Changes to Metra BNSF Schedule Take Effect

Major changes to a popular Metra line took effect Monday.

The BNSF train line's schedule leave commuters with fewer choices, but the transit agency said the shift will also help overcrowded trains.

Hinsdale was one of the impacted stops, where the number of morning express trains between 6:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. went from four to just one.

There will be two other trains during that time frame but commuters were advised to readjust their own timetables to accommodate the new schedule.

The schedule revisions were spurred by the implementation of the new federally-mandated safety system called positive train control.

Crews must initialize the new system - which automatically stops a train if the engineers fails to obey a signal or the speed limit - between runs.

That process takes time, meaning it will take longer to flip trains from one direction to another, roughly 12 to 15 minutes instead of 10 or less as it used to.

While the new system is necessary, it will likely take a bit of time for travelers to adjust.

The new schedule, on which some train times are shifted as much as 7 to 10 minutes, can be found here.

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