In 1974, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) was created to provide stability in the commuter rail system, as most private commuter companies in the area were beginning to fail.[4] In 1984, RTA created the Commuter Rail Service Board to help with planning an organized commuter rail system in the Chicago area.[4] The board was renamed Metra in 1985. Through the creation of the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (NIRC), Metra's operating subsidiary and contracts with freight companies, Metra was able to open a network of commuter rail lines across the region.[4] The system's newest line, the North Central Service, opened on August 19, 1996.[5]
Ten of the system's eleven lines are owned or operated by the NIRC.[4] Operation of the BNSF Line is handled through a purchase of service agreement (PSA) between Metra and the BNSF Railway.[4] Under this agreement, the railroad company provides the service using its own employees and owns & controls the rights-of-way in addition to the majority of other facilities necessary, while Metra provides the rolling stock.[4] Additionally, Metra funds the portion of South Shore Line within Illinois because it shares tracks with the Metra Electric District.[4] Metra also operates Hegewisch station, although no Metra trains serve the station.[4]
↑At partially accessible stations, customers using mobility devices can access and use trains; however, the stations may not have other accessibility features (such as accessible bathrooms, Braille signage, visual display announcements).
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