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 second-busiest rail mass transit system in the United States, after the New York City Subway. In 2016, the "L" had 1,492 rail cars, eight different routes and 145 train stations; average weekday ridership was 759,866.
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of mass transit in Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and CTA bus service.
The Yellow Line, alternatively known as the Skokie Swift, is part of the Chicago Transit Authority's "L" system in Chicago, Illinois. The 5.1-mile (8.2 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.
The Purple Line of the Chicago Transit Authority is a 3.9-mile (6.3 km) route on the northernmost section of the Chicago "L" rapid transit system. Normally, it extends south from Linden Avenue in Wilmette, passing through Evanston to Howard Street, on Chicago's north side. In 2016, the average weekday boardings on the Purple Line was 10,187.
The Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad, also known as the North Shore Line, was an interurban that operated between the Chicago Loop and downtown Milwaukee. The 85-mile route of the North Shore Line utilized a combination of private rights-of-way and street running as well as trackage rights over the Chicago "L" network. In addition to operating passenger and freight trains, the company also provided streetcar and motor bus services throughout its history.
Addison is a Chicago "L" station on the Chicago Transit Authority Red line. It is located in the Wrigleyville area of the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, at 940 West Addison Street with city block coordinates at 3600 North at 940 West. Addison directly serves the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field, the city's north side Major League Baseball team and its stadium. The station is served by the Red Line. The station is within the shadow of the historic baseball stadium.
Arthur Uranus Gerber (1878–1960) was a commercial architect who resided in Evanston, Illinois and whose designs included a number of transit stations in the Chicago metropolitan area, at least five of which have since been placed onto the National Register of Historic Places. He was employed by the Northwestern Elevated originally then moved onto to design other buildings for its successor, the Chicago Rapid Transit, and the interurban railroads the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee, the Chicago South Shore & South Bend, and the Chicago Aurora & Elgin as each came under the control of utilities tycoon Samuel Insull.
Dempster–Skokie, formerly known as Dempster, or Skokie, is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, on the Yellow Line at 5005 W. Dempster Street in Skokie, Illinois. It is one of three stops on the Yellow Line, and currently the terminus of line, although an extension of the line to Old Orchard Mall has been considered. It is one of two CTA rail stations in Skokie, and is at grade level. It is also one of two terminals that doesn't have a rail yard assigned to it. All 6 cars assigned to the Yellow Line are stored at the Howard Yard. The Skokie Shops are accessible only via the Yellow Line's tracks, but the shops do not function as a yard, only as a shop for rail cars. This station is one of two CTA rail terminals that does not have an island platform, the other being Cottage Grove on the Green Line. Passengers who wanted to return to Howard from this station after leaving a train arriving at this station had to always pay an additional fare.
Irving Park is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Blue Line. The station is located in the median of the Kennedy Expressway in the Irving Park neighborhood, though it draws its name from its cross street. Irving Park is one of two stations on the Blue Line that stops in a expressway median where the entrance is below the platform; Rosemont is the other, specifically beneath the westbound lane of the Kennedy Expressway. The station opened in 1970 as a part of the Kennedy extension of the Milwaukee Elevated from Logan Square to Jefferson Park.
The rolling stock of the Chicago "L" rapid transit system consists of railcars dating from 1981 to 2015, delivered in two series: the 2600-series and 3200-series, also known as the High Performance Family, because of innovative design and technological features from previous equipment in Chicago transit beginning with the former 2000-series cars which operated between 1964 and 1993. The third fleet of cars in the rolling stock known as the 5000-series are the newest to the Chicago "L" featuring new technologies such as exterior and interior LED signs, security cameras, new seating configuration, AC motors and new door action.
Oakton–Skokie is a rapid transit station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Yellow Line, which serves Skokie's downtown. 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 2200 series was a series of Chicago "L" cars built in 1969 and 1970 by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 150 cars were built. The last 8 2200-series cars were retired from service after their ceremonial last trips on the Blue Line on August 8, 2013. These cars were in service for 44 years. All cars except the preserved ones were scrapped by October 2015.
The 2400 series was a series of Chicago "L" cars built between 1976 and 1978 by Boeing-Vertol of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, with shells fabricated by Sorefame. 200 cars were built and on October 31, 2014, the series was retired from revenue service. These cars were in service for 38 years.
The 2000 series was a series of Chicago "L" car built in 1964 by Pullman-Standard of Chicago, Illinois. 180 cars were built.
The 1–50 series was a series of Chicago "L" cars built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1959 and 1960. Unlike cars in the similar 6000 series, which were designed for married pair operation, the 1–50 series cars were double-ended to facilitate single car operation. There was a limited need for single cars, however, so cars 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 19, 21, 23, 24, and 31 were later rebuilt as married units and were renumbered 61a/b–65a/b.
The North Side Main Line, commonly called the Howard Branch, is an elevated section of the Chicago "L" system. It is an active branch that is used for the 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 6000 series was a series of Chicago "L" car built between 1950 and 1959 by the St. Louis Car Company. 720 cars were built. The last of 6000-series cars were retired on December 4, 1992. These cars were in service for 42 years.
The 54th Yard is a CTA rail yard for the Pink Line in Cicero, Illinois. Currently, 5000-series railcars are stored here.
The 61st yard is a CTA rail yard located in the Washington Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. It opened on January 22, 1893 as part of South Side Rapid Transit's expansion into Jackson Park.
