Metra wants to permanently expand service between the Loop and O’Hare Airport despite a lackluster pilot that offered hourly service during the Democratic National Convention.

About 2,400 passengers took the Metra North Central Service train line to or from O’Hare during the trial period between Aug. 11 and 30, according to Metra.

It’s a smaller number than Metra hoped for.

The problem was that most of the estimated 50,000 delegates were shuttled by buses to and from the airport, rather than utilizing the train service, according to Metra spokesman Michael Gillis.

Metra says there are still “major hurdles” to permanently expanding service, such as agreements with two freight railroads and infrastructure improvement.