SouthWest Service

Last updated

Metra SWS.svg SouthWest Service
Manhattan Metra station platform (March 2025).jpg
SouthWest Service train at Manhattan (March 2025).
Overview
Owner Norfolk Southern Railway (Leased to Metra)
Termini
Stations13
Website metra.com/train-lines/sws OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Service
Type Commuter rail
System Metra
Operator(s) Metra, Norfolk Southern Railway
Daily ridership9,600 (Avg. Weekday 2014) [1]
Ridership844,567 (2023)
Technical
Track length40.6 miles
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Route map
SouthWest Service SouthWest Service highlighted in blue
BSicon LCONTg purple.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg Metra NCS.svg to Antioch
BSicon LLCONT2 saffron.svg
BSicon LSTR purple.svg
BSicon LLSTRc3 saffron.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg Metra MDW.svg to Big Timber Road
BSicon LLSTRc1 saffron.svg
BSicon LSTR purple.svg
BSicon LLSTR+4 saffron.svg
BSicon LLSTRc2 ochre.svg
BSicon LLCONT3 ochre.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg Metra MDN.svg to Fox Lake
BSicon LLSTR+1 ochre.svg
BSicon PORTALf.svg
BSicon LSTR saffron.svg
BSicon LLSTRc4 ochre.svg
BSicon tKINTACCa denim.svg
BSicon tKSTRe ochre.svg
0
Chicago Union Station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg
BSicon utCONTgq.svg
BSicon tSTRe@f denim.svg
BSicon utSTRuq.svg
BSicon utCONTfq.svg
Chicago Transit Authority Logo.svg
BSicon YRD denim.svg
14th Street Yard
BSicon STRc2 denim.svg
BSicon STR3 denim.svg
BSicon exKBHFa denim.svg
BSicon STR+1 denim.svg
BSicon dSTRc4 denim.svg
BSicon dCONTg red.svg
BSicon exSTRc2 denim.svg
BSicon exSTR3 denim.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon dMFADEg.svg
BSicon dWASSER.svg
BSicon dSTR2- red.svg
BSicon STRc3~L red.svg
BSicon exvSTR+1- denim.svg
BSicon exSTRc4 denim.svg
BSicon exhCONTgq.svg
BSicon MSTRq.svg
BSicon exhSTRq.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon MSTRq.svg
BSicon exhSTRe@fq.svg
BSicon vWASSER-.svg
BSicon exdSTR denim.svg
BSicon STRc1~R red.svg
BSicon xABZq+l.svg
BSicon STR+4~F red.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon CONTgq jade.svg
BSicon STRr jade.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon STR+r.svg
BSicon vWASSER-.svg
BSicon exdSTR denim.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR+4~G red.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg Metra BNSF.svg to Aurora
BSicon KWSTRaq.svg
BSicon MSTR.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon lLFT.svg
BSicon WASSERq.svg
BSicon vWASSERr-.svg
BSicon exdSTR denim.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon LSTRe red.svg
Chicago River (South branch)
BSicon STRc2 maroon.svg
BSicon STR2 denim.svg
BSicon uhSTRc2.svg
BSicon STR3 maroon.svg
BSicon uhSTR3+l.svg
BSicon exSTRc2 denim.svg
BSicon exdSTR3 denim.svg
BSicon MSTRq.svg
BSicon uhSTRq.svg
BSicon STR3~F.svg
BSicon uhCONTfq.svg
Chicago Transit Authority Logo.svg
Orange to the Loop
BSicon uhSTRc2.svg
BSicon CONT1 maroon.svg
BSicon uhSTR3+1.svg
BSicon STRc4 maroon.svg
BSicon ABZ+4x1 denim.svg
BSicon uhSTRc4.svg
BSicon STR+1~F.svg
BSicon STR3~G.svg
BSicon exSTRc4 denim.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg Metra HC.svg to Joliet
BSicon uhCONT1.svg
BSicon uhSTRc4.svg
BSicon hSTRa denim.svg
BSicon STR+1~G.svg
Chicago Transit Authority Logo.svg
Orange to Midway   Pictograms-nps-airport.svg
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon hSKRZ-G4 denim.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon hSKRZ-G4hlru denim.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
I-90.svgI-94.svg I-90  / I-94
BSicon STR2.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon lhABZg2.svg
