Battery-powered locomotives could be running on Metra tracks for the first time in the coming years, as the commuter rail service undertakes a plan to convert a handful of its old diesel engines to a lower-emission option.
Metra will convert at least three of its 173 locomotives to battery power, with the option to convert up to three more, under a plan approved by the Metra board Wednesday. The total cost to switch all six locomotives is $34.6 million.
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The first of the engines could hit the rails in 3 ½ years. They will run on Metra’s Rock Island Line, on a 16-mile stretch of track between the LaSalle Street Station downtown and the Blue Island Station on the line’s Beverly branch.
The locomotives will be able to run up to Metra’s maximum of 79 miles per hour, and will also power train systems such as lighting and HVAC, Metra said. The estimated battery range is 150 miles, though more accurate ranges on full and partial charges won’t be determined until the engines are running.
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Charging stations, which will be designed after the locomotives, will be placed in the main train yard and at another outlying point, Metra officials said.
The locomotives are expected to be quieter and cost less to operate and maintain than diesel engines, according to the agency, which also touted improved air quality from switching to battery power.
“If these locomotives prove themselves, they could play a significant role in our fleet and in our future,” Metra CEO Jim Derwinski said in a statement, “and the concept could serve as a template for other railroads to follow.”
Metra does not have a timeline to switch all of its locomotives to battery power, spokesman Michael Gillis said. Next steps will depend on the pilot and any new technology in the coming years.
sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com
