The Chicago "L" is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois. Operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), it is the fourth-largest rapid transit system in the United States in terms of total route length, at 102.8 miles (165.4 km) long as of 2014, and the third-busiest rapid transit system in the United States. In 2016, the "L" had 1,492 rail cars, eight different routes, and 145 train stations. In 2023, the system had 117,447,000 rides, or about 373,800 per weekday in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The Yellow Line, alternatively known as the Skokie Swift, is a branch of the Chicago "L" train system in Chicago, Illinois. The 4.7-mile (7.6 km) route runs from the Howard Terminal on the north side of Chicago, through the southern part of Evanston and to the Dempster Terminal in Skokie, Illinois, making one intermediate stop at Oakton Street in Skokie.
Oakton–Skokie is an 'L' station on the CTA's Yellow Line, which serves downtown Skokie. Previously, a station existed at this location which was in operation as part of the North Shore Line's Niles Center Route from 1925 until 1948, and later demolished in 1964. The current station opened on April 30, 2012.
The Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad was the third elevated rapid transit line to be built in Chicago, Illinois. It was the first of Chicago’s elevated lines to be electrically powered. The main line ran from downtown Chicago to Marshfield Avenue, with branches to Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Garfield Park, and Douglas Park. Portions of the system are still operated as sections of the Blue Line and the Pink Line.
Racine is an abandoned rapid transit station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Green Line. The station is located at 6314–16 South Racine Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Racine opened on February 25, 1907, when the Englewood branch of the South Side Elevated Railroad was extended westward. The station closed with the rest of the Green Line on January 9, 1994, but did not reopen with the rest of the Green Line on May 12, 1996.
Schiller was a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's North Side Main Line, which is now part of the Brown Line. The station was located at 315 W. Schiller Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago. Schiller was situated south of Sedgwick and north of Division, which closed at the same time as Schiller. Schiller opened on May 31, 1900, and closed on August 1, 1949, along with 22 other stations as part of a CTA service revision.
The Metropolitan main line was a rapid transit line of the Chicago "L" system from 1895 to 1958. It ran west from downtown to a junction at Marshfield station. At this point the Garfield Park branch continued westward, while the Douglas Park branch turned south, and the Logan Square branch turned north with the Humboldt Park branch branching from it. In addition to serving the Chicago "L", its tracks and those of the Garfield Park branch also carried the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad, an interurban that served Chicago's western suburbs, between 1905 and 1953.
Kostner was a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Niles Center branch, now known as the Yellow Line. The station was located at Kostner Avenue and Mulford Street in Skokie, Illinois. Kostner was situated east of Oakton and west of Crawford-East Prairie. Kostner opened on March 28, 1925, and closed on March 27, 1948, upon the closing of the Niles Center branch. The station was originally known as Schreiber Road.
Crawford–East Prairie was a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Niles Center branch, now known as the Yellow Line. The station was located at Mulford Street between Crawford Avenue and East Prairie Road in Skokie, Illinois. Crawford–East Prairie was situated east of Kostner and west of Dodge. Crawford–East Prairie opened on March 28, 1925, and closed on March 27, 1948, upon the closing of the Niles Center branch.
Dodge was a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Niles Center branch, now known as the Yellow Line. The station was located at Dodge Street and Mulford Street in Evanston, Illinois. Dodge was situated east of Crawford-East Prairie and west of Asbury. Dodge opened on March 28, 1925, and closed on March 27, 1948, upon the closing of the Niles Center branch.
Asbury was a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Niles Center branch, now known as the Yellow Line. The station was located at Asbury Avenue and Brummel Street in Evanston, Illinois. Asbury was situated east of Dodge and west of Ridge. Asbury opened on March 28, 1925, and closed on March 27, 1948, upon the closing of the Niles Center branch.
Ridge was a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Niles Center branch, now known as the Yellow Line. The station was located at Ridge Avenue and Brummel Street in Evanston, Illinois. Ridge was situated east of Asbury and west of Howard. Ridge opened on March 28, 1925, and closed on March 27, 1948, upon the closing of the Niles Center branch.
The North Side Main Line is a branch of the Chicago "L" system that is used by Red, Purple, and Brown Line trains. As of 2012, it is the network's busiest rail branch, serving an average of 123,229 passengers each weekday. The branch is 10.3 miles (16.6 km) long with a total of 21 stations, from Howard Street in Rogers Park down to Lake Street in Chicago's Loop. The branch serves the north side of the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The State Street subway is an underground section of the Chicago "L" system in The Loop which serves as the center of the Red Line. It is 4.9 mi (7.9 km) long and has a boarding average of 53,601 passengers every weekday as of February 2013. It owes its name to State Street which it runs below. Since the subway is operated by the Red Line, it serves passengers 24 hours a day/7 days a week and 365 days a year.
The Garfield Park Branch was a rapid transit line which was part of the Chicago "L" system from 1895 to 1958. The branch served Chicago's Near West Side, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, and Austin neighborhoods, and the suburbs of Oak Park, and Forest Park, and consisted of twenty-two stations. It opened on June 19, 1895 and closed on June 22, 1958, when it was replaced by the Congress branch of the Blue Line.
The Chicago "L" used skip-stop service, wherein certain trains would stop only at certain designated stations on a route, from 1948 to 1995. It was implemented as a way to speed up travel within a route, and was one of the Chicago Transit Authority's first reforms upon its assumption of the "L"'s operations.
Madison was a rapid transit station on the Chicago "L"'s Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad, serving its Logan Square branch from 1895 to 1951. The station was typical of those constructed by the Metropolitan, with a Queen Anne station house and two wooden side platforms adjacent to the tracks. For much of its existence, Madison served the nearby sports arena Chicago Stadium.
Grand was a rapid transit station on the Chicago "L"'s Logan Square branch, one of the several branches of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad. Located on Grand Avenue, the station was constructed by the Metropolitan in the early 1890s and began service on May 6, 1895.
Roosevelt, originally known as Westchester, was a rapid transit station that served the Westchester branch of the Chicago "L" between 1926 and the branch's discontinuation in 1951. It was the branch's terminus from its opening until the 1930 extension of the line to 22nd Street.
