Zero-Emission Trainsets Coming to Chicago

Bih-Yuan Ku

Metra (Metropolitan Rail, the operator of commuter rail in Chicago area) is to receive the largest discretionary grant in its history: a US$169.3 million federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant to buy battery-powered, zero-emission trainsets. Metra will be among the first in the nation to operate the innovative green technology. The CMAQ funding was approved by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee in October 2023.

CMAQ funding will support the purchase of up to 16 trainsets, adding a new type of propulsion to Metra’s fleet that could accelerate and brake faster than its traditional trains. The lower-capacity trainsets could be a more economical and environmentally friendly way to provide the same level of service or better, particularly during off-peak times, and could play a significant role in helping Metra achieve its vision to provide more frequent all-day service, so-called regional rail service.

Full Article: IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, Volume 19, Number 1, March 2024