Early Saturday turned into an unexpected headache for downtown rail riders as Metra Electric Line and South Shore Line commuters saw their routines upended by a power outage and related wire problems at Millennium Station. Trains that normally start and end at Millennium were shifted to nearby Van Buren Street, and some outbound departures from Millennium could not run at all, leaving riders to navigate delays across the Loop with no clear end in sight.
In a statement to ABC7 Chicago, Metra said that wire problems, combined with a power outage at Millennium Station, forced the operational pivot. “Outbound trains will not depart from Millennium Station,” the agency said, as crews worked behind the scenes to untangle the mess.
Service impacts and where to catch trains
Until the issue is resolved, inbound and outbound Metra Electric trains will originate and terminate at Van Buren Street instead of Millennium, sending riders to that station or to alternate routes if they want to keep their trips on track. For station details and real-time alerts, Metra directs riders to the Electric Line page on Metra.
Background
This kind of reroute is hardly a first for Chicago’s downtown rail network. Metra and the South Shore Line have previously shifted trains to Van Buren during outages and construction that affect Millennium’s tracks and overhead wires. Agencies commonly coordinate downtown operations to keep trains moving when catenary or substation problems flare up, Lakeshore Public Media noted in coverage of earlier service changes.
As of Saturday, officials had not provided a timeline for full restoration. Riders are urged to check Metra alerts along with South Shore Line notices before heading out and to budget extra time for evening commutes while the power problems get sorted.
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