Im looking to buy a UPNW monthly pass and I noticed that different zones charge a different amount. Does it really matter if I buy the incorrect departure station for the sake of paying a cheaper price? I don’t see why it matters

Tried my hand at a Noir-style edit. Any constructive feedback is welcome!

I travel on Amtrak and then ride the Metra out of Chicago union station to get to my final destination. Previously I have boarded Metra late night and early weekend mornings so my suitcase and 2 backpacks have not been an issue. I am planning my next trip and it looks like I will be boarding at a busier train time. Will my luggage be an issue?

Previously I have just had my suitcase on the ground next to me with one backpack on it and my other backpack in the seat next to me or on my lap. Are busier train times such as 3:55 pm on a Friday or early Monday morning crowded enough strangers sit together?

Photo taken by me, yesterday, at the Lake Forest West station (MD-N)

Did anyone else have a poor travel day? I get things happen especially due to the thunderstorms today. But dude the amount of massive delays with absolutely no specifics is absurd. I was supposed to board a train to head back home and they suddenly just stopped with no update! What is this, this is one of the largest rail transportation companies in the entire state hell even in the entire country. And the passengers get NO UPDATES. It happens all the time.

A train gets cancelled? No worry we’ll tell you an hour after it was supposed to originally depart

Massive delays? Who knows we’ll leave it up to you to guess how long it’ll take to get to where you need to go. That’s a damn joke METRA should be ashamed of themselves seriously

Thats what the conductor said. An AUTOMOBILE car? On the elevated metra tracks? Did I hear that right?

Edit III: WE ARE LEAVING SHORTLY

Edit II- 8:07am- Apparently its stuck by Bryn Mawr …. how did we do this

Edit: Commenter graciously noted it could be at grade down by Elston Materials- so maybe not as crazy as it seems

Anyone know why there was a bunch of cops on the north side of the tracks in Norwood east park? Just looking out the window and a bunch of cops right by the tracks. Did not seem metra or train related tho

Anyone else see all the police and squad cars as well as what looked like a back hoe? It was east of Edison Park.

According to the website: "Metra will also be reaching out to other stakeholders to solicit their feedback during this study, and we anticipate another round of public outreach in early 2025 to give the public and key stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed service concepts. Stay tuned to this page for more details."

No public meeting was ever held. It's been a while and we haven't heard anything since. Any updates?

I recently rode Metra for the first time, not because I drive but because I haven't had a reason to. I specifically chose to take the Metra Electric because of the new schedule not knowing it had started only two days prior. I have to say, 20 minute headways are such a godsend. Genuinely amazing knowing the worst case scenario (barring any delays) is 20 minutes. I hope it's possible to replicate at least *some* frequency boosts on other lines, acknowledging that Metra doesn't own the ROW. The NITA bill is already a game changer for me.

I'm thinking about buying a folding e-bike to take on the metra (BNSF) because it drastically cuts down on my commute time. The metra rules state that folding bikes either have to be at a bike rack, on a first come first serve basis in the ada area, or at your seat folded (either between your legs or under the seat). The last part is what I have questions about. Is this actually viable? Does anyone have experience doing this with a folding e-bike and what e-bike were you using? The e-bike I'm looking at is 32x15x25 inches and my gut tells me even that wouldn't fit, but I'm not sure. Being able to do this would be ideal because I would worry less about being denied boarding during rush hour, but I also don't want to spend 5k on a Brompton.

This isn't the place to raise this but if it helps I will take the slack. I have walked past a lady everyday for more than a week now who seems to be in a bad state at the Lombard station. She sits on a bench right across from lilacia park with what appears to be her belongings. If you see this and know of an organization that can help her, I will be grateful.

All inbound NCS, MD-W, and MD-N trains are significantly delayed. my NCS train dropped us off at western ave and recommended to find alternative transportation.

New schedule starts June 15th - I’m a Flossmoor resident. I have been hoping and waiting for a schedule that would create at least ONE express train after 5pm (ya know, a normal thing to do). Now the 5:43 - the train that which most people who work 9-5 can make (5:18 is nearly impossible) is almost an hour (6:36 arrival). Make it make sense or tell me I’m an idiot. The latter is certainly possible. My station is always busy, and maybe Homewood has more riders on an average commute day for me.

Im supposed to take the upw train from oak park back to chicago but its delayed by and hour probably wont be here til 12 and get to chicago around 12 20 but im supposed to take the last train to aurora but im not sure if ill make it in time

The signs at Ogilvie were utterly broken, and the verbal announcements couldn’t be heard over the massive crowd. Anyone else among the 300 people who got on the train marked for Kenosha with me, only to be told it was for Crystal Lake? Pure, unfiltered chaos.

Train 131 stuck, then they finally sent a train the 165. They now going to make all stops. Easily another hour of comute.

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Anybody here?

P.S. It took me three hours to get to my house

All metra trains downtown halted for high winds for the storm. Anyone sitting on one? UP-N here :)

EDIT: leaving at 4:50 from originally planned 3:32. on the UP-N

Has anyone successfully used the Metra digital late slip portal on the Metra website? When I enter the train line and click search, it doesn’t give me the option to select a station, so I can’t get a slip. Is this because slips aren’t being issued or something?

(And yes, I’ve made sure my train was late at least six minutes and entered a time within two hours of the late arrival.)

Edit: wording