Metra, the operator of the Northeast Illinois commuter rail system, has announced that Union Pacific Railroad (UP) will be performing track work across all three of Metra’s commuter lines throughout the month of November.
On the UP North Line to Kenosha, UP plans to replace approximately 1,500 ties between the Evanston Main Street and Ravinia stations and between Lake Forest and Waukegan. Workers will also be making repairs to a bridge south of the Ravenswood Station. Train operations will be restricted to a single track for portions of the rail line, increasing the potential for delays.
On the UP West Line to Elburn, workers will be replacing insulated rail joints throughout the line, which are used to separate electric circuits in the railroad’s signal system. Welders will also be out across the line making repairs to the track, and work on the Salt Creek Bridge in Villa Park will continue.
UP workers also will replace more than 11,000 ties on the UP Northwest Line’s McHenry branch and replace part of the rail and ties where the line crosses the Canadian National tracks in Barrington. Smaller tie replacement projects also are planned for locations between the Ogilvie Transportation Center and the Clybourn Station and between Mount Prospect and Barrington.
Construction schedules for each line are available on Metra’s website.