BSicon hSTRc3.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon eHST denim.svg
BSicon lhSTR+hc1.svg
BSicon hSTR2+4.svg
BSicon hSTRc3.svg
47th Street
BSicon hSTR denim.svg
BSicon hSTRc1.svg
BSicon hCONT4.svg
BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg
BSicon ehHST denim.svg
BSicon uhCONTgq.svg
BSicon MSTRq.svg
BSicon uhSTRq.svg
BSicon hSTR denim.svg
BSicon uhCONTfq.svg
Chicago Transit Authority Logo.svg
BSicon hSTR denim.svg
BSicon MFADEg.svg
BSicon LSTRa red.svg
BSicon lhSTR.svg
BSicon STR2.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon lhABZg2.svg
BSicon exhSTRc2 denim.svg
BSicon hSTRc3.svg
BSicon exSTR3 denim.svg
BSicon STR red.svg
BSicon lhABZg3.svg
future Gnome-searchtool.svg connection to Metra RI.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon eSTR+c2 denim.svg
BSicon lhSTR+hc12.svg
BSicon MSTR3+1.svg
BSicon exhSTR3+1 denim.svg
BSicon hSTR+4.svg
BSicon -MFADEf.svg
BSicon exSTRc4 denim.svg
BSicon LSTRe red.svg
BSicon lhSTR+hc4.svg
BSicon lhSTR+l(l).svg
BSicon STR+l.svg
BSicon eABZg+1 denim.svg
BSicon lhSTR(r).svg
BSicon lhdSTR(l)q+hc4.svg
BSicon MSTR.svg
BSicon lhSTRc4.svg
BSicon MSTRq.svg
BSicon lhSTR(r)q.svg
BSicon lhSTRl(l).svg
BSicon ABZql.svg
BSicon exSTRc4 denim.svg
BSicon hCONTfq.svg
BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg
BSicon ehHST denim.svg
Halsted
BSicon ehHST denim.svg
Racine
BSicon ehHST denim.svg
Ashland
BSicon hCONTgq.svg
BSicon STRq.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon lhKRZh.svg
BSicon hCONTfq.svg
BSicon ehHSTe denim.svg
Western Avenue
BSicon STR3+1h.svg
BSicon STR~L denim.svg
BSicon lCONTf3.svg
BSicon STR~R denim.svg
BSicon CONT2.svg
BSicon hHSTACCae denim.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
11.5 mi
18.5 km
Wrightwood
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon STR2+4.svg
BSicon STRc3.svg
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
BSicon STRc1.svg
BSicon CONT4.svg
12.2 mi
19.6 km
Ashburn
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
14.7 mi
23.7 km
Oak Lawn
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon ABZqr+xl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
16.6 mi
26.7 km
Chicago Ridge
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u denim.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
BSicon hHSTACCa denim.svg
17.8 mi
28.6 km
Worth
BSicon hHSTACC denim.svg
18.6 mi
29.9 km
Palos Heights
BSicon KWSTRaq.svg
BSicon hKRZWe denim.svg
BSicon KWSTReq.svg
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
19.8 mi
31.9 km
Palos Park
BSicon eHST denim.svg
Southmore
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
23.0 mi
37 km
Orland Park 143rd Street
BSicon ACC denim.svg
25.2 mi
40.6 km
Orland Park 153rd Street
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
28.7 mi
46.2 km
Orland Park 179th Street
BSicon YRD denim.svg
Orland Park Coach Yard
BSicon RP4e.svg
BSicon SKRZ-G4u denim.svg
BSicon RP4w.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon LSTRa red.svg
BSicon CONTgq red.svg
BSicon STR denim.svg
BSicon STRuq red.svg
BSicon STRr red.svg
Metra RI.svg Arrow Blue Left 001.svgto Joliet
BSicon eHST denim.svg
Steele
BSicon fCONTgq.svg
BSicon fSTRq.svg
BSicon STRu denim.svg
BSicon fCONTfq.svg
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon MSTR.svg
BSicon ehHSTae denim.svg
BSicon STRq.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
Brisbane
EJ&E Railway
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
35.4 mi
57 km
Laraway Road
BSicon HSTACC denim.svg
40.3 mi
64.9 km
Manhattan
BSicon fCONT4+f.svg
BSicon YRDa denim.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
Manhattan Coach Yard
BSicon fbSHI4l.RR.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon fCONTf.svg
Wauponsee Glacial Trail

Mileage [2]
source
Handicapped Accessible sign.svg All stations are accessible
 
Key
BSicon STRq denim.svg
BSicon STRq denim.svg
SouthWest Service
BSicon exSTRq denim.svg
BSicon exSTRq denim.svg
Former/planned alignments
BSicon STRq jade.svg
BSicon STRq maroon.svg
BSicon STRq red.svg
Other Metra lines
BSicon STRq.svg
BSicon exSTRq.svg
Other freight lines
BSicon uSTRq.svg
BSicon utSTRq.svg
CTA lines

The SouthWest Service (SWS) is a Metra commuter rail line, running southwest from Union Station in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois. Metra does not refer to its lines by color, but the timetable accents for the SouthWest Service line are "Banner Blue," for the Wabash Railroad's Banner Blue passenger train. [3] The trackage is owned by Metra north of a junction with the Belt Railway of Chicago at Loomis Boulevard, and is leased from Norfolk Southern Railway south of the junction (NS has trackage rights over Metra's portion). [4]

Contents

History

The line south of the curve at the east end of the section aligned with 75th Street was built by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway, which opened in 1880 to Chicago. That curve was a junction with the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad, of which the Wabash owned one-fifth, and used to reach Dearborn Station in downtown Chicago.[ citation needed ] Commuter service from Chicago began as early as 1893, with trains running as far south as Orland Park, [5] and by 1909, the service had been extended with several trains operating as far south as Manhattan. [6] The level of service deteriorated in the 1930s, with commuter operations effectively reduced to one train in each direction making local stops from Chicago to Decatur. By 1964, the once daily Chicago–Decatur trains were cut back to Orland Park. [5]

After several reorganizations the Wabash Railroad was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway on October 16, 1964. [7] :145 The single round trip continued under the new ownership, who named the train the Orland Park Cannonball. [8] On May 1, 1971, Amtrak assumed control of most intercity passenger trains in the United States. On this date all intercity services operating into and out of Chicago were either routed into Union Station or discontinued, leaving the single Orland Park Cannonball as the only train to still use Dearborn Station. Dearborn Station closed, but the commuter train continued to use a small platform and track on the property until 1976 when it relocated to Union Station via a new connection at Alton Junction. [9] :71

The Regional Transportation Authority began to subsidize the service in 1978. [10] N&W merged with Southern Railway to form the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1982, and for the next decade the line was known as the Norfolk Southern Line (NS). The RTA closed the Western Avenue station on May 15, 1984, as part of a cost reduction plan which saw the closure of twelve other lightly used stations and the removal of ticket agents from an additional seventeen stations across the system. [11] On June 1, 1993 Metra took over operations and renamed it the SouthWest Service. [4]

The rail line expansion project, which includes 11 miles (18 km) of new track and at least two additional train stations, was completed (except for the Laraway Road station) in January 2006. The number of trains per day was doubled from 16 to 30, 15 in each direction. For years, Pace operated Route 835, whose bus service enhanced the limited train service in the SouthWest Service corridor. With the rail service expansion, ridership on route 835 became so poor that Pace eliminated it on August 17, 2007. [12]

Metra started Saturday service on March 21, 2009, with six trains between Union Station and Manhattan. [13]

Future

SouthWest Service trains will shift from Union Station to LaSalle Street Station with the reconfiguration of the 75th Street Corridor under the auspices of the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE). [14] This will happen no earlier than 2025 when construction is scheduled for completion. [15] Additional mainline trackage will also be built between LaSalle St Station and 74th to handle the increase in traffic. LaSalle Street station will also be expanded. [16] This would relieve congestion at Union Station and improve reliability for the SouthWest Service, as well as allowing more trains to run in each direction. [14]

Service frequency

As of February 15, 2024, Metra operates 30 trains (15 in each direction) on the SouthWest Service Line on weekdays. Of these, five trains operate to and from Manhattan and 10 operate to and from Orland Park 179th Street. Three of the trains that travel beyond 179th Street serve Laraway Road and Manhattan as "flag to discharge" stops.

Since March 2020 and as of January 2023, Saturday service on the SouthWest Service is currently suspended. There is also no service on Sundays or holidays.

The Laraway Road and Manhattan stations see a combined ridership of under 60 people daily, making them two of the least-used stations on Metra's system.

