Metra says trains on several of their lines in the Chicagoland area will not operate Thursday evening and cancelations could continue into Friday if freight railroad workers go on strike.
Officials said that cancelations on the BNSF, Union Pacific North, Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West lines will begin Thursday evening.
Trains service on those lines is expected to be halted completely on Friday should the strike occur.
Both BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, which own and operate the lines, will begin curtailing service after the evening rush hour Thursday in preparation for the potential work stoppage.
BNSF inbound trains 1296, 1298, 1300 and 1302, which department Aurora after 8 p.m. Thursday, are canceled. Outbound trains 1289, 1291 1293 and 1295, which depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, are also canceled.
Union Pacific North inbound trains 372 and 374, which depart from Waukegan after 10 p.m. Thursday, are canceled. Outbound trains 371, 373, 375 and 377, which department from Chicago after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, are also canceled.
Union Pacific Northwest inbound trains 666 and 668, which depart after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, are canceled along with outbound trains 661, 663, 665 and 601, which depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m.
Union Pacific West inbound train 68, departing after 9:15 p.m. from Elburn, is canceled along with outbound trains 69 and 71, which depart Chicago after 9:30 p.m.
Negotiations between the unions and freight railroads are ongoing.
Metra said they are hopeful that a settlement will be reached before the strike deadline.
The Metra Electric, Rock Island, SouthWest Service, Milwaukee District North and Milwaukee District West lines are expected to operate as scheduled.
“We are continuing to communicate with our freight partners regarding our ability to run trains on the Heritage Corridor and North Central Service lines and will provide updates as soon as possible,” Metra said.