Metra is Chicagoland's commuter rail system, serving over 200 stations on eleven lines across the Regional Transportation Authority 's (RTA's) six-county service area.
History
The RTA formed in 1974 to provide financial support from local and county governments to railroads providing commuter service between Chicago and its suburbs. In the wake of the 1980 bankruptcy and liquidation of the Rock Island Railroad, the RTA also inherited ownership and operational responsibilities of that railroad's commuter operations (known today as Metra's "Rock Island District"). RTA consolidated its railroad holdings and its financial relationships with the freight railroads into its Northeastern Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra) subsidiary in 1984.
Besides owning and operating the Rock Island District, Metra also assumed complete ownership of, or operates its own trains, over several other rail lines:
As it was originally designed, Metra contracts for commuter service with only two freight railroads:
There is one (and, historically speaking, was at least one other) railroad providing commuter passenger service in Chicagoland in the Metra (post-1974) era:
Metra's Commuter Lines and Stations
Union Pacific/North
Chicago, Ogilvie Transportation Center
Clybourn
Ravenswood
Rogers Park
Main Street, Evanston
Davis Street, Evanston
Central Street, Evanston
Wilmette
Kenilworth
Indian Hill
Winnetka
Hubbard Woods
Glencoe
Braeside
Ravinia Park
Ravinia
Highland Park
Highwood
Fort Sheridan
Lake Forest
Lake Bluff
Great Lakes
North Chicago
Waukegan
Zion
Winthrop Harbor
Kenosha, Wisconsin
(Possible future extension to Racine and Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
North Central Service
Chicago, Union Station
Western Avenue
River Grove
O'Hare Transfer
Prospect Heights
Wheeling
Buffalo Grove
Prairie View
Vernon Hills
Mundelein
Prairie Crossing / Libertyville
Round Lake Beach
Lake Villa
Antioch
Milwaukee District/North
Chicago, Union Station
Western Avenue
Healy
Grayland
Mayfair
Forest Glen
Edgebrook
Morton Grove
Golf
Glenview
Glen / North Glenview
Northbrook
Lake Cook Road
Deerfield
Lake Forest
Libertyville
Prairie Crossing
Grayslake
Round Lake
Long Lake
Ingleside
Fox Lake
(Possible future extension to Richmond, Illinois)
Union Pacific/Northwest
Chicago, Ogilvie Transportation Center
Clybourn
Irving Park
Jefferson Park
Gladstone Park
Norwood Park
Edison Park
Park Ridge
Dee Road
Des Plaines
Cumberland
Mount Prospect
Arlington Heights
Arlington Park
Palatine
Barrington
Fox River Grove
Cary
McHenry Branch after Cary Station
McHenry
Crystal Lake
Woodstock
Harvard
Milwaukeee District/West
Chicago, Union Station
Western Avenue
Hermosa
Cragin
Hanson Park
Galewood
Mars
Mont Clare
Elmwood Park
River Grove
Franklin Park
Mannheim
Bensenville
Wood Dale
Itasca
Medinah
Roselle
Schaumburg
Hanover Park
Bartlett
National Street
Elgin
Big Timber Road
Union Pacific/West
Chicago, Ogilvie Transportation Center
Kedzie Avenue
Oak Park
River Forest
Maywood
Bellwood
Berkeley
Elmhurst
Villa Park
Lombard
Glen Ellyn
College Avenue
Wheaton
Winfield
West Chicago
Geneva
(Future extension to La Fox and Elburn)
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Chicago, Union Station
Halsted Street
Western Avenue
Cicero
Clyde
LaVergne
Berwyn
Harlem Avenue
Riverside
Hollywood (Zoo Stop)
Brookfield
Congress Park
LaGrange Road
LaGrange, Stone Avenue
Western Springs
Highlands
Hinsdale
West Hinsdale
Clarendon Hills
Westmont
Fairview Avenue
Downers Grove, Main Street
Belmont
Lisle
Naperville
Route 59
Aurora
Heritage Corridor
Chicago, Union Station
Summit
Willow Springs
Lemont
Lockport
Joliet
Southwest Service
Chicago, Union Station
Wrightwood
Ashburn
Oak Lawn
Chicago Ridge, Illinois
Worth
Palos Park
Orland Park, 143rd Street
Orland Park, 153rd Street
Orland Park, 179th Street
(likely future extension to Manhattan, Illinois)
Rock Island District
Chicago, LaSalle Street Station
Gresham
95th Street - Longwood
103rd Street - Washington Heights
Brainerd
91st Street - Beverly Hills
95th Street - Beverly Hills
99th Street - Beverly Hills
103rd Street - Beverly Hills
107th Street - Beverly Hills
111th Street - Morgan Park
115th Street - Morgan Park
119th Street
123rd Street
Prairie Street
Blue Island, Vermont Street
Robbins
Midlothian
Oak Forest
Tinley Park
Tinley Park, 80th Avenue
Mokena, Hickory Creek
Mokena, Front Street
New Lenox
Joliet
Metra Electric
Chicago, Randolph Street Station
VanBuren Street
Roosevelt Road
18th Street
McCormick Place
27th Street
47th Street (Kenwood)
53rd Street (Hyde Park)
55th, 56th, 57th Street (Museum of Science and Industry)
59th Street (University of Chicago)
63rd Street
South Chicago Branch after 63rd Street Station
Stony Island
Bryn Mawr
South Shore
Windsor Park
Cheltenham (79th Street)
83rd Street
87th Street
South Chicago (93rd Street)
75th Street (Grand Crossing)
79th Street (Chatham)
83rd Street (Avalon Park)
87th Street (Woodruff)
91st Street (Chesterfield)
95th Street (Chicago State University)
103rd Street (Rosemoor)
107th Street
111th Street (Pullman)
Kensington (115th Street)
Blue Island Branch after Kensington Station
State Street
Stewart Ridge
West Pullman
Racine Avenue
Ashand Avenue
Burr Oak
Blue Island
Riverdale
Ivanhoe
147th Street (Sibley Boulevard)
Harvey
Hazel Crest
Calumet
Homewood
Flossmoor
Olympia Fields
211th Street (Lincoln Highway)
Matteson
Richton Park
University Park
See Also
Regional rail
Commuter railroads
External links
References
"Village board seeks Metra extension." McHenry Online. Accessed on 20 January, 2005.
"Metra: Driven by its history, A modern Chicago railroad carries its past with it." Trains Magazine, July 2003, by J. David Ingles. Accessed on 21 January, 2005.
