Metra Expands Program Allowing Pets On Trains
Following a successful three-month test on one commuter rail line, Metra will now allow small pets on all of its weekend trains. Pets must be in an enclosed, protective carrier.
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Following a successful three-month test on one commuter rail line, Metra will now allow small pets on all of its weekend trains. Pets must be in an enclosed, protective carrier.
The nation's major freight railroads are threatening partial or total shutdowns Jan. 1, unless Congress extends the deadline for installing new signaling systems and software -- and Metra and Amtrak are caught in the middle.
The Regional Transportation Authority is discussing an end to most reduced and free rides, should Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed cuts to mass transit funding come true.
The Chicago Fire Department says an outbound train pulling into the 51st Street station in Hyde Park ran into an electrical problem.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports the proposed trolley would run from several new subdivisions to the Route 59 Metra Station, but the alderman who represents the area says not a single resident she's canvassed wants the trolley.
Metra spokesman Tom Miller said the motorcyclist was trespassing on the BNSF right-of-way at about 6:45 p.m. when struck by the train, which was not scheduled to stop at Harlem Avenue and was running express to Naperville.
Trains on three busy Metra lines were halted for about 90 minutes Monday morning, out of fear of high winds from storms that swept through the area, but it appears to have been much ado about nothing.
While high winds prompted extensive delays on several Metra train lines, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Chicago area and surrounding counties Monday morning.
In December 2012, Metra conductor John Smak was injured. His lawyer, Scott Sands, said a passenger threw a bicycle that hit the conductor in the back, and he needed reconstructive ankle surgery. Smak was off work for more than two years.
A west suburban man has been charged with head-butting a Metra conductor on a train Monday night after refusing to pay his fare.
The unlimited ride ticket will be good for all three days of the event, which is being held at Grant Park and begins July 31 and ends Aug. 2. Tickets will go on sale at Metra ticket windows July 6. The tickets will also be sold onboard Metra trains on July 31 after 9:30 a.m.
Amtrak will begin a 40-day project to revamp switches on the south end of Union Station, and that could mean delays and platform changes for riders on the BNSF, SouthWest Service and Heritage Corridor lines.
Officials and residents expect big things from a newly-renovated Metra station that was dedicated Friday morning in south suburban Flossmoor.
A Bloomingdale man was planning to sue Metra, after transit police shocked him with a stun gun earlier this week on board a train.
As things stand now, Metra riders are not allowed to take pets on board, but on Wednesday the commuter rail agency's board will discuss whether to test allowing pets on one of its lines.
The person was hit by a Metra equipment train about 5:25 a.m. near Burlington Avenue in Lisle, Metra spokesman Tom Miller said.
Service on Metra's Electric Line was back to normal Wednesday morning, after an overnight derailment caused major delays at the start of the morning rush.
CTA spokesperson Tammy Chase said the area's transit agencies are going to bring in between 20 and 30 experienced beta testers from the Smart Chicago Collaborative's Civic User Testing Group to iron out those problems that exist.
It's called Positive Train Control and may have prevented the type of accident that occurred in Philadelphia this week. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
From big-name music festivals held in Chicago, to festivals just a short car ride away, you won't long for more options when it comes to live musical performances this summer.
Outbound train service on Metra's Union Pacific/North Line has been halted during Tuesday's evening rush after a train struck a pedestrian near north suburban Wilmette.
There's some restlessness, but overall, Chicago-area mass transit users remain satisfied with service overall, despite delays, breakdowns, crowding and fare hikes, reports WBBM's Bob Roberts.
The region's top transit official warned Thursday that CTA, Metra, and Pace fare hikes and service cuts would be "difficult to avoid" if the legislature enacts budget cuts proposed in Gov. Bruce Rauner's budget.
Inbound train No. 1272 struck a pedestrian just east of the Lisle station just after 4 p.m., Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile said. Officials said the pedestrian had died.
Milwaukee Public Schools is recruiting teachers in Chicago amid plans to lay off hundreds of Chicago Public Schools staff members.
Hong's rise in the Wisconsin Democratic primary has exposed a sharp divide, with some voters saying they would cross party lines in November rather than support a DSA-aligned candidate.
Chicago police were searching Wednesday for two men in connection with a shooting that left a man wounded in the Northwest Side's Hermosa neighborhood.
One man was killed, and another was critically injured in a shooting in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood.
Three people were injured Tuesday night when an all-terrain vehicle slammed into a sport-utility vehicle in Chicago's Belmont Cragin community.
Hong's rise in the Wisconsin Democratic primary has exposed a sharp divide, with some voters saying they would cross party lines in November rather than support a DSA-aligned candidate.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is testifying to the Senate on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, setting up a showdown between the infectious disease expert and GOP Sen. Rand Paul.
In the year since President Trump signed an executive order aimed at moving homeless people off the streets, states have expanded involuntary treatment for the homeless.
Chicago's next mayoral election is set for Feb. 23, 2027, and eight candidates already have announced plans to run, with more expected to join the race in the coming months.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed legislation requiring public schools in Illinois to prohibit students from using cellphones or other mobile devices in classrooms.
