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Metra will celebrate its 40th birthday this weekend with free rides on Saturday and Sunday and the debut of its new museum car, filled with Metra and railroad curiosities, at LaSalle Street Station.
Metra marks its birthday on June 8, 1984. That was the date of the first meeting of the board of the newly formed Commuter Rail Division, created by Springfield a year earlier as part of a reform of the Regional Transportation Authority. That board adopted “Metra” in 1985 as a unifying name for all the disparate parts that made and still make up the commuter rail system in the region.
To celebrate the birthday, all rides on Metra will be free on Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9.
In addition, a specially equipped railcar filled with interesting items from the history of Metra and its predecessor railroads, will debut at LaSalle Street Station on Saturday, June 8, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The car will also be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ogilvie Transportation Center on June 22, Chicago Union Station on July 6, and Millennium Station on July 20.
“This is our way to thanks Chicago area residents for riding and supporting us for the last four decades,” said Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “We encourage everyone to leave their cars at home this weekend and use Metra to experience everything that our city and suburbs have to offer.”