Metra is honored to be home to so many dedicated and innovative employees across all departments. When confronted with a problem, they take it upon themselves to find effective solutions. In the Elgin coach yard, the same kind of work ethic is no different.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a small crew of coach cleaners in Elgin have been deep cleaning railcars with the help of power washers, and it all started as an experiment.
“We were scrubbing the vestibules down and we just weren’t happy with how they were turning out,” said Mark Llanuza, a coach cleaner in Elgin and head of the special project. “We brought our power washers down, experimented with them, made sure they wouldn’t strip any paint, and the difference was night and day.”
The dramatic effect these tools made was noticed by conductors and customers alike. Within a short time, senior leadership in Metra’s mechanical department not only discovered what the crews were up to, but they also purchased the team the equipment they needed to continue their work and applauded their efforts.
“When the virus is over, we want to welcome our passengers back to a clean, disinfected train,” said Llanuza.
Watch the video below to learn more about their work: