomotive 408 pulls into Blue Island, IL.

Despite the State of Illinois's current budget crisis, Metra is implementing vigorous expansion in the coming years. Some of this expansion has already been realized: the Union Pacific/West line has been extended from Geneva, Illinois through La Fox to Elburn, and the Southwest Service line has been extended from Orland Park to Manhattan.[5] Metra is also in the process of extending the McHenry branch of the Union Pacific/Northwest into Johnsburg.[6]

Plans are being developed for a possible new station on the Metra Heritage Corridor to be located in Romeoville. The station and accompanying parking would be located on the property belonging to the Citgo oil refinery between Lemont and Lockport. [7]

Metra is also planning to create new rail services as well, namely the SouthEast Service line from downtown Chicago to Crete[8] as well as Metra's first entirely intra-suburban commuter line, the Suburban Transit Access Route, or "STAR" Line, which would operate between Joliet and O'Hare Airport, linking together Metra lines in the western suburbs.[9]

The state of Wisconsin has discussed extending Metra's service to the cities of Racine and Milwaukee.[10]

Fare structure

Metra has a zone-based fare structure. Fares are determined by the number of zones passed through on a trip. The zones are designated by letters and range from A (downtown stations and termini) to M. Harvard on the Union Pacific/Northwest Line is the only station located in the M zone, and no stations are located in the L zone.

Motive power and rolling stock

Locomotive fleet

Numbers Model Year Built Assigned Disposition
100–127 F40PH 1976–1977 All diesel routes Operating, to be rebuilt[11]
128–184 F40PH-2 1979–1989 All diesel routes, many of which are assigned to the UP lines Operating
185–214 F40PHM-2 1991–1992 BNSF, RI, Milwaukee North, Milwaukee West, and North Central Service. Locomotive #214 pulled the very first North Central Service train from Antioch to Chicago. Operating
401–427 MP36PH-3 2003–2004 BNSF, RI, Milwaukee North,Milwaukee West, and North Central Service Operating
305, 308 F7 1949 All Diesel Routes Retired
514–516, 518, 521 E8 1951–1953 All Diesel Routes Retired
600–614 F40C 1974 Milwaukee Districts Engines 611 and 614 remain on the property. 614 is named Edward F. Brabec while 611 is named Village of Ontarioville. Unknown number brought back in service while mp36's sent to Boise for overhauls.
1–2 SW1 1939 RI Operating
3 SW1200 Milwaukee West, Milwaukee North Operating
4–8 SW1500 RI, Milwaukee West, Milwaukee North, ME Operating

Coach fleet

Entrance to a bilevel car
Numbers Type Heritage Year Built Builder Disposition
740–820 Coach Burlington 1950–1973 Budd Operating
7100–7121 Coach Burlington 1977–1978 Budd Operating
6001–6192 Coach Metra 2002–2005 Nippon Sharyo Operating
7200–7382 Coach Milwaukee 1961–1980 Budd Operating
7400–7497 Coach Metra 1996–1998 Amerail Operating
8200–8238 Coach/Cab Milwaukee 1961–1974 Budd Operating
8239–8275 Coach/Cab RTA 1978–1980 Budd Operating
8400–8413 Coach/Cab Metra 1994–1995 M-K Operating
8414–8478 Coach/Cab Metra 1995–1998 Amerail Operating
8501–8608 Coach/Cab Metra 2002–2005 Nippon Sharyo Operating
553 Club Car C&NW 1949 ACF Operating
555 Club Car C&NW 1949 ACF Retired
7600-7613 Coach C&NW 1955 St. Louis Retired
7650-7866 Coach C&NW 1955-1970 Pullman Operating
7867-7871 Coach RI 1970 St. Louis Retired
7880 Coach (Former Parlor) C&NW 1958 Pullman Retired
7881-7885 Coach RI 1970 Pullman Retired
7900-7901 Club Car (s) C&NW 1955 St. Louis Retired
8700-8763 Cab Cars C&NW 1960-1968 Pullman Retired

Metra electric fleet

Numbers Type Heritage Year Built Builder
1201–1226 MU Coach Metra 2005 Nippon Sharyo
1501–1630 MU Coach IC 1971–1972 St. Louis
1631–1666 MU Coach IC 1978–1979 Bombardier

Notable accidents

A Metra Train in Ogilvie Transportation Center

There have been several accidents in the past that have caught regional, and sometimes national, attention:

