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10/16/2026
This week, Chicago commuter railroad Metra gave riders at the LaSalle Street Station in Chicago a preview of the new battery-powered trainsets due to be introduced to Metra’s system in 2028.
Metra is buying eight four-car trainsets from Stadler U.S. of Salt Lake City, Utah, with an option to buy eight more. Metra plans to introduce the trainsets on the 16.4-mile stretch between LaSalle Street and Blue Island on the Beverly Branch of the Rock Island Line.
The trainsets, which rely on onboard lithium-ion batteries and Stadler's FLIRT platform, are designed to help transit agencies deploy electric service on routes where traditional electrification may not be financially feasible or practical, Metra officials said in a press release.
“These will be the first battery-powered trainsets to operate in North America, and they’re unlike anything Metra has operated before,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “These zero-emission trainsets will be cleaner and quieter, and we hope they will play a key role in helping Metra to operate more frequent, all-day service and improve connectivity with [Chicago Transit Authority] and Pace.”
Purchase of the trainsets was partially funded by a $169.3 million multiyear federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant, allocated to Metra by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning through its CMAQ Project Selection Committee. Funds from the former Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) — now the Northern Illinois Transit Authority — bond program contribute to the grant’s required local match of 20%. Metra is using Federal Transit Administration formula funds, RTA bonds, Rebuild Illinois Bonds and state PAYGO funds for the rest of the purchase.
The trainsets can recharge via existing 480V cabling in yards and terminals, through dedicated charging infrastructure and by recovering energy through regenerative braking. The technology marks a significant milestone in the evolution of sustainable, zero-emission passenger-rail transportation in North America, Metra officials said.