CHICAGO — Metra plans “major investments” in locomotives, railcars, and infrastructure, but is not asking for a fare increase, as part of its 2020 budget unveiled at Tuesday’s board of directors meeting.
The commuter railroad is proposing a capital budget of $480.5 million, a figure bolstered by a state program which is projected to provide Metra with more than $1.4 billion over the next five years. [See “Metra eyes $1.6 billion from Illinois capital program,” Trains News Wire, June 13, 2019.] Included in that budget are:
— $138.8 million for new locomotives and railcars. Metra is planning to buy some remanufactured locomotives [see “Metra board approves locomotive purchase; SD70MACH models to come out of EMD,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 20, 2019], has set aside funds for a prototype alternative fuel locomotive, and has a request for proposals pending for up to 400 new passenger cars. [See “Metra to re-issue RFP for new railcars,” Trains News Wire, July 18, 2018.]
— $95.3 million for locomotive and car rehabilitation. In addition to continuing the rehabilitation of locomotives and cars Metra is performing at its 47th Street shops, this will fund overhaul of 21 recently purchased former Amtrak locomotives and installation of more reliable AC traction motors on 54 locomotives
— $51.2 million for stations and parking. This will include the Auburn Woods station on the Rock Island line which recently celebrated its groundbreaking [see “Metra marks groundbreaking for New Chicago station,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 1, 2019 ]; upgrades of two stations at on the Metra Electric line and the Evanston-Davis Street station on the UP North; and ongoing efforts to improve ADA accessibility and make sure every station has a warming shed.
— $23.2 million for expanding two adjacent yards: the Western Avenue yard serving Milwaukee, North Central, and Heritage Corridor equipment, and the California Avenue yard for Union Pacific line trains.
— $22.6 million for bridges, allowing Metra to replace several bridges among the nearly 500 on its lines that are more than a century old.
Metra’s $827.4 million operating budget is a $5 million increase over 2019. It avoids a fare increase in part by saving $18 million through what the railroad calls “efficiencies” in a press release, as well as through reduction of overtime and by not filling some vacancies. That will help offset anticipated increased expenses related to positive train control ($7 million) and labor and other expenses ($16 million).
The complete budget proposal is available at Metra’s website, as is a list of sites of public hearings on the budget to be held Nov. 4-5.
