How long has the Metra been running?
How long has the Metra been running? Metra is the label we've been putting on commuter rail service in the Chicago area since 1984.
Can you eat on Metra trains?
Generally yes, but see our What's Allowed on Metra Trains for the full list of rules.
Why do Metra trains honk?
Train crews also may deem it necessary to sound a horn as a warning when there is a vehicle, person or animal near the tracks. Track construction, workers within 25 feet of a live track or malfunctioning crossings, also require crews to sound the horn.
How many train crashes in 2023?
As of October, the FRA has recorded 742 incident reports for train derailments in 2023. Additionally, railroads reported 59 collisions, 12 fires, and 138 highway-rail-crossing incidents, which could include cars or any other vehicles or people at the crossing site.
How are Metra trains powered?
By replacing diesel power with battery power, Metra will significantly reduce its emissions footprint and greatly improve air quality for its riders and the Chicago region. The battery-powered locomotives are expected to be less noisy and have lower operating costs and lower maintenance costs than diesel locomotives.
Has a Metra train ever derailed?
Metra Rock Island Line train carrying hundreds of passengers derails in South Loop. A Metra Rock Island train derailed near Clark and 13th streets in the South Loop. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of passengers were evacuated after a Metra Rock Island train car derailed in Chicago Monday morning.
How fast can Metra trains go?
While Metra owns all rolling stock, the management and crews are BNSF employees. BNSF is the owner of the right-of-way, controls the line and handles dispatching from corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. Metra imposes a 70 mph maximum allowed speed for passenger trains.
What is the biggest train disaster in the world?
The 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami train wreck is the largest single rail disaster in world history by death toll, with 1,700 fatalities or more. It occurred when a crowded passenger train (No 50, Matara Express) was destroyed on a coastal railway in Sri Lanka by a tsunami that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.