Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line is going quiet this Sunday, with no trains running at all while crews work a key crossing in Des Plaines. The all-day shutdown will sideline riders across the northwest suburbs so Canadian National crews can get uninterrupted access to the tracks for construction.
Per Metra, every UP‑NW train will be off the schedule on Sunday, July 19 while crews tackle the project at the CN crossing. The railroad says the last outbound trains will roll out late Saturday night, and that the line should be back to its regular timetable in time for the Monday morning commute.
Local video coverage has backed up the shutdown details, noting that the work is being handled by Canadian National Railway at a Des Plaines crossing. As CBS Chicago reported, the suspension wipes out the full day of UP‑NW service.
Local reporting also indicates that all three tracks used by the UP‑NW will be taken out of service while the work is underway. The McHenry County Blog lists the final outbound train as the 12:30 a.m. departure from Chicago and the last inbound from Harvard at 9:35 p.m. on Saturday.
Rider options and timing
If you were banking on the UP‑NW this Sunday, you will need a Plan B. Check Metra service alerts and use Metratracker for real-time updates, or look at Pace buses and rideshares for cross-suburban trips. Stations in Arlington Heights, Des Plaines and communities farther northwest will all feel the impact, so budget extra travel time if you are moving through the area.
Why crews are closing the line
Work on busy grade crossings and interlockings sometimes means every track has to be cleared so hardware can be replaced or adjusted safely. Metra coordinates those shut-in windows with the freight owner so the job can be finished as quickly as possible. Weekend closures are supposed to spare weekday commuters some pain, but riders should still be ready for local delays or short-term speed restrictions near the Des Plaines crossing as service ramps back up into Monday.
Metra is urging riders to keep an eye on service alerts and plan trips around the outage. Officials say regular UP‑NW schedules are expected to return for the Monday morning rush. This story will be updated if agencies release new information.
