Metra to buy zero-emission, self-propelled rail cars with $169.3M federal grant

Metra’s $169.3 million grant is the largest federal competitive grant ever won by the agency. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times file)

Metra is set to receive a $169.3 million federal grant to buy self-propelled rail cars that could help the commuter railroad reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.

“We think zero-emission train sets could be an exciting and positive addition to Metra’s fleet for a variety of reasons,” Metra CEO Jim Derwinski said in a news release. “Beyond the environmental and noise reduction benefits, they also offer savings in energy consumption as well as better efficiency, flexibility and reliability.”