The North Central Service ( NCS ) is a Metra commuter rail line running from Union Station in downtown Chicago through northwestern and far northern suburbs to Antioch , Illinois . In December 2022, the public timetable shows seven weekday departures from Chicago. This line does not run at all on weekends or holidays. While Metra does not explicitly refer to any of its eleven routes by colors, the NCS' timetable accents are lavender, a shade of purple. It is one of two Metra lines (the other being the Union Pacific West Line ) that do not have a specific color for a fallen flag railroad that used to operate on the route.
23-728: [REDACTED] Look up NCS in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. NCS may refer to: Organizations [ edit ] NASCAR Canada Series , canadian stock car racing series National Career Service (India) National Cartoonists Society , US National Center for Simulation , US defense technologies association National Children's Study , US cohort study National Citizen Service , voluntary service for 16-17-year-olds in England National Clandestine Service , later Directorate of Operations,
46-732: A British record label Neurocritical Care Society , an international, multidisciplinary medical society Schools and universities [ edit ] National Cathedral School , Washington, D.C. National Cryptologic School , of the U.S. National Security Agency Navy Children School , India Newark Charter School , Newark, Delaware, US Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre , London, England Northland Christian School , Houston, Texas, US North Cestrian School , Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England Science and technology [ edit ] Biology and chemistry [ edit ] N-Chlorosuccinimide , an organic chemical Neotenic complex syndrome Nerve conduction study ,
69-732: A British record label Neurocritical Care Society , an international, multidisciplinary medical society Schools and universities [ edit ] National Cathedral School , Washington, D.C. National Cryptologic School , of the U.S. National Security Agency Navy Children School , India Newark Charter School , Newark, Delaware, US Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre , London, England Northland Christian School , Houston, Texas, US North Cestrian School , Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England Science and technology [ edit ] Biology and chemistry [ edit ] N-Chlorosuccinimide , an organic chemical Neotenic complex syndrome Nerve conduction study ,
92-557: A communication network Transport [ edit ] Newark City Subway , New Jersey, US North Central Service , a rail line in Chicago, Illinois, US Other uses [ edit ] National Care Service , proposed social care service in the United Kingdom National Compensation Survey , US NATO Codification System , for items of supply Norwegian continental shelf ,
115-399: A communication network Transport [ edit ] Newark City Subway , New Jersey, US North Central Service , a rail line in Chicago, Illinois, US Other uses [ edit ] National Care Service , proposed social care service in the United Kingdom National Compensation Survey , US NATO Codification System , for items of supply Norwegian continental shelf ,
138-814: A component of the CIA National Crime Squad , a former British police organisation National Communications System , a former US agency National Convenience Stores , a US company Naval Canteen Service , the Royal Navy branch of the NAAFI NCS Group , formerly National Computer Systems, Singapore North Carolina Symphony , based in Raleigh, North Carolina North Coast Section , an athletic organization in California, US Nippon Computer Systems NoCopyrightSounds ,
161-499: A component of the CIA National Crime Squad , a former British police organisation National Communications System , a former US agency National Convenience Stores , a US company Naval Canteen Service , the Royal Navy branch of the NAAFI NCS Group , formerly National Computer Systems, Singapore North Carolina Symphony , based in Raleigh, North Carolina North Coast Section , an athletic organization in California, US Nippon Computer Systems NoCopyrightSounds ,
184-564: A medical diagnostic test Neuronal calcium sensor , a family of proteins Thiocyanate , an organic compound in the cyanate family Natural Color System , a proprietary color model Computing [ edit ] National CAD Standard , US Network Computing System , an implementation of the Network Computing Architecture at Apollo Computer Network-based Call Signaling , a protocol used with VoIP Networked control system , closing control loops with
207-479: A medical diagnostic test Neuronal calcium sensor , a family of proteins Thiocyanate , an organic compound in the cyanate family Natural Color System , a proprietary color model Computing [ edit ] National CAD Standard , US Network Computing System , an implementation of the Network Computing Architecture at Apollo Computer Network-based Call Signaling , a protocol used with VoIP Networked control system , closing control loops with
230-701: Is currently serviced by the Union Pacific Northwest Line . Metra has considered adding weekend service to the North Central Service ever since Saturday service was added to the SouthWest Service, and has also considered operating six trains between Chicago and Antioch, like the SouthWest Service. On February 5, 2018 service was reduced from 22 to 20 trains when Metra combined two rush-hour express trains into one rush hour semi-express. As of April 2021, NCS service
