The new safety system, known as Positive Train Control or PTC, stops a train if the engineer blows a signal or goes above the speed limit.
At the latest board meeting, members said the system may be a tough sell to riders because it may slow some trains down.
Board members are also considering raising fares up to a quarter per ride in 2019-2020.
Metra last raised fares in February. It now costs $7.25 to get from Naperville to Union Station.