Union Pacific Work Could Cause Train Horns To Sound At Night In Geneva

GENEVA, IL — Union Pacific Railroad is embarking on a tie replacement project starting Wednesday, and as a result, Geneva commuters and residents should anticipate potential delays and more train horns, officials said.

The project will take place on a 40-mile stretch of track spanning from Chicago's west side to Elburn, impacting Geneva. Until the end of September, crews will replace about 90,000 ties on all three tracks used by the Metra Union Pacific West Line.

In order to complete the work on schedule, crews will be working seven days a week, and the majority of the work is expected to take between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m., officials said. Trains are required by federal law to sound their horns when entering a track work zone, so residents could hear train horns more frequently, including in the evening and overnight.

The project could delay marked trains by up to 15 minutes throughout the coming months, according to Metra.

"Tie replacement is essential and must be done at regular intervals to maintain track speeds and service levels, especially on a line like the UP-West that sees a significant amount of freight traffic in addition to commuter service," Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski said in a statement. "We understand that any delays can represent an inconvenience for our riders but focusing the work on off-peak hours should minimize these impacts."

To accommodate the travel time needed in work zones, Metra is implementing a construction schedule for non-rush hour trains. Rush hour trains could also be impacted by needing to reduce their speed through work zones, officials said.