Chicago’s Metra system is a commuter rail network serving the city of Chicago and the surrounding communities. Metra operates over several freight railroads’ tracks, including Union Pacific and BNSF Railway. It operates over 11 rail lines and serves 242 stations. Metra owns seven of the lines.
The Metra system is the fourth busiest commuter rail network in the United States, and is the largest outside the New York City area.
Locomotives
Today Metra operates a fleet of F40PH, F59PH and MP36PH-3C locomotives of various kinds. The F40PH locomotives have been upgraded over time. Metra also owns several aged switcher locomotives.
Metra is receiving newly refurbished locomotives, including GP23ECO units rebuilt from GP40s, and SD70MACH locomotives.
Metra started with used equipment from its predecessor commuter rail systems. Its first new locomotives were EMD F40PH engines, delivered in 1976. All of its “E” and “F” units have been retired and some were donated to museums.
Rail Cars
Metra operates a variety of passenger cars, mostly bilevel cars, from Budd, Nippon Sharyo, Alstom, Pullman, Amerail and Morris-Knudsen. Metra also owns a small fleet of electric multiple units, called “Highliners”.
History
Metra started when the Illinois state government formed the Regional Transportation Authority in 1974 to knit together the faltering commuter rail systems of the freight railroads. The existing commuter rail systems operated under contract to the RTA.
After two freight railroads went bankrupt (Rock Island and Milwaukee Road), the RTA operated their lines starting in 1982.
By 1985 the system was renamed Metra, for METropolitan RAil.
Metra added a new line in 1996 – the North Central Service – and extended other lines and added new routes.
