Metra said early Thursday that the Union Pacific has completed repairs to a signal facility that was damaged by a fire Tuesday and that it expects to run normal weekday schedule on the UP West Line today.
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Metra on Wednesday issued this update to Union Pacific West Line customers inconvenienced by Tuesday’s facility fire:
“Repairs continue today to a facility that controls the switches and signals in the vicinity of 25th Avenue between the Melrose Park and Berkeley Stations. The facility was damaged in a fire Tuesday morning and is on track to be rebuilt and back in service by midday Thursday.
“Until then, all UP West Line trains, including 60 Metra commuter trains and all freight traffic, must stop, get permission to proceed and then travel at restricted speeds through the two-mile area. Based on our experience with the rush periods on Tuesday night and this morning, we have reduced the expected delays to trains passing through the affected area to up to 20 minutes from up to 30 minutes.
“Therefore, while most inbound and outbound trains are expected to depart on time, they could incur delays of up to 20 minutes en route until the afternoon rush hour on Thursday, Feb. 11. Departures later in the rush hour will be delayed because the train sets used in those trips will have been slowed passing through the affected area during earlier rush-hour trips.
“For this (Wednesday) evening’s rush hour, the following changes will be made:
· No. 43, departing Ogilvie at 4:17 p.m. will not operate.
· No. 59, departing Ogilvie at 5:46 p.m. will not operate.
· No. 60, arriving Ogilvie at 6:54 p.m. will not operate.
· No. 41, departing Ogilvie at 4:11 p.m., and No. 57, departing Ogilvie at 5:42 p.m., will make extra stops at Melrose Park and Maywood.
· No. 45, departing Ogilvie at 4:35 p.m., and No. 61, departing Ogilvie at 6:10 p.m., will make extra stops at Bellwood and Berkeley.
“For Thursday morning’s rush hour, the following changes will be made:
· No. 17, departing Ogilvie at 6:57 a.m., will not operate.
· No. 28, arriving Ogilvie at 8:10 a.m., will not operate. Passengers who normally board No. 28 at Berkeley, Bellwood, Melrose Park and Maywood will be accommodated by No. 34, which arrives Ogilvie at 8:37 a.m.
· No. 32, which arrives Ogilvie at 8:23 a.m., will make extra stops at River Forest and Oak Park.
“Metra and Union Pacific are urging our customers to plan accordingly and make other travel plans or take earlier trains in order to reach their destinations on time. Metra will provide the most up-to-date information as it becomes available via our email alerts, UP West Line Twitter feed and www.metrarail.com.
“Metra and Union Pacific sincerely apologize for these delays and changes. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work to restore normal service as soon as possible.”