The Trump administration is taking aim at power grid operator PJM Interconnection over rising electricity bills that affect Illinois and Indiana residents.
Chicago remained the most bed bug-treated city in the country, according to Orkin's latest annual rankings covering a full year of residential and commercial treatment data.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul this week warned residents cleaning up from last month's storms to be on the lookout for scams.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed several new consumer protections into law, including a ban on junk fees.
CBS News Chicago has learned that Illinois home insurance premiums are not only higher than the nation's average, but going up faster too.
East Chicago, Indiana is being placed on a precautionary boil water advisory starting Monday morning for planned installations that could affect water safety.
A new Northwestern Medicine study on long COVID shows women show more neurological symptoms than men.
A lettuce supplier to fast-food giant Taco Bell has been linked to a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, the CDC said.
Chicago just barely made the top 20 in the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 ranking of the country's fittest cities.
In a major turnaround in the opioid crisis, overdose deaths are falling across Chicago and Cook County.
The changing developments at 1800 N. Clybourn Ave. represent a microcosm of 40 years of changing development priorities on the Clybourn Corridor as a whole, and in Chicago and beyond.
The food deserts on Chicago's South and West sides could spread even wider if seven Save A Lot grocery stores close.
Illinois American Water and Aqua Illinois are both seeking rate increases that would raise monthly bills by as much as $28, while their parent companies seek regulatory approval to merge — a deal a consumer watchdog says would give one company control of nearly all regulated water customers in the state.
The Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from several states secured a right-to-repair settlement Wednesday with agriculture equipment giant Deere & Co. — commonly known as John Deere — that requires the company to let farmers and independent shops fix their own equipment.
Chicago Soul Café opened Monday at 6248 S. St. Lawrence Ave.
Actor William Shatner and his daughter, Melanie Shatner Gretsch, recall how they helped each other as they fought Stage 4 cancer side by side.
Carly Simon, the singer known for 1970s hits like "You're So Vain," announced she has Parkinson's disease and also was treated for basal cell carcinoma.
Paramount Skydance on Friday said it would delay the deal until as late as June 2027.
Iowa announced a fall exhibition game against Kansas at the Field of Dreams ballpark, where major and minor league games have been played since 2021.
Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is the first film shot entirely on 70mm IMAX cameras, and Cinemark Seven Bridges in Woodridge is 1 of roughly 30 theaters nationwide equipped to show it that way.
Hansard died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin.
Logan Kelly’s free Blockbuster box honors his late grandfather, who started some of the first video stores in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Chicago police were searching Wednesday for two men in connection with a shooting that lefty a man wounded in the Northwest Side’s Hermosa neighborhood.
Three people were injured Tuesday night when an all-terrain vehicle slammed int a sport-utility vehicle in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin community.
One person was killed, and another was critically injured in a shooting in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood.
Recovery from the severe weather on Monday has stretched into a third day.
Earlier this month, charges were dropped in one case against Weinstein, but he still faces charges in New York and California.
The search has resumed for a second contractor worker swept into a storm sewer Monday in Downers Grove during severe weather, though it has now become a recovery mission.
Milwaukee Public Schools is recruiting teachers in Chicago amid plans to lay off hundreds of Chicago Public Schools staff members.
Hong's rise in the Wisconsin Democratic primary has exposed a sharp divide, with some voters saying they would cross party lines in November rather than support a DSA-aligned candidate.
Earlier this month, charges were dropped in one case against Weinstein, but he still faces charges in New York and California.
The summer camp serves about 75 kids every year, with the mission to help them heal from a violent loss.
While Mayor Brandon Johnson hasn't announced if he will run for re-election next year, he's boasting about lower vacancy rates for Mag Mile buildings and taking credit for the positive changes.
A Lockport foster parent said he lost his kids, job and home for months after a mix-up that landed his name on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry.
Record heat and major air quality issues created by wildfire smoke were key topics as some of the top climate leaders from around the world gathered in Chicago this week for the Aspen Institute's annual climate summit.
Happ punctuated an 11-pitch at-bat with a two-run double to get the Cubs' scoring started.
The White Sox have lost four of five, including two consecutive games to New York.
The Chicago Bears hit the field at training camp for the first time on Tuesday, and head coach Ben Johnson is clearly fired up for his second season at the helm after a successful first year.
Alex Bregman had a homer, two doubles and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.
The New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series between playoff contenders.
Chicago police were searching Wednesday for two men in connection with a shooting that left a man wounded in the Northwest Side's Hermosa neighborhood.
Chicago police on Tuesday warned of a pattern of car thefts from parking garages at O'Hare International Airport.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents intercepted what was described as a "cornucopia" of unapproved medications in a shipment at O'Hare International Airport recently.
Police have finally identified the remains of a woman murdered nearly a century ago and buried beneath a building in Toronto.
The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with a shooting that wounded his mother, Mia Bieniemy, according to authorities in Virginia.
