(The following appeared on the Chicago Tribune website on June 13, 2011.)
CHICAGO — Staffing increases should ensure that Metra trains run normally Tuesday, officials said, after a shortage of engineers upended train — and commuters’ — schedules on the Union Pacific West Line.
The commuter rail service pays Union Pacific to operate and staff the line, which runs 30,000 passengers a day from far west suburban Elburn to downtown Chicago.
One engineer drives each train, but when half a dozen engineers were allowed to take vacation simultaneously, and another called in sick Monday, UP had to turn to its on-call staff. But four of them had worked Sunday due to track signal work near Elmhurst, and only one had enough time off to work again as required under federal law, union officials said.
As a result, six trains were canceled, and thousands of passengers delayed up to an hour waiting for later trains.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which works on the train line, issued a statement by its president, Dennis Pierce. It said that flooding-related detours in the Midwest are eating up engineers’ hours, causing a general staffing shortage.
Previously, five engineers were assigned to backup duty, though the union said Union Pacific should have twice that many. In response to Monday’s delays, three more engineers were put on reserve with added pay.
“It is unfortunate that UP and Metra have chosen to attempt to shift the blame for their own poor workforce management to the shoulders of the men and women dedicated to transporting Chicago commuters safely, consistently and on time,” the union stated.
Full story: Chicago Tribune