Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation
Metra, or the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, is the rail-based commuter transit system serving the Chicago area. It is a division of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), formed by the 1984 restructuring of the RTA.
History
In 1974, with the railroads loosing money on commuter trains, and other transit systems loosing money, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) was formed. The RTA subsequently signed "purchase of service" agreements with the various railroads servicing Chicago, which were all in place by 1976. The railroads would then continue to operate the commuter trains subsidized by the RTA and operating according to RTA standards. The Rock Island was finally modernized in 1979 with new bilevel cars and F40PH locomotives, and rebuilding of track which had badly deteriorated. The two rush hour commuter operations in Illinois, the Norfolk & Western (ex-Wabash Railroad) and Gulf, Mobile & Ohio received new bilevel cars and F40PH locomotives in 1979 which replaced former long distance equipment previously provided by the railways themselves.
The C&NW had developed a modern and comfortable commuter rail services on its own but no money was invested in new commuter locomotives. Rather, older F7 and E8 locomotives were kept operating through rebuilding. Chicago & North Western locomotives and rolling stock were acquired by the RTA on December 31st, 1977 and leased back to C&NW. The RTA and Metra enabled the C&NW locomotives to be finally replaced by 1989. The Burlington Northern E8 & E9 locomotives and rolling stock passed to the West Suburban Mass Transit District (WSMTD) in 1982 and in 1983 were rebuilt to HEP and E9Ar and the rolling stock converted to all-electric. They were also planned to be acquired by the RTA, however the locomotives remained WSMTD property until replaced by new leased Metra F40PH-2M on August 30th, 1992.
All locomotives acquired by the RTA were allocated RTA fleet numbers, but only two ex C&NW F7A actually carried their RTA numbers (305 & 308) and then only after withdrawal from passenger service.
The Rock Island entered bankruptcy on March 17, 1975. In 1980 the federal courts ordered it’s liquidation and it shut down 11:59pm March 2nd, 1980, with the ICC directing that the RTA takeover the Joliet commuter service. RTA signed up the C&NW to do so, but in the spring of 1981 C&NW bailed out during an RTA financial crisis. With no other railway willing to takeover the operation the RTA set up the Northeast Illinois Railroad Corporation (NIRC) in June 1981. RTA finally purchased the track to Joliet for $35M in December 1982 (Rock Island).
Milwaukee Road went bankrupt in October 1977. The RTA "purchase of service" agreement expired on June 30th, 1981 but was not renewed as potential purchasers of the railway did not want the commuter operation. From January 1982 the F40C locomotives and equipment passed to the NIRC as well as the seven withdrawn E9s. To preserve the service NIRC leased the property on October 1st, 1982 and Metra completed the purchase of the lines from Chicago to Pingree Grove and Fox Lake in August 1987 (Milwaukee West and Milwaukee North).
Today’s Metra organization stems from the RTA Amendatory Act of 1983, which decentralized Chicagoland’s transit network by creating three separate management boards – CTA, Pace and Metra. The Metra service mark for NIRC was introduced in 1984. Metra now directly operates most of the services except for those on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the former Chicago & North Western North, Northwest and West lines (now operated by Union Pacific) which are still "purchase of service" contracts.
As Illinois Central downsized in the 1980’s it approached Metra regarding its Chicago commuter lines. The electric lines from Randolph Street were physically separate from the main line and this facilitated their sale to Metra for $28M on May 1st, 1987 (Metra Electric District). The sale also included the former GM&O diesel service to Joliet but in this case not the tracks (Heritage). In 1993 Norfolk Southern leased the Orland Park line to Metra as its Southwest service and the NS employees were transferred to Metra.
On August 19th, 1996 Metra inaugurated the first all new commuter train service in 70 years when it started operating from Chicago Union Station to Antioch on the Wisconsin Central (now Canadian National Railway) line (North Central).
In 2006 extensions to the Union Pacific West Line to Elburn (January 23rd) and Southwest line to Manhattan (January 30th) were opened. In addition North Central and Southwest line services were expanded by the completion of work to double track the lines allowing expansion of services from rush hour.
