Union Pacific is working closely with Metra to finalise the safe and seamless transfer of Chicago commuter rail services on three lines in the metropolitan area. The rail services to be transferred are the Union Pacific North, Northwest, and West Lines.
Mechanical and station agent services, along with some management services, have already been successfully transferred to Metra. The transfer of train operation services is expected to occur in mid-April, followed by the transfer of some engineering services.
While Metra will soon take over these services, financial negotiations are ongoing, including compensation for Metra’s use of Union Pacific’s tracks and infrastructure. In August 2024, Metra and Union Pacific agreed to mediate the compensation matter before the Surface Transportation Board. The mediation, which had been extended several times, ended January 31, 2025, without an agreement. Union Pacific extended an offer to Metra to use binding arbitration to resolve the issue.
“We are proud of the work Metra and Union Pacific have accomplished to progress the transfer of services. We are committed to reaching a financial agreement this year that is fair to both parties,” Liisa Stark, vice president of Public Affairs at Union Pacific, said.
Union Pacific will continue to maintain the tracks and manage train movements on all three lines.
In March 2023, Union Pacific announced it had started the process of transferring the three Chicago commuter rail services, with the expected completion of the process by the first quarter 2024. As part of the transition, Metra is to take over services including train crew, mechanical, car cleaning, rolling stock maintenance, ticket sales and some engineering services. Several management employees transitioned to Metra in 2023.
Metra, the transport agency of Chicago, owns the train fleet which ensures commuter services on eleven rail routes, and the transfer of the services on the three routes are running on its behalf by infrastructure owner Union Pacific.
The Union Pacific North route links Chicago and Kenosha, the Northwest line connects Chicago and Harvard and the West line, connects communities from Chicago to Elburn.
The rail system of Metra delivers services from downtown Chicago to the six-county Chicago area on 11 rail routes totalling 500 route miles, served by 243 stations. four lines of this network – BNSF and the Union Pacific Lines – are owned and operated by the freight rail operators. Metra owns four district lines – Metra Electric District, Rock Island District, Milwaukee District North and Milwaukee District West – outright. With the remaining three lines – Heritage Corridor, North Central Service and SouthWest Service – Metra runs the trains, but freight carriers own the tracks.
Share on:
