Metra riders asked to weigh in on possible line name changes

CHICAGO - Metra is inviting the public to weigh in on a potential overhaul of its train line names, a move aimed at making the system more user-friendly for new and occasional riders.

A survey is now available on Metra's website, and public outreach events will take place at major stations in Chicago this month.

What we know:

Metra’s push for renaming comes as it prepares to take over operations of the Union Pacific North, Northwest, and West lines, as the company no longer wants to manage passenger services.

As Metra takes control, "Union Pacific" will be phased out of the line names, presenting an opportunity to rethink the entire system’s naming structure.

Currently, Metra’s line names follow no consistent pattern. Some are named after freight railroads, while others reference directions, among other things. For example, two lines include "Milwaukee" in their names, even though they don’t go to Milwaukee, which can be confusing for riders.

Metra’s survey asks riders to choose between three options:

• Keep most current names and colors except for the three Union Pacific lines.
• Adopt an M-number system (M1, M2, M3) with a single color for all lines.
• Use a direction-based, letter-number system (N1, N4, W2) with shared colors for lines departing from the same downtown station.

Having trouble viewing the PDF? Check out the line name options HERE.

What they're saying:

"Metra believes developing clear and consistent line names may make the system easier to understand and encourage infrequent and first-time riders to ride more often. Research indicates that 7 out of 10 customers ride once a month or less, while 4 out of 10 ride only once a year," Metra said in a statement.

What's next:

The outreach events will be held between 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on the following dates and at these locations:

• March 11: Chicago Union Station
• March 12: Ogilvie Transportation Center
• March 13: Millennium Station and LaSalle Street Station