Posted Nov 9, 2025

​

                       What I Learned by Attending Three Metra Meetings 

 

Metra ADA Advisory Board on Tuesday.   This committee helps Metra address ADA concerns.

 

Metra's Citizen Advisory Board

 

Public Hearing re Budget and (now moot) fare increases.

 

What I learned:  

 

      The new transit bill (which to date has not been signed by the Gov) is 1000 pages and is effective June 1, 2026.

     

      It will take some time to figure out exactly how this will roll out.   The bill states all new boards (7) must be seated by

      September 2026.  Apparently, the new board that replaces the RTA was so designed to take away seats appointed

      by the Chicago mayor.  The mayor appointed political allies who knew very little or nothing at all about public

      transportation.

 

      Rep. Matt Hanson as a Advisory Board member gave an excellent report on the transit bill. I learned he is an active train            engineer on the BNSF.  

 

      When the Metra's Finance person was asked if the Metra/UP lease was included in the budget, he refused to answer at f             first.        Then, indicated an amount was plugged into the budget but he didn’t say how much.

         It was pointed out that UP is also asking any railroad using their tracks to pay more.    

 

      Metra’s Gov’t Affairs person would divulge information but spilled that Metra and City of Geneva are in negotiations.  He          did tell me that the Metra station is a ‘Condo’.  If so, then that makes Shodeen the HOA.

       I have talking to the Geneva Metra ladies about doing something with the interior.  They are unsure how much they would         be allowed to do. 

 

        With Shodeen’s La Fox massive residential development immediately to north of the La Fox Station, there is a proposed               new parking lot north of the La Fox Station!

 

       Many Customer Care folks are being reassigned from their suburban stations to the Loop area.  Not surprisingly, they are             not happy about this.

        Learned that Metra employees as of just a couple of years were given the perk of riding free.

 

        Metra is eliminating flag stops.

 

Meanwhile, I spent 3 afternoons at La Fox …. no announcements, half the trains came in on the outbound track.  Passengers arriving don’t read the Commuter Alert sign and even if they did the afternoon info is wrong! The passengers have thanked me.

 

 I plan to continue  at La Fox until the signage is changed.  Although there is an average of 2 people waiting per train, I want to help  reduce their track anxiety and get them on the right platform. 

In between trains, I am reading about The Iron Horse and Windy City Trains and a book about William Ogden.  

 

I keep looking in the media/FB for the announcement of the new Geneva Station hours.  Haven’t seen anything.

 

In the unbelievable category, I read about DOJ lawsuit against the Norfolk Southern:

​

• The DOJ filed a civil suit against Norfolk Southern in July 2024. The complaint alleged the company consistently violated federal law by not giving Amtrak passenger trains priority over freight trains on its tracks. The lawsuit cited a high number of delays for the Crescent Route passenger train.

• The settlement: In September 2025, the DOJ announced a settlement with Norfolk Southern, which prompted the dismissal of the lawsuit. The settlement was reached after the parties met to find an "amicable solution" to the issues.

• The agreement's terms: Under the settlement, Norfolk Southern agreed to:

  • Give all Amtrak trains the "highest priority" over freight trains in non-emergency situations.

  • Require supervisor approval for any dispatching decision that does not give priority to Amtrak trains.

  • Train its employees to give priority to Amtrak trains.

  • Provide the DOJ with records of delays suffered by Amtrak trains on the Crescent Route.

  • Assist the DOJ in determining the root cause of any delays.