Metra To Purchase 7 New Low- And Zero-Emission Locomotives

CHICAGO — The city's commuter rail system will begin to go green, thanks to a state bond program. Metra said Thursday it will purchase seven new low-emission switch locomotives, including one all-electric zero-emission train engine.

In a news release, officials called switch locomotives the railroad's "behind-the-scenes workhorses, used to move equipment around the railroad and within yard facilities." The new engines will replace 50- to 82-year-old locomotives, and will not only reduce the rail system's carbon footprint but improve reliability and lower fuel and maintenance costs, officials said.

The exact cost of the new switch locomotives isn't yet known, and they won't be active for several years. Metra's board of directors announced plans Thursday to issue a request for proposals for engines that meet the Environmental Protection Agency's highest emissions standards.

"At Metra, we’ve always prided ourselves on providing our customers with safe and reliable service that’s good for the environment," said Metra CEO James Derwinski in a statement. "Now with funding provided through the State of Illinois bond program, we’re taking advantage of the latest technology to do even more to reduce pollution in northeast Illinois."

Metra said the new switch locomotives will allow the rail system to test low- and zero-emission technology in real world conditions, including extreme weather, and, if all goes well, more could be on the way.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Metra approved the purchase of up to 500 new rail cars in January for roughly $3 million to $4 million per car. Like the switch locomotives, the new cars will be more energy efficient, as well as more comfortable — and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.