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NOW APPROACHING…

We also have plans to make our stations more inviting and
COMING SOON safer. But there are still several stations that are not accessi-
ble, many of them on the Metra Electric Line, and those are
to our highest priority. Next year, we expect to begin work on
59th/60th Street, 147th Street and Homewood. We are also
working on designing rehabilitations of the following other
Metra Electric stations:
Thanks to our regular federal capital 79th Street 87th Street 95th Street
funding and a significant increase in 103rd Street 111th Street
funding from Springfield, Metra has We are also planning a major renovation of the historic Van
more than $2 billion to spend over the Buren Street Station, which will likely start in 2022.
next five years to attack a backlog of
important capital work. Other Metra stations that are expected to be worked on next
year include:
One of the most exciting items on our wish
list is new railcars. Sometime this fall/winter we expect to • Grayland (MD-N)–in conjunction with replacing
finalize plans to buy up to 200 new railcars, with an option the nearby bridge over Milwaukee Avenue
for up to 300 more. We’ve allowed manufacturers to propose • Blue Island Vermont (RI)
designs other than the gallery bi-level cars we now use. It will
take about three years for the first of those cars to be made • Hubbard Woods (UP-N)
and delivered. • Ravenswood (UP-N)–completing the inbound
half of the station
In early 2022, we expect to receive the first of 15 newly
remanufactured locomotives designated as SD70-MACH • North Chicago (UP-N)
locomotives. If we like them, we can order up to 27 more. These • Highland Park (UP-N)
new locomotives will increase reliability and fuel efficiency.
We are also starting a multimillion dollar project to add
Construction of two new Chicago stations is in the works. warming shelters to stations that lack them, and we are plan-
Work on Peterson Ridge, on the UP North Line, should begin ning to replace multiple elevators across our system. Finally,
early next year, and some preliminary work has started at our new GPS tracking system will come online next year,
Auburn Park, on the Rock Island Line. providing much more accurate, timely tracking information.

STATION BREAK

The oldest Metra stations are the Lemont and
Lockport depots on the Heritage Corridor Line.
They were built by the Chicago and Alton Railroad
in 1859. Both are built of Joliet-Lemont limestone,
which was also used in more than 30 other still-
standing buildings in downtown Lemont as well
as the famous Chicago Water Tower. Both stations
witnessed the passing of Lincoln’s funeral train in
1865. Metra acquired the stations in 1987, when it
bought the commuter assets of Illinois Central Gulf
(ICG retained ownership of the tracks, however,
later selling them to CN, which still owns them).

10/23/20 3:58 PM
MyMetraNewsletter-Nov2020-KYLNr6-single.indd 14
MyMetraNewsletter-Nov2020-KYLNr6-single.indd 14 10/23/20 3:58 PM