Metra temporarily canceling 4 weekday trains on UP Northwest route

Starting Monday, Aug. 4, Metra is temporarily canceling four midday weekday trains on the line that goes to McHenry County and ends in Harvard.

The trains are not running due to a project to replace thousands of ties along the Union Pacific Northwest route that is expected to last about two months, according to a Metra news release.

Union Pacific Railroad owns the tracks and will replace ties on the three tracks that run from Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood northwest to Barrington, making for a 24-mile work zone, according to the release. The project has an expected completion date of Sept. 20.

All trains are expected to be delayed at least 10 minutes, and midday trains are expected to have up to 30-minute delays, according to the release.

Two inbound and two outbound trains will not run while the project is in progress. The inbound trains include No. 648, which departs Crystal Lake at 11:45 a.m., and No. 654, which leaves Crystal Lake at 2:45 p.m.

Outbound train No. 621, which leaves Chicago at 9:35 a.m., and No. 627, which departs Chicago at 12:35 p.m., won’t run during the project.

“Tie replacement is essential maintenance on the railroad, and this project is no exception,” Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in the release. “Temporarily canceling a few select midday trains will help prevent congestion on the UP Northwest Line that could create more significant delays throughout the day.”