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The Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corp. (Metra) recently announced it awarded several contracts for projects to be funded with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars.

The agency exercised an option with Progress Rail Services to remanufacture 40 additional F40PH locomotives. The $68.6 million contract will enable the supplier to retain 62 employees at its Mayfield, Ky., facility. The work is expected to be complete by November 2012.

Metra also awarded a $1.4 million contract to Fiber-Tel to provide the telecommunications component of a fiber-optic network to be installed on the agency's Chicago-to-Aurora commuter-rail line. The network will support voice and data needs, and future wireless systems. The project will provide jobs for 28 contractor and subcontractor employees, including new positions.

In addition, Metra awarded a $1.1 million contract to Westcode Inc. to replace air-conditioning units on 41 passenger cars. The contract will provide jobs for 12 employees at Westcode's Galesburg, Ill., facility.

Metra has received $140.9 million in recovery act funds. Other stimulus-funded projects include bridge replacements, station additions and renovations, and parking expansions.