Project Management Oversight (PMO) Capital Projects

These projects consist of the replacement of cross ties, switch ties and ballast. In order to maintain proper track gauge and surface, it is necessary to replace ties and ballast periodically. This improves the riding quality of the trains and reduces the incidence of slow orders, which adversely affect adherence to train schedules. These projects represent part of an ongoing program to replace ties and ballast throughout the commuter territory.

This project will replace the heating system for two facility buildings at the 47th Street Yard. The project scope includes the procurement and installation of boilers, piping, fixtures, and other equipment for the Diesel and Car maintenance shops.

Establish a new 3rd main on the Rock Island Line. The project study limits shall be from MP 0.0 (LaSalle Station) to MP 10.5 (Gresham Jct.). The new 3rd main is anticipated to extend from the new 16th Interlocking at MP 1.0 presently in design to the new CREATE P2 Interlocking at CP 74th. It is also anticpated that a new crossover will be required at Gresham to faciliate train movement into and out of the new 3rd main.

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 The 16th Street interlocking plant consists of an obsolete manual interlocking with two outdated hand lever machines built in 1901 and 1929.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.

The new station in the Auburn Park neighborhood of Chicago will feature a platform-length canopy and heated headhouse with two elevators. The station will include a center boarding platform with a staircase down to street level entrance tunnel, a landscaped plaza with benches, canopy, bicycle parking, and a vendor space Metra will lease. A parking lot will include 79 parking stalls, 5 ADA parking spaces, and a passenger drop-off lane. The new station will be fully ADA accessible.

Purchase Rail Cars - 7000' Series (Base Order 400) - Program funds will provide for the continued cash needs and obligation provisions as identified in the contract documents for the 7000' series rail car Base contract order of 400 cars.

This project, a Public-Private Partnership between Metra and the Union Pacific Railroad, will constructtwo new segments of third mainline track on the Union Pacific West Line. One of the segments will bebetween the Vale Interlocking at milepost 10.0 in River Forest and the 25th Avenue Interlocking atmilepost 11.8 in Melrose Park. The other segment will be between the Kress Interlocking at milepost32.1 in West Chicago and the Peck Interlocking at milepost 38.4 in Geneva.Improvements are anticipated for all four of the interlockers that bookend the two segments. Additionally,a new interlocker may be constructed at milepost 35.4 between the Kress and Peck interlockers, whichwill increase operational flexibility. The interlocker improvements and additions will be constructed tomeet Positive Train Control requirements.Improvements along both segments will include, but not be limited to, trackwork, earthwork, sub-ballast,structures, signal infrastructure, interlocking upgrades, and all work necessary at highway gradecrossings. Bridge improvements will be needed over both the Des Plaines River and the Fox River toallow for the third mainline track. The project will also include platform relocations and improvements atboth the Maywood and Melrose Park stations, and platform, platform shelter, and parking improvementsat the Geneva station. Lastly, land acquisition may be required at various locations along the twosegments in areas where the right of way is not wide enough to accommodate the third main track withinthe track centers required by the Union Pacific.

These projects consist of the replacement of cross ties, switch ties and ballast. In order to maintain proper track gauge and surface, it is necessary to replace ties and ballast periodically. This improves the riding quality of the trains and reduces the incidence of slow orders, which adversely affect adherence to train schedules. These projects represent part of an ongoing program to replace ties and ballast throughout the commuter territory.

CTA will continue investing in the rail car fleet maintenance program. This program is intended to correct critical defects and operational deficiencies discovered during inspections of rail cars. CTA’s scheduled maintenance program consists of planned work to maintain rail car performance. While major overhaul work is performed on a quarterly and mid-life cycle basis, additional focused maintenance work is required at certain intervals of the car’s life, outside of the overhaul cycle. When certain maintenance tasks are needed to repair or replace a component before it reaches its end of useful life and fails with an increased frequency, specific component campaign work is conducted.The major systems that must be maintained on CTA’s rail cars include the following:Propulsion, Safety, HVAC, Braking, Battery/Charging, Signage, Doors, Windows, Traction Power, RCA, Lighting, Automatic Train Control, Communication , Suspension, Car body/Structure. CTA’s Rail Terminal Shops are responsible for the maintenance that may result in replacement of a variety of components such as: traction motors, HVAC components and packages, lights, public address system components, trucks, wheels assemblies, hydraulic units, couplers, drawbars, and numerous other mechanical and electrical components. CTA’s Heavy Maintenance Shop is responsible for the rebuild/repair/manufacture of components for the railcar fleet such as wheel assemblies, truck assemblies, traction motors, air comfort units, electronic devices, control units, and associated devices including solid state and microprocessor-controlled units.

The CTA's Forest Park Blue Line Upgrades Project is the first of four phases of the Forest Park Branch. This project will provide for new trackwork from Halsted to Illinois Medical District (IMD), an accessible station at Racine, advanced utility work, and a new substation and traction power equipment upgrades at Hermitage. This work will enhance service quality via speed, reliability, and comfort, and improve operational efficiency on the Forest Park Branch of CTA's rapid transit Blue Line service.