Our theme this year is "See Tracks, Stay Back." Railway safety is incredibly important and helping others to stay alert, aware, and safe around railroad tracks and trains can help save lives. So, whether you’re submitting hand-drawn art or digital art (not AI-generated), show us your creative side and what “See Tracks, Stay Back” means to you.
Submissions for the Safety Competition are open April 1. The final deadline to submit is June 1 at 11:59 p.m.
Finalists and voters can follow Metra profile pages (@MetraRail) for competition updates.
CATEGORIES
Submission categories will be divided by age group, with one winner from each grade within each category:
- Kindergarten – 4th Grade: Can submit a hand-drawn artwork
- 5th Grade – 12th Grade: Can submit a hand-drawn artwork or digital artwork
Please note: students may only submit in ONE category.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Winning entries will be selected based on:
- Creativity
- Originality
- Fulfillment of contest guidelines
- Expression of the contest theme, "See Tracks, Stay Back.”
REQUIREMENTS
Every submission should highlight the importance of train safety and our "See Tracks, Stay Back" theme. Please make sure to adhere to the following guidelines when submitting your content. Any submissions that do not follow these guidelines will not be accepted.
IMPORTANT! Please note: any content promoting unsafe activity, or anything depicting activity in restricted areas or on the train tracks will be disqualified.
POSTER
Poster submissions may be hand-drawn or digital.
- Image format: .JPEG or .PNG
- Recommended size: letter, 8.5 x 11
Use this form to submit your entry
WINNERS AND PRIZES
Each category will have a 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-place winner from each grade. With 75 prizes to be given away amounting to over $23,300, this year’s Safety Competition is bigger and better than ever.
Hand-Drawn Winners
Grades K-12
- 1st Place: $500 Amazon gift card, art to be featured on Metra’s 2026 Safety Calendar and on Metra’s Saturday/Sunday/Holiday Day Passes
- 2nd Place: $250 Amazon gift card
- 3rd Place: $100 Amazon gift card
Digital Artwork Winners
Grades 5-12
- 1st Place: $500 Amazon gift card
- 2nd Place: $250 Amazon gift card
- 3rd Place: $100 Amazon gift card
In addition to individual student winners, the school with the most submissions will also receive a $500 Amazon gift card.
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNERS
Metra will hold a People’s Choice vote on Instagram, with winners from each grade group category. We will be posting the top three posters from each of the 11 regions represented by a Metra Board member – one from each grade group (K-4th, 5th-8th, 9th-12th) via Instagram. Fans of the competition will then be asked to vote via the comment section on their favorite poster from each region. The People’s Choice winner from each region (11 winners total) will be awarded a $500 Amazon gift card and will have their work featured in Metra promotional materials. Winners will be announced on June 18.
