Metra battery trainsets

[MetroShadow]

2 hours ago, snailyards said:

Hi all! This article had a new render of what the Stadler Flirts coming to Metra soon will look like. It’s a nice read, too (for anyone who has a subscription or can bypass the paywall).

Welcome!

It's not a matter of if, but (1) when they're on the property and (2) in testing. Considering 2027 is around the corner, too. 

[snailyards]

Here’s a Stadler-provided data sheet for the Flirts.

fbemu_metra0724en_us.pdf

[snailyards]

Also, according to Twitter/X, the first Flirt has been assembled! It will be shown off at the *APTA expo at McCormick Place.

[snailyards]

Here’s an article containing recent info on the logistics of the Flirts. I’ve listed some quotes that offer a quick summary of the updates:

“Metra put the expected range of a fully charged trainset at 45 to 65 miles. It said a charge from 20% to 80%, enough for the train to operate, should take roughly 20 to 30 minutes.”

“Stadler says the train stores energy in lithium-ion batteries on board, so it can run on non-electrified lines with no local emissions. It can top up from existing 480-volt cabling at yards and terminals or from dedicated chargers. Regenerative braking also returns energy to the batteries.”

”A two-car set will have 112 seats, and every added trailer car about 46 more. Boarding will be at low level, with lifts for ADA compliance.”

And, per Stadler, the expectation that Metra will be running service using the Flirts by 2028 remains. Exciting stuff.

[snailyards]

Also, there was another rendering of the current (and potentially final!) livery. Here’s a before/after of the design. Looking sharp.

[Busjack]

12 minutes ago, snailyards said:

... “Metra put the expected range of a fully charged trainset at 45 to 65 miles. It said a charge from 20% to 80%, enough for the train to operate, should take roughly 20 to 30 minutes.”

“... It can top up from existing 480-volt cabling at yards and terminals or from dedicated chargers.

Since it says the line is 16.4 miles, that would be a 33 mile round trip, so unless the actual range is 70 miles, a charge is good for only one round trip. At the time the solicitation was advertised, there was a tour of the 47th St. Yard, but I don't know what good a charger would do there. I'm also not sure what the 480 volt cabling means--is it the plug-in head end power that Metra uses while trains are parked at the downtown stations? Some prior depictions showed a pantograph on the power unit extending to an overhead charger.

[snailyards]

44 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Since it says the line is 16.4 miles, that would be a 33 mile round trip, so unless the actual range is 70 miles, a charge is good for only one round trip. At the time the solicitation was advertised, there was a tour of the 47th St. Yard, but I don't know what good a charger would do there.

Yep, so they’ll likely just charge the battery pack up between rounds at the termini.

49 minutes ago, Busjack said:

I'm also not sure what the 480 volt cabling means--is it the plug-in head end power that Metra uses while trains are parked at the downtown stations? Some prior depictions showed a pantograph on the power unit extending to an overhead charger.

You’ll have to ask the author or Stadler themselves for specifics, but it sounds to me that it is indeed the existing plug-in power available at yards and terminals. As for the pantograph animation you alluded to, it may have just been a proof of concept. Otherwise, new infrastructure will be required at both LaSalle St. and Blue Island - Vermont St. stations.

[Busjack]

ABC7 story at 11:00 a.m. about the Stadler trainset at McCormick Place.

Of course, Brandon Johnson takes credit for something he had nothing to do about.

[artthouwill]

 

YouTube video ( not mine) of Staddler built Metra battery electric train at APTA.

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

 

YouTube video ( not mine) of Staddler built Metra battery electric train at APTA.

That's an excellent video. The thing I liked was the digital signage, which I believe should be retrofitted into the existing Metra and South Shore fleets, but won't.

The following shot taken from the video leaves open the previously debated question of what kind of coupler it has. (The promotional rendering had something that looked like a CTA coupler.)

