Metra to add more weekday service to McHenry County

Metra will add new trains to the Union Pacific Northwest Line between Chicago and Harvard and McHenry beginning July 12.

Several currently scheduled trains also will have their arrival times at each station adjusted, according to a news release.

Metra is adding rush hour trains on seven lines - a sign ridership is increasing and people are returning to work in Chicago, the commuter train service said in the release.

"These new schedules are intended to help our customers transition back to a regular work commute providing them with more choices and flexibility," Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a statement.

On the inbound Union Pacific Northwest Line, a new train will be added that departs Harvard at 6:35 a.m. and makes all stops between Woodstock and Mount Prospect. It then will run express to Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center and arrive downtown at 8:14 a.m.

Other currently scheduled inbound trains will have schedule adjustments. Train 626 will depart Pingree Road at 7:10 a.m. and arrive in Chicago at 8:37 a.m. Train 6444 will have added stops in Harvard at 1:35 p.m. and Woodstock at 1:48 p.m.

On the outbound Union Pacific Northwest Line, a new train is being added that departs Ogilvie Transportation Center at 4:45 p.m. It will run express to Mount Prospect and make all stops until Woodstock before arriving in Harvard at 6:25 p.m.

More outbound trains will have adjusted departure times as well. Five outbound trains will have new morning departure times from Chicago, and nine trains will have new afternoon and evening departure times from Chicago.

"We expect ridership to continue to increase as the summer progresses and will continue to monitor conditions and make schedule adjustments that are responsive to our customers' needs," Derwinski said.

Metra advises riders to check the full schedule for changes next week.