No Metra service Friday? Potential strike could halt trains to suburbs

With fraught negotiations between freight railroads and workers stalling, Metra warned riders to prepare for a potential strike on Friday that could halt trains on most routes.

The labor action “may directly impact Metra’s ability to operate most of its services,” the commuter railroad told passengers in an alert Tuesday. Those would include Metra’s four busiest lines -- the BNSF and Union Pacific North, Northwest and West.

The Union Pacific West line has stations in Elburn, La Fox and Geneva. The Northwest line runs from Ogilvie Transportation Center downtown to Harvard and McHenry, with stops in Fox River Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake and Woodstock. The Rock Island line has a station in Joliet.

“With the exception of the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines, Metra’s nine other lines either use tracks owned by freight railroads, intersect with tracks operated by our freight partners, or are dispatched by freight railroads,” officials said.

“Four of our lines, the BNSF and Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West, are owned by and directly operated by freight railroads. If the work stoppage occurs, we expect there will not be service on these lines.”

A strike would affect local commuter train agencies across the U.S. and Amtrak, as well as snarl freight deliveries in a nation already hurting from supply chain dysfunction.

“With the exception of the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines, Metra’s nine other lines either use tracks owned by freight railroads, intersect with tracks operated by our freight partners, or are dispatched by freight railroads,” officials said.

“Four of our lines, the BNSF and Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West, are owned by and directly operated by freight railroads. If the work stoppage occurs, we expect there will not be service on these lines.”

A strike would affect local commuter train agencies across the U.S. and Amtrak, as well as snarl freight deliveries in a nation already hurting from supply chain dysfunction.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20220913/no-metra-service-friday-potential-strike-could-halt-trains-on-most-routes