[Transit Introvert]

4 hours ago, artthouwill said:

 

YouTube video ( not mine) of Staddler built Metra battery electric train at APTA.

I was there too.

[Busjack]

7 minutes ago, Transit Introvert said:

I was there too.

Do you have any insights to share from your personal observation?

[Transit Introvert]

14 hours ago, Busjack said:

Do you have any insights to share from your personal observation?

 

[Jstange059]

On 10/5/2026 at 7:20 PM, Busjack said:

That's an excellent video. The thing I liked was the digital signage, which I believe should be retrofitted into the existing Metra and South Shore fleets, but won't.

The following shot taken from the video leaves open the previously debated question of what kind of coupler it has. (The promotional rendering had something that looked like a CTA coupler.)

For what it’s worth, I took a picture of the data plate on the coupler, so someone more knowledgeable than me may be able to draw some conclusions

[Busjack]

7 hours ago, Jstange059 said:

For what it’s worth, I took a picture of the data plate on the coupler, so someone more knowledgeable than me may be able to draw some conclusions

I magnified it enough that it is a Voith FAC Type 10. Google AI had this (link), but I'll leave it to someone more technically proficient to figure it out. Apparently it is a high-speed rail automatic coupler.

[snailyards]

Per Metra:

Riders are invited to LaSalle Street Station to view the first of Metra’s new battery-powered trainsets from Stadler, which will be on display at the station for two days. The trainset will be on display at LaSalle St. Station on Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A public display!

[artthouwill]

[Busjack]

I hit fast forward when the self-serving politicians took over, but it was clarified at the end that the train will be plugged in at each end of a trip.

[artthouwill]

23 hours ago, Busjack said:

I hit fast forward when the self-serving politicians took over, but it was clarified at the end that the train will be plugged in at each end of a trip.

Of interest to.ne was also at the end where he mentioned possibly putting trainseta on other train lubes after a year on the Rock Island  Beverly Branch.   In my opinion,  the first line that should be considered is the Southwest Service to Orland Park.  Perhaps by the time that happens,  Metra may have the opportunity to switch the SWS to LaSalle St station where the plug in infrastructure would already be in place.   Hopefully the new flyover at 75th and Bell is completed by then and the short spur connection to the RI is also done.   But trying another line won't be before 2029 at the earliest and it remains to be seen how these new cars perform. 

[Busjack]

12 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Of interest to.ne was also at the end where he mentioned possibly putting trainseta on other train lubes after a year on the Rock Island  Beverly Branch.   In my opinion,  the first line that should be considered is the Southwest Service to Orland Park.  Perhaps by the time that happens,  Metra may have the opportunity to switch the SWS to LaSalle St station where the plug in infrastructure would already be in place.   Hopefully the new flyover at 75th and Bell is completed by then and the short spur connection to the RI is also done.   But trying another line won't be before 2029 at the earliest and it remains to be seen how these new cars perform. 

SWS, NCS, and HC might be possibilities (depending on the length of the lines compared to battery capacity). But in that they are not contemplating this for mainline RI service, and are buying up to 500 Alstom cars, I don't see this kind of car to have enough capacity for other lines (UP, Milw, BNSF).

[busfan2847]

Metras Regional Rail Proposal for the future would see battery train-sets used on high-frequency, frequent-stop trains closer to the city center (every 15-30 minutes), and, at present diesel hauled express service from outlying areas at an hourly frequency. A mid-corridor station would allow transfer between the two types of service and would be preferably chosen for each of the main lines based on availability of turn-round sidings with charging for the battery units. 

 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, busfan2847 said:

Metras Regional Rail Proposal for the future would see battery train-sets used on high-frequency, frequent-stop trains closer to the city center (every 15-30 minutes), and, at present diesel hauled express service from outlying areas at an hourly frequency. A mid-corridor station would allow transfer between the two types of service and would be preferably chosen for each of the main lines based on availability of turn-round sidings with charging for the battery units. 

