The following article by Robert McCoppin appeared in the Chicago Daily Herald on March 15.)
CHICAGO — Metra passengers began riding the first of 300 new railroad cars and 27 new locomotives Friday as part of a plan to update commuter trains in the Chicago area.
The new stainless-steel cars feature larger windows, brighter lighting and wider stairways to the upper level. Each has a lift and is wheelchair-accessible, Metra spokesman Tom Miller said.
They also should have clearer automated announcements and an electronic message board in each car.
The new, streamlined, orange-tinted locomotives, Miller said, accelerate faster, are more fuel-efficient, and hold more fuel.
So far, just three cars and one locomotive have been delivered.
The rest of the locomotives should be in service within a year, while the rest of the cars will be slowly phased in at the rate of 10 per month through 2005.
Most of them will replace the oldest cars, which date from the 1950s, on the Union Pacific North, Northwest and West lines, with some on the Burlington Northern Sante Fe.
Some will be used to expand the North Central Service from 10 trains a day to 22 by 2005.
Fifteen of the locomotives will replace the oldest locomotives in service since 1974 on the Milwaukee District North and West lines.
The $480 million cost was paid primarily by a federal grant and higher license fees and liquor taxes through the Illinois FIRST construction program.