Riders of two separate Metra lines will soon have fresh options as the rail agency is scheduling new service routes at different points of the day.
The rail agency has announced additions to the Union Pacific North line starting May 20 along with new choices for Milwaukee District North riders starting June 3.
The UP-N line, which goes between the Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago and Kenosha, expansion coincides with the opening of a new station at Peterson and Ridge in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood.
“We continue to monitor customer feedback and this new schedule shows that we are listening,” Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a statement. “In addition to the new trains, riders in Kenosha and Waukegan as well as reverse commuters will now have more options. The grand opening of our new station at Peterson/Ridge also provides another much-needed access point to our service.”
The specifics of the new UP-N service include a new inbound train leaving from Waukegan on weekdays at 5:35 a.m. and making all stops until arriving at the OTC at 6:55 a.m. A second weekday inbound train will leave Winnetka at 7:53 a.m. set to reach the OTC at 8:35 a.m.
In terms of outbound service, there will be a new 6:40 a.m. departure from the OTC, stopping at all stations until reaching Highland Park.
Finally, for the evening rush hour, a train will leave the OTC at 4:50 p.m. and go to Winnetka. That train will then run to express to Ravinia Park on concert nights.
Metra is also considering additional trains on the weekend and may announce changes later this year, according to the statement.
MD-N riders, which runs between Chicago’s Union Station and Fox Lake, will have new late night options starting June 3.
A new inbound train will leave Fox Lake at 10:30 p.m. on weeknights, making all stops before reaching Chicago. A new outbound train will leave Union Station at 12:32 a.m., stopping at all the stations on its way to Fox Lake.
In addition to the new trains, Metra is also making changes to both departure times on several trains throughout the day on both the UP-N line and the MD-N route.
The agency is reporting increasing ridership after sharp declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
