Metra Pilot Program Tests Reverse-Commute Service On MD-N Line

LAKE FOREST, IL — A new train schedule with a pair of new trains aimed at commuters travelling from Chicago to the north suburbs will start in January on the Milwaukee District North Line under a pilot project approved Tuesday by the Metra Board of Directors. The cost of the additional trains will be split between Metra and Lake County Partners as part of a new public-private partnership. If successful, the group would help pay for the addition of a universal crossover

With no morning outbound express trains and afternoon inbound trains from Lake Forest that are either too early or too late for most employees, Metra's current train schedule does not make it easy for Chicagoans who work at various major employers along the North Shore, including AbbVie, Horizon Pharma, Abbott Labs and others.

The new proposed schedule would add an outbound express train leaving Union Station at 5:35 a.m. and arriving in Lake Forest at 6:25 a.m. Inbound express service would be added in the afternoon by changing the schedule of an afternoon train to depart Lake Forest at 5:30 p.m. and arrive in downtown Chicago at 6:22 p.m. The new schedule would start in January.

“This project makes it even easier to live in Chicago and work in Lake County," said Lake County Partners CEO Kevin Considine. "This unique partnership will give our business community even greater access to workforce talent." Lake County Partners is 501(c)3 economic development corporation based in Lincolnshire that receives about half its funding from the county.

If the two-year pilot program demonstrates enough demand to make the reverse-commuter service self-sustaining, the partnership would share the cost of constructing a new crossover near the Lake Forest station. Installing the crossover would allow Metra to turn around trains in Lake Forest allowing for better rush hour service, according to a release.

Discussions about improving reverse-commute Metra service with a request in April from Lake County officials to the commuter rail's board to find ways to recruit and retain employees living in Chicago. They said the schedule improvements would also cut traffic and pollution and improve the productivity and well-being of employees in the north suburbs.

The new public-private partnership will evenly split the $1.4 million cost of running an extra train during peak commuting times in the morning and evening as part of the demonstration project. Metra said the groups will also work on a definitive agreement to divide the potential $4.75 million cost of a new Lake Forest crossover, with $2.75 million coming from Lake County Partners, $1 million from Metra and $1 million from local governments.

“At a time when Metra is pinched for operating and capital funding, this partnership is an innovative way to test the demand for service to Lake County and potentially improve our infrastructure,” said Metra CEO Jim Derwinski. “We are hopeful that this initiative will build our ridership, help local businesses to recruit top talent and have a positive impact on economic activity in Lake County.”

Announcing its proposed 2019 budget, Metra said it faces significant funding challenges that could result in downsizing and deterioration if not addressed. The service has identified more than $1 billion in needed capital upgrades over the next decade.

“We hope this is a successful model for dealing with funding challenges going forward,” said Metra Chairman Norman Carlson.

Read proposed new Metra reverse commuter schedule for additional Lake Forest service »

Metra announced several other 2019 schedule adjustments for its Milwaukee District North Line:

There would also be a few other schedule adjustments to help relieve crowding or to better reflect actual operating conditions:

• A new Train No. 2192 will leave Lake Forest at 7:48 a.m., stop at Lake Cook Road, North Glenview, Golf, Edgebrook and Western and arrive at Union Station at 8:40 a.m. Metra said it should relieve crowding on Train No. 2120, which make fewer stops on a slightly adjusted schedule, and Train No. 2122.
• A new Train No. 2193 will depart Union Station at 3:20 p.m. and stop at Western, Healy, Morton Grove, Glenview, North Glenview, Northbrook, Lake Cook, Deerfield and Lake Forest, filling a service gap in the current schedule.
• In the later evening, Trains No. 2154 and No. 2160, and North Central Service Train No. 120, which uses the Milwaukee North tracks, will all see their departure times shifted back by 5 to 8 minutes.
• During evening rush hour, outbound trains No. 2145 and No. 2147, which presently depart Union Station at 5:58 p.m. and 6:19 p.m., would leave a bit later, departing at 6:05 p.m. and 6:25 p.m.