This project will replace the 16th Street interlocking with a modern solid-state automated electronic system at a junction with tracks owned by Canadian National (CN) near 16th Street in Chicago. The 16th Street interlocking plant consists of an obsolete manual interlocking with two outdated hand lever machines built in 1901 and 1929. There are no manufacturers of spare or replacement equipment for these machines.

This project provides engineering and construction funds to modernize the A-20 Interlocking near Techny Road in Northbrook on the Milwaukee District North Line. The scope of work includes improving two grade crossings (Shermer and Techny Road), modernizing signals, and improving track between the Morton Grove Station and Deerfield Station. Under this project, work may include adding rail, switches, signals, crossovers, and renewal of track and signal circuits and cables. The project will implement a signal control system that is PTC compatible.

This project will fund the design, replacement, and expansion of the Cheltenham Substation along the Metra Electric (ME) Line. The rectifiers are several decades old, difficult to repair due to a lack of spare components, and they have long exceeded their useful life. This project is a prerequisite for additional service capacity. The project is part of an ongoing program to repair and replace components of the electrical power distribution system and will allow for additional trains to be scheduled.

This project will fund an engineering study of constant tension technology for the potential application to the Metra Electric (ME) District. The catenary system is currently undergoing extensive rehabilitation. Constant tension technology may be added to the catenary rehabilitation project scope pending the results of this study.

These projects provide for the renewal of rail highway grade crossings at various locations on the Metra District commuter lines and the Union Pacific Lines. The specific crossings to be renewed will be based on the stage of deterioration at each crossing. The work will include, but not be limited to, replacement of cross ties, crossing material, and ballast, as well as the surfacing of the track.

These projects provide for the renewal of rail highway grade crossings at various locations on the RID. The specific crossings to be renewed will be based on the stage of deterioration at each crossing. The work will include, but not be limited to, replacement of cross ties, crossing material, and ballast, as well as the surfacing of the track.

Metra’s aging communications systems will be updated, improved, or replaced under this project to implement state-of-the-art solutions that are more reliable. Sub-projects may include, but may not be limited to, the improvement or replacement of Metra’s current radio systems, phone systems, and data-transfer systems. Project activities may reduce the long-term operating, audit, monitoring, and repair costs while improving the reliability of various communications systems.

Public Information Displays (PIDs) at the terminal stations in downtown Chicago have exceeded their useful life and are due for replacement. Crucial information is such as arrival times, the track number of arrivals and departures, equipment failures, and delays are visually communicated to Metra riders via the PIDs system. Project activities may include, but are not limited to, installing equipment and components, purchasing new hardware for emergency repairs, and the installation of a replacement system.

This project will fund the design, replacement, and expansion of the Harvey Substation along the Metra Electric (ME) Line. The rectifiers are several decades old, difficult to repair due to a lack of spare components, and they have long exceeded their useful life. This project is a prerequisite for additional service capacity. The project is part of an ongoing program to repair and replace components of the electrical power distribution system and will allow for additional trains to be scheduled.

This project involves replacing impedance bonds that are damaged, defective, or have insufficient negative return equipment and connections. The impedance bonds are a fundamental part of the track circuit. Impedance bonds control the current path and thus limit the power losses and assure proper function of the protective relays

This project consists of the modernization and upgrading of the Lake Street interlocker at the north end of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC), including replacement of track, track bed, switches, switch machines, switch heaters, dwarf signals and signal cable. In the future, the interlocking control machine in Lake Street Tower will be replaced by modern equipment.

This project will improve signals from Rondout to Deerfield on the Milwaukee North Line. The project will include but not be limited to improve pedestrian crossings at the West Lake Forest Station, as well as grade crossing improvements at Everett and Conway roads in Lake Forest. IDOT will being doing improvements in conjunction with this project.

This project is a multi-year signal replacement project on the Milwaukee West Line. Seven signals will be replaced between Wood Dale and Almora. This is a project in partnership with the Canadian Pacific Railway.

This project funds the in-house design and installation of necessary telecommunications hardware to migrate from land-line telephones at various Metra facilities to modern VoIP phone systems. Metra Telecommunications engineers will complete the necessary design, configuration, and installation of the new phones and system components, software upgrades, cyber security updates, and related components. This project will realize cost savings as Metra will be able to disconnect expensive phone lines and all project work will be completed by Metra forces.

This project provides engineering design services for Centralized Train Control north of A5 on the Milwaukee District North Line. The project will allow the Signal Engineering department to create a cell library to expedite design and cost estimates of signal projects.

This project will replace various signal infrastructure such as junction boxes, electrical cabinets, wiring, LED lights, and other essential components on an as-needed basis. Locations and scope of work are determined upon routine inspection or failure.

This project involves upgrades to protected grade crossings to improve safety and reliability of grade crossing protections. Metra has approximately 300 active grade crossings with warning devices. This project will fund upgrades of circuitry at these grade crossings to the latest technology. Metra will install monitors to remotely check the condition of the grade crossing protection system. When a monitor detects an anomaly, the system will send notice to the back office and dispatch a signal maintainer to perform repairs.

Metra's Supervisory Control And Data Aquisition (SCADA) system monitors the power distribution system in the Metra Electric (ME) Line. The SCADA system and related components are nearing the end of their useful life. The project will replace obsolete software, hardware, servers, and related components to reduce the likelyhood of equipment failure, system downtime, and potential train delays.

Converting the tie stations into substations and installing a new substation will
increase capacity and reliability on the Metra Electric District. Construction was
performed moving from north to south. Construction was completed at 31st
Street and 51st Street. Design for 95th Street and Riverdale are 100% complete.
Bids were received and contract was awarded for both 95th St. and Riverdale
substation construction. The contractor was issued an NTP in October 2018 and

This project will fund the design, replacement, and expansion of the Vollmer Substation along the Metra Electric (ME) Line. The rectifiers are several decades old, difficult to repair due to a lack of spare components, and they have long exceeded their useful life. This project is a prerequisite for additional service capacity. The project is part of an ongoing program to repair and replace components of the electrical power distribution system and will allow for additional trains to be scheduled.