The 47th/49th Street facility predates Metra. It was opened in 1947 by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad and has not undergone significant improvement since. The facility serves as the main mechanical yard for the Rock Island Line. The location, particularly the 49th Street Coach Shop, is also the site of Metra’s main railcar rehabilitation program.
Since 2010, 214 passenger cars have been overhauled at the facility, extending the life of each railcar by 10 to 14 years. Having an in-house program to keep the equipment in a state of good repair has been extremely successful, cost-effective and more expedient than outsourcing the work.
