07 Mar 2023

Durabook Computing Solutions are ‘Big Shoulders’ to Chicago’s Metra Rail System

Durabook’s rugged computing solutions provide Metra employees devices that are light, thin, and strong enough to handle Chicago’s extreme environments, while supporting the latest technology.

Durabook, an innovator in purpose-built, rugged computing solutions, today announced it is supplying Metra, the commuter rail system serving the Chicago metropolitan area, with its rugged S15AB laptop computers.

When poet Carl Sandburg referred to Chicago as the “City of the Big Shoulders” because of its hard-working people who made the city an industrial center, he could have been talking about the employees of the city’s Metra commuter rail system that serves 242 stations over 11 rail lines. Sprawling out from Chicago’s Ogilvie Transportation Center to the city’s far suburbs, Metra trains alleviate drive times to or from Chicago of upwards of two hours and continues to push outwards today bringing rail access to still more commuting Illinoisians.

“Metra runs nearly 24/7 and asks a lot of all its equipment, from trains to laptops used in the field where Chicago weather can be extreme. We are using the Durabook S15AB, the thinnest and lightest 15.6” model in its class, that also offers latest technology,” said Metra Sr. Car Inspector Aaron Schultz. “Going forward Metra plans to provide some of our users with the Durabook S14I rugged laptop, and to introduce some executives and managers to the Durabook U11I rugged tablet.”

“The laptop workhorse for Metra, the Durabook S15AB, has endured being rattled, bumped, dropped, and exposed to drastic temperature extremes – both brutal cold and stifling heat and humidity. We continually update the S15AB so that it offers technically forward capabilities in addition to its rugged reliability,” said Sasha Wang, President at Durabook Americas. “This includes features favored by Metra, including port configurability, sunlight-readable display, high-definition digital video and audio output, and full mobility and seamless connectivity.

The Durabook S14I rugged laptop is engineered to combine military-grade durability, field-worker functionality, computing performance, and long battery life. The computer features the latest 11th Generation Intel® CPUs and class-leading 4’ drop spec.

The Durabook U11I rugged tablet packs productivity features in its extremely compact and rugged exterior, including a detachable keyboard and generous space for further expansion. Designed as the only fanless tablet in its class, it provides extra level of security and reliability for today’s mobile workforce.