Will County Gazette

Metra is inviting public input on the potential renaming of its train lines to simplify navigation for new and occasional riders. The initiative coincides with Metra's upcoming takeover of operations from Union Pacific for the North, Northwest, and West lines. These lines were historically operated by Union Pacific employees, but the railroad company no longer wishes to manage passenger services.

Metra has launched a survey available at metra.com/LineNames and scheduled outreach events at key stations from March 11 to March 13. These efforts aim to gather rider opinions on whether to retain current line names or adopt a new naming system. Options include maintaining existing names except for the Union Pacific lines, using a single color with "M" designations like M1, M2, etc., or labeling based on downtown station connections with directional letters paired with numbers.

The current line naming convention lacks consistency; some are named after freight railroads, directions, or historical corridors. This inconsistency can confuse new users and those less proficient in English. For example, two lines include "Milwaukee" in their names due to historical reasons but do not travel to Milwaukee.

Metra's broader signage and wayfinding project aims to unify various signs into a cohesive system with common language and appearance. Considering changes in line names aligns with this initiative.

The project will remain in the design phase through 2026 before transitioning into manufacturing and installation later that year. Metra plans to complete the implementation of new signs by early 2029.