Fall 2001
Volume 108 - No. 3
Fall 2001
Volume 108 - No. 3
BLE Focus
Metra
The Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (NIRC) was established in June 1981, when the Regional Transportation Authority took over the commuter service for the bankrupt Rock Island Railroad. In 1982, the NIRC also took over the Milwaukee Railroad commuter operations. These services were renamed Metra in 1985. In 1987, Metra assumed operations of the Illinois Central Passenger Service.
Metra is a regional railroad serving six Northeast Illinois counties with a population of about 8 million. The Metra system has 12 routes with over 500 miles, in a traditional hub and spoke pattern focusing on the Chicago Central Business District.
Thirty percent of Metra's 228 stations are in Chicago, serving both suburbs and city neighborhoods.
Last year, a total of 81.9 million passengers rode Metra. This was the highest total in Metra history and ridership is continuing to increase this year.
Over the years, Metra has made many improvements in order to respond to the transportation needs of Northeastern Illinois. In 1992, the organization published a report, the Future Agenda for Suburban Transportation (FAST), that was its response to the transportation needs of suburbia.
Among other things, the report included expanding lines to outlying areas, route extensions, new service on freight lines and track separation on highways. Metra sees these improvements as a alternative to the gridlock that is threatening the highways around the Chicago area.
METRA and the BLE
Metra's 186 BLE members represent the faces and values of middle America. They are the standard-bearers of passenger rail in the heartland.
Unlike some of the passenger railroads in the Northeast, there is a positive working relationship between BLE members and Metra.
"BLE members on Metra have a good working relationship with the carrier, and, hence, have never had a strike," said Metra General Chairman David Thews.
"The BLE and Metra have an open door policy," said Thews. "We can usually sit down and work out most problems. While we don't always agree with each other and probably never will, a professional relationship does exist between us."
The BLE members on Metra belong to three BLE general committees: Division 815-Rock Island belongs to the Metra GCofA; Division 131-I.C. Electric belongs to the Illinois Central GCofA; and Division 294-Elgin Line and Division 575-Fox Lake belong to the CP Rail System-U.S. GCofA. While they are a small portion of the overall BLE membership, these members have gotten a little extra help over the years from BLE Vice-President Rick Radek, according to Thews.
"While most BLE members belong to freight railroads, V.P. Rick Radek has gone the extra step to bring all local chairman in the Chicago area together a few times a year to discuss our problems and strategies to correct those issues," said Thews.
"At these roundtable meetings I am able to talk to other local chairman in passenger service which provides a great opportunity to hear what is going on within their divisions."
The BLE members on Metra are not unusual among today's engineers. According to Thews, they have the same wants and needs of other engineers in passenger service and "through hard work and perseverance, we will strive forward to better the lives of our members and ultimately their families."
© 2001 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers