Newsletter | Good Stories

JJ Keigley, Mike Best, and Roger Wilhelmi, W. Chicago, Batavia, and Geneva residents, share their stories and experiences from their combined 135 years of working on the railroad. Be ready for an entertaining and informative session and for Mark Llanuza's photos.

FEATURED VIDEO

Oh, What a Ride on the Rails

At the end of video, JJ Keigley, an immensely popular Metra conductor for 17 years, is shown being honored in a very moving ceremony on ABC 7 , Windy City Live, “Chicagoans you need to Know”. Metra honors JJ by naming the UP West Corridor the “JJ Keigley Corridor” - .

IRON HORSE

Train Talks & Tours

Yesterday & Today

Rail Tour

Metra has been asked to do the following:

expand station hours

on weekends

and

move the Platform 1 shelter closer to main station

and provide outdoor seating closer to the station

Rail Fans Geneva Chapter &

Friends of the Geneva Metra Station

has asked Metra to provide a

Station that is a

Welcoming Presence for Metra Passengers

To open station on Saturday Sunday and Holidays

with Customer Care staff to

welcome passengers

help with tickets

provide boarding information

Provide ‘Volunteer Ambassadors’ to assist Metra Customer Care staff

and to be a presence on weekends

Decorate station’s interior reflecting: Metra is happy you’re here and

Welcome to our beautiful station’

Provide Metra ‘perks’ information panels and information board

Example: “ride Metra free with a ‘Broadway in Chicago’ ticket

Provide Local Railroad History Panels

Provide covered outdoor seating within 10 yards of the station

Provide a ‘Rail Viewing’ area for rail fans and for future rail fans (children).

This is Union Pacific’s main freight artery between Chicago and the West Coast,

thus an excellent place to watch frequent freight and passenger trains

Note

Metra has shown they do care about providing ‘a positive experience for passengers before train boarding.

Geneva Station Wish Lists

Summer 2025/6

Enhance passenger safety when crossing from

Platform 1 to Platform 2 by requiring

all Chicago bound trains arriving on

Platform 2 to stop approximately 50 feet

before 3rd St. crossing

Currently: When Chicago bound train arrives on track 3,

late arriving passengers must decide: go under the

downed gates or wait until gates go back up.

Some trains stop approximately 50 ft before the

3rd Street crossing, stay stationery for 15 seconds,

which allows the downed gates to go back up and

passengers can cross tracks.

However, some trains stop at the 3rd St Crossing

and the gates remain down. Passengers are unable

to cross unless they go under the downed gates.

Provide viable shelter and seating

Currently, on platform 1, there is no viable shelter or

seating

only available shelter is 100 yards from station;

on seating (unprotected) is 50 yards from station

Provide Station Signage:

Currently, there is no signage to help passengers,

There are train times (monitor) and wall schedules

Provide Safety Alert when freight trains

pass station on track #1

Currently, freight trains on track 1 pass by within 15 ft

of passengers standing on Platform 1

Note: Union Pacific website says passengers should

be 24 feet from track

Upgrade Station and Station Area:

Enhance passengers pre boarding experience ...

including

improving station aesthetics

Increase station hours

provide passenger shelter and seating

provide boarding info signage

signage to alert passengers to safety issues

Station Area Reimagined

Favorites

Chocolate Stories You'll Love

Disney Stories You'll Love

Geneva St Charles Batavia

Friends of Geneva Station

updated 4/3/2026

METRA

Geneva Station New Hours Weekdays 5am to 9pm Staffed by Metra Customer Service Station is closed on weekends

Amtrak

Friends of
Geneva Station

Geneva Station New Hours
Weekdays 5am to 9pm
Staffed by Metra Customer Service
Station is closed on weekends