Geneva, West Chicago, and More Residents Along the UP-West Line Should Prepare for some Noise!

If you are a suburban resident who lives within ear shot of the UP-West Metra line, prepare for some noisier than normal conditions!

Metra announced that, beginning on Wednesday (6/8), they will be starting a months-long railroad tie replacement project during which they will replace 90,000 ties over the course of 40 miles from Chicago to Elburn.

The UP-West line runs through Elmhurst, Villa Park, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Winfield, West Chicago, Geneva, La Fox and terminates in Elburn.

The delays for riders should be minor, with a bulk of the work taking place in off-peak hours. However, Metra did say work will be going on around the clock through the month of September.

Because the work will take place around the clock, residents of communities along the UP-West Line may hear more frequent train horns including during the evening and overnight hours. Federal law requires trains to sound their horns when entering a track work zone even if the work takes place in a community that is regulated as a quiet zone.

“Tie replacement is essential and must be done at regular intervals to maintain track speeds and service levels, especially on a line like the UP-West that sees a significant amount of freight traffic in addition to commuter service,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “We understand that any delays can represent an inconvenience for our riders but focusing the work on off-peak hours should minimize these impacts.”