Schedule tweak coming for evening riders on UP North
As Metra plows through a massive rail tie replacement program on the Union Pacific North Line, some riders will see temporary evening delays starting Tuesday.
The changes affect five inbound trains from Waukegan to Chicago that will be departing 30 minutes later than the current schedule. For example, Train No. 366 will leave at 7:35 p.m. instead of 7:05 p.m. The other trains are 368, 370, 372 and 374.
The tweaks are necessary to avoid conflicts between inbound and outbound trains, officials said. In construction zones, trains are operating on a single track as workers install ties on the second one.
The project will last through November. Metra began replacing 68,000 ties between its Ravenswood Station in Chicago and Kenosha in September. Construction starts at 7 p.m. and ends at 5 a.m. seven days a week.
"Tie replacement is essential ... to maintain track speeds and service levels," Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in September.
"We understand that track work during the evening overnight hours will affect the communities near the work zones and that any delays are an inconvenience."
Metra riders on the UP North are also advised to listen to platform announcements for boarding updates in the construction zone.
For more information, go to metra.com.