Metra Board of Directors approves $20 million contract to purchase video monitors

The Chicago region’s Metra Board of Directors approved a contract of up to $20 million with Global Display Solutions Inc. of Rockford, Ill., to purchase video monitors that will be installed at every station to provide up-to-the-minute travel information to customers from Metra’s new train tracking and communications system.

Global Display Solutions will supply weather-proof LCD monitors of various sizes to be installed at all 242 – soon to be 244 – stations, replacing outdated scrolling LED signs. The displays will be similar to demonstration signs that have already been installed at eight stations, including Van Buren St., McCormick Place and Healy.

“These new displays will be a major upgrade to our current station signs,” said Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “They will provide train-tracking and schedule updates to waiting customers from our new train tracking system – the same information that is already available at metratracker.com, metra.com and the Ventra app. The signs will also display service alerts and other Metra information.”

Installation of the signs will take place over the next three years, with the busiest stations receiving up to 10 signs and the least busy stations receiving one to three.