Ridership

Since 2014 annual ridership has declined from 2,659,040 to 2,356,767, an overall decline of 11.4%. [17] [18] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership dropped to 574,815 passengers in 2020. [19] [20]

500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Stations

CountyZoneLocationStationConnections and notes
Cook 1 Chicago Chicago Union Station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak (long-distance): California Zephyr , Cardinal , City of New Orleans , Empire Builder , Floridian , Lake Shore Limited , Southwest Chief , Texas Eagle
BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak (intercity): Blue Water , Borealis , Hiawatha , Illini and Saluki, Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg, Lincoln Service , Pere Marquette , Wolverine
Metramlogo.svg Metra:  BNSF,   Heritage Corridor,   Milwaukee District North,   Milwaukee District West,   North Central Service,
Chicago Transit Authority Logo.svg Chicago "L": Blue (at Clinton), Brown Orange Pink Purple (at Quincy)
Bus-logo.svg CTA Bus: 1, 7, J14, 19, 28, 56, 60, 120, 121, 124, 125, 126, 128, 130, 151, 156, 157, 192
Bus-logo.svg Pace: 755
BSicon BUS2.svg Amtrak Thruway: Chicago–Madison and Chicago–Rockford (Van Galder), Chicago–Louisville (Greyhound)
  Dearborn Station Closed 1976, service switched to Union Station
47th Street Closed July 29, 1979
Englewood DodgerBlue flag waving.svg Closed July 29, 1979
HalstedClosed July 29, 1979
RacineClosed July 29, 1979
AshlandClosed July 29, 1979
Western AvenueClosed May 1984
2 Wrightwood Bus-logo.svg CTA Bus: 52A, 79; Previously known as Landers
Ashburn
3 Oak Lawn Oak Lawn Bus-logo.svg Pace: 381, 395, 769
Chicago Ridge Chicago Ridge Bus-logo.svg Pace: 384
Worth Worth Bus-logo.svg Pace: 385, 386
Palos Heights Palos Heights Bus-logo.svg Pace: 769
4 Palos Park Palos Park
Orland Park
Southmore DodgerBlue flag waving.svg Closed between 1976 and 1984
Orland Park 143rd Street Bus-logo.svg Pace: 379
Orland Park 153rd Street
Orland Park 179th Street
Will   New Lenox SteeleClosed 1962
BrisbaneClosed 1962
4 Laraway Road
Manhattan Manhattan

References

  1. "Ridership Reports - System Facts". Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  2. 2020 State of the System Report (p. 101)
  3. "Did you know?" (PDF). On the Bi-Level: 3. June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 2, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Metra (2013). "SouthWest Service History". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Burgess, Paul (Spring 2013). "Follow the Flag: Chicago's Metra "Wabash Extension"". First & Fastest. Vol. 29, no. 1. Lake Forest, Illinois: Shore Line Interurban Historical Society. p. 12.
  6. Burgess, Paul (Spring 2013). "Follow the Flag: Chicago's Metra "Wabash Extension"". First & Fastest. Vol. 29, no. 1. Lake Forest, Illinois: Shore Line Interurban Historical Society. p. 11.
  7. Schafer, Mike (2000). More Classic American Railroads. Osceola, Wisconsin: MBI Publishing Co. ISBN   978-0-7603-0758-8.
  8. Norfolk and Western Railway (July 3, 1972). "Suburban Passenger Service".
  9. Holland, Kevin J. (2001). Classic American Railroad Terminals. Osceola, WI: MBI. ISBN   9780760308325. OCLC   45908903.
  10. Burgess, Paul (Spring 2013). "Follow the Flag: Chicago's Metra "Wabash Extension"". First & Fastest. Vol. 29, no. 1. Lake Forest, Illinois: Shore Line Interurban Historical Society. p. 14.
  11. "RTA closing 13 rail stations". Chicago Tribune. March 9, 1984. p. 51. Retrieved January 20, 2019 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. Wronski, Richard (August 17, 2007). "Pace bus route, Bears shuttle cut". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  13. Hood, Joel (March 2, 2009). "Metra adding Saturday service to SouthWest line in March". Chicago Metra. Archived from the original on March 25, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  14. 1 2 "P2, P3, EW2, GS19 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project" (PDF). CREATE. November 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
  15. "Preckwinkle, Partners Mark 75th Street Rail Corridor Improvement Project". The Chicago Crusader. October 1, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  16. "Metra Moving". Railway Track & Structures. September 12, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. "RIDERSHIP TRENDS ANNUAL REPORT 2018" (PDF). Metra. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  18. "RIDERSHIP TRENDS ANNUAL REPORT 2019" (PDF). Metra. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  19. "RIDERSHIP TRENDS ANNUAL REPORT 2020" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  20. RTAMS. "Metra Ridership By Line".
Template:Attached KML/SouthWest Service
KML is from Wikidata