Metra and Amtrak riders will feel big impacts if freight rail worker strike later this week, a move that would affect thousands of daily train travelers. Kate Chappell reports.
UPDATE: Thursday morning, following a tentative agreement reached by union workers and railroad companies, both Metra and Amtrak said all lines will run as scheduled, and that they were working to restore service to any previous pre-emptive cancelations. Our original story continues below.
In preparation for a potential freight rail worker strike Friday, Metra on Wednesday said it will curtail service for several Chicago-area train lines beginning Thursday night.
The affected lines are ones that shuttle thousands commuters to and from the suburbs and the city: BNSF, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific West and Union Pacific Northwest.
Metra's BNSF line takes passengers from Chicago's western suburbs in DuPage County to and from the city. The train's Union Pacific North line services passengers up and down the North Shore, while the other two lines shuttle commuters from as far north as McHenry County, and as far west as Kane County.
Two of the rail workers' largest unions, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the SMART Transportation Division, which combined represent half of railroad union workers -- approximately 60,000 people -- are still negotiating.
And while Metra is not part of the labor dispute, the train operator said earlier this week that a rail worker strike "may directly impact Metra's ability to operate on some lines," since the majority of Metra's lines travel on tracks that are either owned, maintained or dispatched by, or intersect with freight railroads.
There hasn't yet been an announcement regarding whether or not the workers will go on strike Friday. But, either way, Metra has moved forward with canceling the following Thursday night trains, in an effort to prepare for a potential disruption:
These 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.)
These Union Pacific trains will not operate Thursday night, Sept 15:
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- 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.)
These Union Pacific Northwest trains will not operate Thursday night, Sept 15:
- 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.)
These Union Pacific West trains will not operate Thursday night, Sept 15:
- 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.)
According to a statement from Metra, if rail workers head to the picket lines Friday, the cancellations will continue and service will be completely suspended.
“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," the statement says.
A spokesperson for Metra, which recently extended its $100 monthly Super Saver pass, stated that it's too soon to engage in discussions around refunds for passholders.
As negotiations between fright railroads and unions continue, Metra says it is "hopeful that a settlement will be reached before the strike deadline."
