Metra Cancels Several Routs Starting Thursday Night

FILE – In this April 23, 2008 file photo, a Metra commuter train passes through a railroad crossing in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill., says public transit agencies nationwide are being targeted with questionable lawsuits by “patent trolls” that are squeezing settlements out of financially strapped public entities unable to mount legal defenses. Lipinski says at least 20 public transit agencies, including the Chicago area’s Metra, have been targeted. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)

If you are unaware, there are freight railroad workers that could happen on Friday. If that happens, Metra trains that run on lines owned and operated by Union Pacific and BNSF may not be able to run at all! Those lines include the BNSF, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines.

The freight railroad workers work stoppage should NOT affect the Metra Electric, Rock Island, SouthWest Service, Milwaukee District North, and Milwaukee District West lines.

The following is a statement from Metra released yesterday —

If the work stoppage occurs, there will be no service Friday on the BNSF, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines. Both BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, which own and operate the lines, have communicated that they will begin curtailing service after the evening rush hour on Thursday, Sept. 15 in preparation for the potential work stoppage.

The following BNSF trains will not operate Thursday night, Sept. 15:

Inbound trains 1296, 1298, 1300 and 1302 are canceled (all depart Aurora after 8 p.m.)
Outbound trains 1289, 1291 1293 and 1295 are canceled (all depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m.)

The following Union Pacific trains will not operate Thursday night, Sept 15:
Union Pacific North

Inbound trains 372 and 374 are canceled (all depart Waukegan after 10 p.m.)
Outbound trains 371, 373, 375 and 377 are canceled (all depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m.)

Union Pacific Northwest

Inbound trains 666 and 668 are canceled (all depart after 9:30 p.m.)
Outbound trains 661,663,665 and 601 are canceled (all depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m.)

Union Pacific West

Inbound train 68 is canceled (departs Elburn after 9:15 p.m.)
Outbound trains 69 and 71 are canceled (all depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m.)

Negotiations between the unions and freight railroads are ongoing, and we are hopeful that a settlement will be reached before the strike deadline. We will provide additional updates as soon as more information becomes available.