By Railfan & Railroad Staff

CHICAGO — Metra wants three battery-powered F40PH-3 locomotives within the next three years. On Wednesday, the commuter agency’s board of directors approved the issuance of a request for proposals that will ask manufacturers to convert three of its older F40PH locomotives to zero-emission battery power. The agency also released a rendering of the paint scheme the locomotives will wear. 

The request for proposal will be issued in the next few days and the contract will be awarded in the fall. Once the contract is awarded, the builder will have 30 months to deliver the first locomotive. 

“The proposal could be-game changing,” said Metra Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski. “We have been monitoring the development of this technology for several years and believe the time is right to work with the industry and set a path for a brighter and cleaner future.”

Metra is not the only railroad looking at battery power. Earlier this year, Canadian Pacific announced that it too was looking to buy a battery-powered locomotive.