Routes
Metra has eleven commuter train lines that cover the Chicago metropolitan area:
| BNSF | (BNSF) |
| Heritage Corridor | (HC) |
| Metra Electric | (ME) |
| Milwaukee District North | (MD-N) |
| Milwaukee District West | (MD-W) |
| North Central Service | (NCS) |
| Rock Island | (RI) |
| SouthWest Service | (SWS) |
| Union Pacific North | (UP-N) |
| Union Pacific Northwest | (UP-NW) |
| Union Pacific West | (UP-W) |
Liveries
| Livery | Thumbnail | Year Range | Vehicles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTA White | c.1977-1980s | F40PHM-2, F40PH-2 |
| |
| RTA Grey | c.1980-1984 | F40PHM, F40PH |
| |
| Blue+Red? | 
|
1984-Present | F40PHM, F40PH | |
| Lightning Bolt | 2016-Present | F59PH, F40PHM-3, F40PH-3, MP36PH-3C |
Developed by Metra Engineer Kyle Nanfeldt[1] | |
| Surfliner | 2018/2019-Present | F59PHI |
Former Amtrak Pacific Surfliner livery |
Fleet Roster
Locomotives
Active
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Engine horsepower |
Gearing top speed |
HEP generator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 1939-46 | EMD | SW1 |
| ||||
| 3 | 1954 | EMD | SW1200 |
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| 4-9 | 1967~72 | EMD | SW1500 |
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| 10-11 | 1966-69 | EMD | GP23ECO |
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| 73-93 | 1998 | EMD | F59PHI | EMD 12V-710G3C-EC 3000 hp |
56:21 110 mph |
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| 94-96 | 1988 | GMDD | F59PH | EMD 12V-710G3A 3000 hp |
66:20 83 mph |
| ||
| 97-99 | 1988 | GMDD | F59PH | EMD 12V-710G3A 3000 hp |
66:20 83 mph |
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| 100-127 | 
|
1977 | EMD | F40PH-3 |
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| 128-149 | 1979-80 | EMD | F40PH-3 |
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| 150-173 | 1983 | EMD | F40PH-2 |
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| 174-184 | 1988-89 | EMD | F40PH-3 |
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| 185-214 |
|
1991-92 | EMD | F40PHM-3 |
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| 215-216 | 1977-81 | EMD | F40PH-3 |
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| 217 | 1981 | EMD | F40PH-3 | HEP | ||||
| 401-427 | 2003-04 | MPI | MP36PH-3C | EMD 16V-645F3B 3600 hp |
HEP generator |
| ||
| 500-514? | 1992-2004 | EMD | SD70MACH | HEP |
| |||
| 611, 614 | 1974 | EMD | F40C | EMD 16V-645E3B 3200 hp |
HEP generator |
|
Retired
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Engine horsepower |
Gearing top speed |
HEP generator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200-202 | 1948 | EMD | E7A | None |
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| 230 | 1941 | EMD | E6A | Yes |
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| 290 | 1948 | EMD | E7B | None |
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| 300-310 | 1949 | EMD | F7A |
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| 320-322 | 1949 | EMD | F7A |
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| 400 | 1949 | EMD | E7A |
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| 401-429 | 1950-55 | EMD | E8A |
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| 430-431 | 1953 | EMD | E8A |
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| 440-447 | 1950-52 | EMD | E8A | None |
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| 530-535 | 1961 | EMD | E9A |
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| 540-543 | 1956 | EMD | E9A |
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| 550-555 | 1953-62 | EMD | E9Ac | |||||
| 560 | 1956 | EMD | E9A |
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| 600-610, 612-613 | 1974 | EMD | F40C | EMD 16V-645E3B 3200 hp |
HEP generator |
| ||
| 9900-9925 | 1949~56 | EMD | E9Ar |
|
Electric Multiple Units
Active
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Seating Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1201-1226 | 2005 | Sumitomo/Nippon Sharyo | Highliner II | |||
| 1227-1386 | 2012-14 | Sumitomo/Nippon Sharyo | Highliner II |
Retired
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Seating Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1501-1630 | 1971-72 | St. Louis | Highliner | Ex-IC/CSSMTD. | ||
| 1631-1666 | 1978-79 | Bombardier | Highliner |
Passenger Cars
Active
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Seating Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 700-787 | 1950-65 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
| ||
| 790-795 | 1965 | Budd | Gallery Cab car |
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| 796-815 | 1973 | Budd | Gallery Cab car |
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| 816-820 | 1973 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 6001-6192 | 2002-05 | Nippon Sharyo | Gallery Coach |
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| 7100-7121 | 1977-78 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 7200-7241 | 1961-64 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 7242-7256 | 1965 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 7257-7283 | 1974 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 7284-7381 | 1978-80 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 7382 | 1965 | Budd | Gallery Coach |
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| 7400-7497 | 1996-98 | Amerail | Gallery Coach |
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| 7700-7866 | 1960-70 | Pullman-Standard | Gallery Coach |
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| 8200-8219 | 1961-64 | Budd | Gallery Cab car |
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| 8220-8224 | 1965 | Budd | Gallery Cab car |
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| 8225-8238 | 1974 | Budd | Gallery Cab car |
| ||
| 8239-8275 | 1978-80 | Budd | Gallery Cab car |
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| 8400-8413 | 1994-95 | Morrison-Knudsen | Gallery Cab car |
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| 8414-8478 | 1995-98 | Amerail | Gallery Cab car |
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| 8501-8608 | 2002-05 | Nippon Sharyo | Gallery Cab car |
Retired
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Seating Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7600-7613 | 1955 | St. Louis | Gallery Coach |
| ||
| 7650-7681 | 1956 | Pullman-Standard | Gallery Coach |
| ||
| 7867-7871 | 1970 | Pullman-Standard | Gallery Coach |
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| 7880 | 1958 | Pullman-Standard | Gallery Coach |
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| 7881-7885 | 1969 | Pullman-Standard | Gallery Coach |
| ||
| 7900-7901 | 1955 | St. Louis | Gallery Club car |
| ||
| 8700-8763 | 1959-68 | Pullman-Standard | Gallery Cab car |
|
On Order
| Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Seating Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | 2024-27 | Alstom | Coradia Multilevel | 200 cars purchased with an option for 300 more. |
External links
Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation official website