AAR Radio Channel 61 - 161.025
Metra acquired this line from the Illinois Central Railroad in 1987, and it is one of Metra's busiest lines. The line runs near Lake Michigan for the first several miles, and this proximity to the lakefront is one of the reasons why the Illinois Central was the only Chicago commuter line to electrify. This was Chicago's first real commuter rail line, with service beginning when the railroad first opened in 1856. Electrification was completed in 1926, eliminating concern among some that the old steam locomotives were polluting the park lands along the lakefront. The original electric MU cars remained in service until the 1970's, when they were replaced with the double deck Highliner cars. The multi-tracked non-electric Illinois Central, now Canadian National main line parallels to the east, carrying freight and Amtrak trains. The line turns away from the lakefront in the Hyde Park area near the Museum of Science and Industry, and the area becomes a mixture of industrial and older residential. Canadian National's Markham freight yard extends from Harvey to Homewood, and the south end of the yard at Homewood is a popular train watching spot. Another popular train watching spot is Dolton, which can be reached from the Riverdale station by walking several blocks east on 138th Street. The Metra Electric line ended at Richton Park until 1977, when the 2 mile extension was completed to University Park in an area which is still quite rural. Except for a private road crossing on the University Park extension, the main line is completely grade separated. Freight traffic is moderate on the Canadian National main line. The South Chicago Branch leaves the main line south of 67th Street and goes to grade level, utilizing the medians of city streets and a private right-of-way through an old industrial area on its way to 91st Street. And the Blue Island Branch leaves the main line at Kensington, and passes through a residential area and an old industrial area at grade level. This branch ends near the Metra Rock Island District station on Vermont Street. There is no Sunday service on the Blue Island Branch.
Direction is southward from Randolph Street to University Park
0.00 RANDOLPH STREET (remote-terminal dispatcher)
0.80 VAN BUREN STREET
1.43 MUSEUM CAMPUS/11TH STREET (switchtender)
2.22 18TH STREET
2.68 MC CORMICK PLACE-23RD STREET
3.20 27TH STREET
5.90 47TH STREET
6.54 53RD STREET (CTC interlocking)
6.99 57TH STREET
7.43 59TH STREET
7.92 63RD STREET
8.33 67TH STREET (CTC interlocking)
9.32 75TH-GRAND CROSSING
9.99 79TH-CHATHAM
10.38 83RD-AVALON PARK
10.86 87TH-WOODRUFF
11.37 91ST-CHESTERFIELD
12.04 95TH-CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY
13.06 103RD STREET
13.54 107TH STREET
13.95 111TH-PULLMAN
14.49 115TH-KENSINGTON (CTC interlocking)
17.33 RIVERDALE
18.18 IVANHOE
18.98 147TH STREET
20.00 HARVEY
22.27 HAZEL CREST
22.82 CALUMET
23.51 HOMEWOOD (CTC interlocking)
24.93 FLOSSMOOR
26.56 OLYMPIA FIELDS
27.62 211TH STREET
28.24 MATTESON
29.33 RICHTON PARK (CTC interlocking)
31.50 UNIVERSITY PARK (CTC interlocking)
8.33 67TH STREET (CTC interlocking)
9.10 STONY ISLAND AVENUE
9.66 BRYN MAWR
10.28 SOUTH SHORE
10.88 75TH-WINDSOR PARK
11.49 79TH-CHELTENHAM
11.97 83RD STREET
12.51 87TH STREET
13.04 93RD-SOUTH CHICAGO
14.49 115TH-KENSINGTON (CTC interlocking)
15.60 STATE STREET
16.06 STEWART RIDGE
16.68 WEST PULLMAN (CTC interlocking)
17.04 RACINE AVENUE
17.87 ASHLAND AVENUE
18.36 BURR OAK
18.91 BLUE ISLAND
Randolph Street station is controlled remotely from Metra's Consolidated Control Facility.
3 tracks from Van Buren Street to Roosevelt Road, numbered west to east. Track 1 assigned for southward movements, track 2 assigned to both directions, and track 3 assigned for northward movements.
4 tracks from Roosevelt Road to Kensington, numbered west to east. Track 1 is southward express, Track 2 is southward local, Track 3 is northward local, and Track 4 is northward express. All tracks signalled for current of traffic between Roosevelt Road and 67th Street. Between 67th Street and Kensington, CTC in use, controlled from Metra's Consolidated Control Facility.
2 tracks from Kensington to Richton Park, and 1 track from Richton Park to University Park. CTC in use, controlled from Metra's Consolidated Control Facility.
2 tracks from 67th Street to South Chicago, signalled for normal right hand operation.
1 track from Kensington to Blue Island, CTC in use, controlled from Metra's Consolidated Control Facility. 2 tracks at West Pullman, with spring switches lined for right hand operation.
Speed Limit: 65 mph
67th Street-South Chicago: 30 mph
Kensington-Blue Island: 30 mph
Also shown is the paralleling Canadian National trackage. Spacing shown between tracks indicates the present separate railroads, and does not indicate actual spacing between tracks.
Information is subject to change, and is based on observations, along with information from the employee timetables, and Google satellite imagery.
The following colors are used to indicate types of operation:
BLUE - manual interlocking
RED - centralized traffic control (CTC) or bidirectional signals
GREEN - automatic block signals (single direction, current of traffic)
BLACK - unsignaled
Thin lines across tracks indicate signals. In CTC or bidirectional signal territory, signals usually exist for both directions at all locations, except at interlockings where the signals usually are only in the direction entering the interlocking.
