Switch problems at Union Station delay trains on 3 Metra lines; Thursday's morning commute impacted

A track switching problem at Union Station in downtown Chicago is causing delays for three Metra commuter train lines during the Wednesday evening rush.

Metra said the Amtrak switch and signal issue at Union Station was causing delays of up to 45 minutes for inbound and outbound BNSF trains and up to 20 minutes for inbound and outbound Southwest Service trains. At least one outbound BNSF train was canceled. On the Heritage Corridor, the final outbound train of the day to Joliet was running up to 30 minutes behind schedule due to a switch problem.

Some track changes might be necessary on the Union Station south concourse, so Metra said riders should check the gate boards at the station before boarding their train.

Metra is giving a heads-up to passengers for Thursday morning's commute, saying they anticipate delays of up to 30 minutes on Southwest Service, Heritage Corridor, and BNSF inbound trains during the morning rush. Passengers are being advised to allow for extra time.

Metra said they will provide updates as they become available.