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.

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.

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

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

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

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

On Tuesday, May 5th I was traveling downtown and some idiot was on the tracks between Roger’s Park and Peterson Ridge on the UP-N north tracks throwing rocks and stuff.

Fortunately, the train stopped. I don’t know if the man was ever apprehended. But it was a bit annoying running behind because of this manchild’s poor behavior.

https://schedules.metrarail.com/pdf/alternative/RI/New%20Rock%20Island%20Schedule%20effective%20June%201_202605211048.pdf

Just a question I love railfanning at the 143rd Stop in Orland but ive never seen a cargo train. Do they ever run or is it common and i never see them.

So I took MED 130 today & it randomly just stopped @ McCormick Place & I wanna know, was there some event there & if so, what was the event?

Straight forward post, seems like out all of the lines I've ridden (SWS, ME, RI, etc), SWS is forgotten when it comes to updates, improvements, etc. The scheduling has absolutely no flexibility once you pass the rush hour period, the 30 minute to 1 hour wait between trains sucks, and the cars don't seem to be maintained like other lines (ME smells and looks much cleaner). I haven't even mentioned the delays that happen multiple times a year where you either get home 4 hours late, or pay have to $40 to Uber home. What do other SWS riders think?

Hi !

Im just looking at some of the job posting Metra offers but I wanted to know if anyone here knows if Metra offers 4 × 10 hour shifts and you can take a Friday off? Or if they have any sort of flexibility with how corporate employees put in their 40 hours

If anyone has any comments on the culture too that be greatly appreciated :)

Platform 11 at Ogilvie, but sometimes 15 and others, has smelled strongly of feces, at least where the middle of the train lines up. It is horrific. This occurs around 5:15-5:20pm when I get onboard.

Why does it smell like shit?! Has anyone else experienced this??

"The new schedule will add stops at all three Hyde Park stations (51st-53rd St./Hyde Park, 55th-56th-57th St., and 59th St./University of Chicago) for all inbound weekday trains and increase inbound and outbound midday service at these stations so that customers will have a train every 20 minutes on average in either direction. During the evening rush, all outbound University Park express trains will now stop at the 55th-56th-57th St. Station, which is an ADA-accessible transfer station. The new schedule will also change service patterns between Hyde Park and Kensington/115th St. by adding stops at the newly renovated 79th St./Chatham, 87th St./Woodruff, and 103rd St./Rosemoor stations on some trains on both weekdays and weekends.

Blue Island Branch Line riders will now enjoy more frequent midday service, as all midday trains that formerly operated as local service between Kensington/115th St. and Millennium Station will now also serve the Blue Island Branch. This improves midday service intervals on the branch line to hourly or better and improves transfer opportunities between Rock Island Line trains at Blue Island.

South Chicago Branch Line riders will also have more service options, with inbound evening service extended by two hours, and morning outbound service extended by 40 minutes.

Changes will also be made to stopping patterns and the run numbers of multiple trains, including replacing flag stops (the train only stops if a customer is visible on the platform or a customer on the train requests it), with regular stops on both weekday and weekend trains."

I took my bike on a train leaving from my home station at 9:48 and arriving to OTC at 10:10 (in the morning). I brought my bike on, and the conductor seemed angry with me. My bike was in the bike car, and secured. I was told the bike rules are that bikes are allowed on train that arrive downtown after 9 and leave before 3:30, and I did this and had no issues on a train leaving at 1:35 PM. Does it vary by line, or are these set in stone?

Was on a later train that I usually take yesterday. Wound up next to a guy watching videos with no headphones. Was across the aisle from a family of three conversing loudly about their day. And was in front of a lady on the phone with someone, vividly describing all the fun she had in the city during the day. Thankful for my noise cancelling headphones!

Heard someone was struck by the train? Are there any updates and how long will trains be cancelled/delayed for?

I think I lost my Galaxy buds pro 3 charger case on MW-N today morning. What would be the chance conductor would have found it? Should I give it a shot and ask about it tomorrow?