  • At around 5:53 p.m. on August 26, 1991, Mary T. Wojtyla, 41, of Chicago, was walking with her lawyer across the tracks at the Fairview Avenue grade crossing in Downers Grove, directly in front of a westbound train which was stopped at the Metra station. Apparently distracted by ongoing divorce proceedings, she crossed the center track and was struck by a westbound Burlington Northern EMD E9 pulling a "Racetrack" express train, estimated to be traveling at 60 miles per hour. Wojtyla was killed instantly; her lawyer saw the oncoming train and was not struck.[12] The accident delayed between 12,000 and 15,000 commuters on the Burlington Northern line for more than an hour.[13] Trains were further delayed when Downers Grove police ordered the engineer to back up the train in order to re-enact the incident. According to an account in the Downers Grove Reporter, "the engineer was so seriously affected by the re-enactment, where he had to pass by the dead body still on the tracks, he was unable to continue and had to be relieved of his duties."[14] A railfan captured Wojtyla being struck by the train.[15] The video, dubbed "Traingirl", has been shown with the impact edited out at many Operation Lifesaver events, and unedited on shock site web sites and YouTube. A wrongful death lawsuit brought by Wojtyla's estate was dismissed in 1996.
  • On January 16, 1995, violinist Rachel Barton Pine was severely injured in a train accident in the suburb of Winnetka, Illinois. Her violin, which was an expensive $500,000 Amati was stuck in the train doors as she was getting off the train. She sued Metra for the incident in 1999, and it went to court where she was awarded $29 million. Since then, she has been playing violin and still goes in tours, but paralyzed with one real foot and another replacement one from when she was in rehabilitation.
  • On the morning of October 25, 1995, a Metra train hit a school bus which was stopped along the tracks at the stoplight at Algonquin Road and Northwest Highway in Fox River Grove. The accident resulted in seven deaths, multiple injuries, and a massive overhaul in safety, especially with respect to school buses and at short crossings. Millions of dollars were spent by several parties in lawsuits and safety improvements.
  • On September 17, 2005, a Metra train from Joliet to Chicago derailed about five miles from LaSalle Street Station, killing two women – Allison Walsh, 38 and Jane Cuthbert, 22 – and injuring approximately 80 others. While the investigation is still proceeding at this time the indications are that the train was traveling at excessive speed, one report stating that the train was moving at more than 60 mph over the posted speed limit of 10 mph, and this was a factor in the accident.
  • On November 23, 2005, a Metra train from Chicago to Antioch, Illinois collided with multiple cars at the Grand Avenue crossing in Elmwood Park, Illinois. The railroad tracks cross Grand Avenue at a shallow angle, therefore creating a longer-than-normal crossing. Just past the tracks on Grand Avenue (heading east) there is a traffic signal that can trap drivers disregarding the signs around the crossing warning them not to stop on the tracks. No one died at the scene, but 15 people needed to be sent to hospitals throughout Chicago. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board determined that the signals were working properly and have implied in statements to the press that fault for the accident lies with motorists who ignored warning signs and stopped across the railroad tracks.

Metra Police Department - Fallen Officers

In the history of the Metra Police Department, one officer has been killed in the line of duty: Officer Thomas A. Cook, who died of as a result of gunfire on September 27, 2006.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ Association of American Railroads (reprinted by Norfolk Southern Railway) (2006-05-16). "Railroads Set Another Employee Safety Record in 2005". Retrieved 2006-05-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  2. ^ http://sbcglobalpwp.att.net/w/i/willvdv/hismetra.html
  3. ^ http://sbcglobalpwp.att.net/w/i/willvdv/ros7cars.html
  4. ^ http://sbcglobalpwp.att.net/w/i/willvdv/hismetra.html
  5. ^ "New schedules for expanded, extended service out today". Regional Transportation Authority. 2006-01-06. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  6. ^ "Metra's Primary Rail Alternative... The Union Pacific Northwest Line". Metra. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  7. ^ http://www.romeoville.org/enews/PressReleases/VORPressRelease4-18-08ce.pdf
  8. ^ "Metra's Primary Rail Alternative... Southeast Service". Metra. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  9. ^ "Metra's Primary Rail Alternative... The Star Line". Metra. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  10. ^ "Task Force on Passenger Rail Service final report" (PDF).
  11. ^ Doing Business with Metra
  12. ^ Operation Lifesaver assembly. Lake Park High School. 1999.
  13. ^ "Train kills woman in Downers Grove", Chicago Tribune, August 27, 1991, CHICAGOLAND, p. 6
  14. ^ "Pedestrian killed by speeding Metra train", Downers Grove Reporter, August 28, 1991, front page.
  15. ^ Unknown author (1991-08-26). "girl hit by train (unedited)". Retrieved 2007-03-05. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  16. ^ Officer Down Memorial Page: Thomas Alan Cook

Further reading

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