Does commuter rail still describe what the service is becoming in many cities?
Across the industry, the traditional model of carrying workers downtown in the morning and home again in the evening is evolving. At Metra in Chicago, that change is showing up in a fascinating way: total ridership remains below 2019 levels, but CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski says Metra now serves more unique passengers than it did before the pandemic.
People are still riding. They're just riding differently.
This week on Transit Unplugged, Paul Comfort takes the show aboard a Metra train in Chicago to explore another chapter in the continuing evolution of commuter rail—and what happens when a system built around the commute starts serving a much broader range of trips.
Metra is responding by spreading service more evenly throughout the day, improving connections between lines and attracting more discretionary and weekend riders. Jim calls the strategy regional rail, part of a broader shift away from designing service almost entirely around traditional rush hours.
But changing commuter rail in Chicago comes with some extraordinary operational challenges.
Metra operates 11 lines and roughly 700 revenue trains a day at the center of the nation's rail network. Its trains interact with six Class I freight railroads and Amtrak, meaning more frequency and better connections also require navigating one of the most complicated rail environments in the country.
Jim and Paul also look at the next chapter for the wider Chicago transit network through the new Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA). Metra, Chicago Transit Authority and Pace are moving toward greater regional coordination, with opportunities for integrated fares, fare capping, better multimodal connections and service that makes transferring between systems easier for passengers.
Parts of Chicago's rail network still rely on air-powered switching technology dating to the 1930s. At the same time, Metra is preparing to test battery-powered trains and introduce a new generation of smart railcars—putting nearly a century of rail technology side by side on the same system.
Jim also shares his own Metra story, from joining the agency as an electrician after serving in the Navy and working in freight rail to eventually becoming its CEO.
In this episode:
- Why the term "commuter rail" may no longer tell the whole story
- How changing travel patterns are reshaping when and why people ride Metra
- Why Metra has more unique passengers even as total trips remain below 2019 levels
- What the shift toward regional rail looks like in practice
- How Metra operates 700 daily trains in the center of America's freight rail network
- Why frequency and better connections are critical to attracting new trips
- How Metra, CTA and Pace could become a more integrated regional network
00:00 Welcome to Transit Unplugged
00:20 Meet Metra CEO Jim
01:19 Riding the Train Live
01:25 Metra Network Overview
01:52 Sharing Tracks With Freight
02:49 Chicago Rail Spiderweb
03:07 Class One Railroads Explained
03:21 Amtrak and Metra Yards
03:41 Metra Origins and Subsidies
04:02 Chicago Dispatching Challenges
04:50 A2 Tower Time Capsule
05:21 Union Station and Terminals
05:58 Ridership Today and Peaks
06:17 Post Pandemic Rider Shift
06:37 Regional Rail Scheduling
08:08 How Far Metra Reaches
08:40 Transit Unplugged Promo Break
09:13 NITA and System Integration
09:50 Universal Fares and Capping
10:21 Farebox Recovery and Funding
11:35 Building Hubs and Frequency
13:05 Commuter Rail Coalition View
15:07 Jim Derwinski Career Story
15:53 Future Expansion and New Tech
17:08 Battery Trains and Smart Cars
18:45 PTC and Operations Changes
19:38 Old Towers to Remote Control
20:27 NITA Timeline and Next Steps
22:13 Wrap Up and Credits
Credits
Host and Producer: Paul Comfort
Executive Producer: Julie Gates
Producer: Chris O’Keeffe
Production Assistant: Desmond Gates
Editor: Patrick Emile
Associate Producer and Thumbnail Photo: Cyndi Raskin
Brand Design: Tina Olagundoye
Production Assistant: Desmond Gates
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo, passionate about moving the world’s people.
For more information, visit: www.Transit Unplugged.com
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.