 

True, but on something other than the Beverly branch, I'm not sure where. Obviously, ME doesn't need a battery train, although something like a FLIRT with a pantograph-only power unit would make sense. Maybe they were thinking something like running a battery train just up to Wilmette, Elmwood Park, Elmhurst, or Brookfield (NICTD said something like battery trains on any future Valparaiso or Lowell extension), but it seems to me that unless the boarding zones were strictly separated, passengers deciding not to wait for the 5-  or 11-car bilevel train would overwhelm the 4-car FLIRT. (The demo was a 2-passenger-car train, but I thought I heard on a YouTube that Metra was awaiting two "trailers.")

BTW, again based on the various videos, while it is a low-floor train, all the ramps at the displays indicate to me that it must have a fold-out ramp (similar to what's on a bus) to make it wheelchair accessible. Obviously, the floor at McCormick Place is not boarding level, but the platform at LaSalle St. certainly is.

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

Metras Regional Rail Proposal for the future would see battery train-sets used on high-frequency, frequent-stop trains closer to the city center (every 15-30 minutes), and, at present diesel hauled express service from outlying areas at an hourly frequency. A mid-corridor station would allow transfer between the two types of service and would be preferably chosen for each of the main lines based on availability of turn-round sidings with charging for the battery units. 

 

Metra did mention high frequency with many stops but that was in the context of zrto emissions and reducing the carbon footprint.   While the Metra Electric fits the frequent stop profile, it is already zero emissions ( being electric)Electric.  The main benefit of the FLIRT cars is to save money on diesel fuel.    

[Sam92]

43 minutes ago, Busjack said:

True, but on something other than the Beverly branch, I'm not sure where. Obviously, ME doesn't need a battery train, although something like a FLIRT with a pantograph-only power unit would make sense. Maybe they were thinking something like running a battery train just up to Wilmette, Elmwood Park, Elmhurst, or Brookfield (NICTD said something like battery trains on any future Valparaiso or Lowell extension), but it seems to me that unless the boarding zones were strictly separated, passengers deciding not to wait for the 5-  or 11-car bilevel train would overwhelm the 4-car FLIRT. (The demo was a 2-passenger-car train, but I thought I heard on a YouTube that Metra was awaiting two "trailers.")

BTW, again based on the various videos, while it is a low-floor train, all the ramps at the displays indicate to me that it must have a fold-out ramp (similar to what's on a bus) to make it wheelchair accessible. Obviously, the floor at McCormick Place is not boarding level, but the platform at LaSalle St. certainly is.

Would the proposed Ohare shuttles via Milwaukee qualify?

 

2 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

Metras Regional Rail Proposal for the future would see battery train-sets used on high-frequency, frequent-stop trains closer to the city center (every 15-30 minutes), and, at present diesel hauled express service from outlying areas at an hourly frequency. A mid-corridor station would allow transfer between the two types of service and would be preferably chosen for each of the main lines based on availability of turn-round sidings with charging for the battery units. 

 

What's wild is BNSF ridership makes that model tricky on that line so it's gonna be interesting to see what happens over there. 

5 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Metra did mention high frequency with many stops but that was in the context of zrto emissions and reducing the carbon footprint.   While the Metra Electric fits the frequent stop profile, it is already zero emissions ( being electric)Electric.  The main benefit of the FLIRT cars is to save money on diesel fuel.    

Also the quicker acceleration for more local lines like the Beverly and whatever other high frequency close stop corridors. 

[artthouwill]

3 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

Would the proposed Ohare shuttles via Milwaukee qualify?

 

What's wild is BNSF ridership makes that model tricky on that line so it's gonna be interesting to see what happens over there. 

Also the quicker acceleration for more local lines like the Beverly and whatever other high frequency close stop corridors. 

I suppose in theory, the Metra O Hare via NCS/MD-W would qualify.  I think they could only charge at Union Station  in practice.