Chicago-area transit users will see reduced service on Metra train lines Friday as the agency aims to protect its infrastructure amid an extreme cold snap.
According to the agency, reduced schedules will be in effect on all lines due to the cold conditions, with high temperatures struggling to rise above zero degrees and wind chills potentially plunging to 25-to-30 degrees below zero.
The agency says that its service will be similar to that available on weekends, and that users of the system should check their schedules for up-to-date information ahead of the cold weather expected to grip Chicago at the end of the week.
The reductions are aimed at reducing the number of trains moving through switch points on rails, which can freeze up in cold weather and can be damaged by train wheels in those conditions, leading to increased service delays and need for repair work.
Travel times on trains that do run are also expected to increase, as the agency will reduce train operating speeds to protect rails and switches.
Finally, extra personnel will be deployed to address mechanical and track issues that arise during the cold weather.
An extreme cold watch will go into effect late Thursday night and continue through noon Friday, with air temperatures dropping to as low as minus-10 degrees on Friday morning, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
