Metra deserves credit for thinking about renaming each of its 14 commuter rail lines in a bid to help riders better figure out a train’s destination.
The transit agency this week said the idea was prompted by the possible need to rename Metra’s three lines currently operated by freight carrier Union Pacific.
The UP no longer wants to oversee running of the commuter trains, so Metra is fully taking over the lines this spring, and wants to rename the routes and those that compose the entire system, while they’re at it.
Good for Metra for moving to fix the often-bewildering names. For instance, trains on the agency’s Milwaukee District North and West lines don’t reach Wisconsin’s Beer City, despite the route’s name.
And the Metra Rock Island can get you from downtown Chicago to Joliet — but nowhere near the line’s Quad Cities namesake, located three hours away along the Mississippi River.
“Many [lines] are named after freight railroads that used to or still operate the service,” Metra said in a news release, “while some are named for directions, or how trains are powered, or their location in a historic corridor.”
So for riders who haven’t yet deciphered the system, travel plans can easily go awry. Angelette Smith told the Sun-Times she once missed a UP-Northwest train because she misunderstood a Metra timetable.
“It would be easier,” Smith said of the proposal to rename lines according to direction.
Metra says changing the current naming scheme could make things easier for riders who are non-native English speakers, or those who don’t ride the system often.
So renaming can help. But only if it’s done well.
We like Metra’s idea of potentially renaming the lines after the directions toward which the trains run. But the agency’s other proposal to give the routes numbers preceded by the letter M for Metra — “We’re headed to Union Station to catch the M1” — seems just as confusing as what exists now. Riders would still have to associate a number with a destination. Plus, it’s a scheme that’s just a bit on the characterless side.
The systemwide renaming with new signage could be complete by 2029, according to Metra. We’d like to know, though, how much this plan would cost. It’s not like Metra’s sitting on plenty of cash to spend.
Fortunately, Metra is asking for the public’s help and is seeking public feedback on the matter through an online survey found at metra.com/LineNames.
We encourage our readers to log in and participate.
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