(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Metra board has approved the purchase of new railcars that are a radical departure for riders.
The look of the Chicago commuter train has been unchanged for decades: a diesel locomotive pushing or pulling a string of double-decker coaches has been the standard for decades.
That will change in 2027, when the rail agency accepts delivery of battery-powered train sets. The train sets look like streetcars.
Metra spokesman Michael Gillis says the cars will be assigned to the Blue Island branch of the Rock Island District.
They are ideal for a line with stations every four blocks, he said.
The initial order of eight trainsets will cost $154 million. The bulk of the amount will be covered by a federal grant.
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