253-816: Is limited to rush hours in the peak direction only–towards Chicago in the morning and towards Antioch in the afternoon. This makes the NCS one of 3 Metra lines (along with the Heritage Corridor and the SouthWest Service ) to only offer peak service. From August 12–30, 2024 during the 2024 Democratic National Convention , Metra operated expanded NCS service. The regularly scheduled weekday trains were supplemented by 15 hourly round trips between O'Hare Transfer station and Union Station , making only intermediate stops at River Grove and Western Avenue . On weekends, there were 16 hourly round trips serving
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#1732773046850276-614: The Heritage Corridor and SouthWest Service , the North Central Service is fully ADA-accessible. No tickets are sold at any North Central Service stations outside Chicago. Passengers must purchase tickets either on the train or with Ventra . On January 30, 2006 four new stations on the North Central Service opened: Belmont Avenue in Franklin Park , Schiller Park , Rosemont , and Washington Street in Grayslake . Service doubled from 10 to 20 trains per day with this change in
299-581: The North Central Service from Antioch to Washington Street , then switched to the Milwaukee District North Line 's tracks at a diamond near Prairie Crossing station, made stops at Libertyville and Lake Forest , and then ran express to Union Station. The CN assumed ownership of this route on September 7, 2001, when it absorbed the Wisconsin Central Railroad ("WC"). The WC operated on this route after it
322-660: The North Central Service shares tracks with the Milwaukee District West Line , but does not stop at any of the intermediate stations used by the MD-W between Western Avenue and River Grove. About a mile west of River Grove, this route turns north at a junction known as tower B-12. The rest of the route operates on the Canadian National Railway 's Waukesha Subdivision . Until 2020, a single daily inbound train, no. 120, made all stops along
345-634: The Soo Line discontinued the overnight Chicago-Duluth Laker. The North Central Service serves O'Hare International Airport , but with a limited number of trains. O'Hare has much more frequent service from the CTA Blue Line . As of February 15, 2024, Metra operates 14 trains (seven in each direction) on the line on weekdays, with all trains running the full length of the route from Antioch to Union Station. One inbound train and one outbound train run express between Western Avenue and Wheeling. Like
368-481: The continental shelf of Norway NCS: Manhunt , a British crime drama series from 2001-2002 See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "ncs" , "nc-s" , "n-cs" , or "n-c-s" on Misplaced Pages. All pages with titles beginning with NCS All pages with titles containing NCS NC (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
391-481: The continental shelf of Norway NCS: Manhunt , a British crime drama series from 2001-2002 See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "ncs" , "nc-s" , "n-cs" , or "n-c-s" on Misplaced Pages. All pages with titles beginning with NCS All pages with titles containing NCS NC (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
414-560: The 💕 [REDACTED] Look up NCS in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. NCS may refer to: Organizations [ edit ] NASCAR Canada Series , canadian stock car racing series National Career Service (India) National Cartoonists Society , US National Center for Simulation , US defense technologies association National Children's Study , US cohort study National Citizen Service , voluntary service for 16-17-year-olds in England National Clandestine Service , later Directorate of Operations,
437-475: The same stations, with no service north of O'Hare Transfer. Between 2014 and 2019, annual ridership declined 12.5% from 1,817,335 to 1,589,905. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , ridership dropped to 340,682 passengers in 2020 and to 146,668 passengers in 2021. As of October 2024, ridership is at 41% of its October 2019 total (compared to a 63% recovery rate system-wide). Similar to other lines, midday ridership
460-560: The timetable, combined with double tracking of large portions of the line and the CN rerouting freight traffic south of Mundelein. On September 11, 2006 service expanded from 20 to 22 trains when Metra split one rush-hour local train in each direction into two express trains. Notably, the line goes through Des Plaines but does not have a station there. The station in Des Plaines was on Thacker Street and closed in 1965. However, Des Plaines
483-443: The title NCS . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NCS&oldid=1225122782 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages NCS From Misplaced Pages,
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#1732773046850506-485: The title NCS . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NCS&oldid=1225122782 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages North Central Service Between Union Station and River Grove ,
529-632: Was purchased from the Soo Line Railroad in April 1987. Metra provides its own crews for this service (like with most routes) and operates under a trackage rights agreement with the CN. Service began August 19, 1996. As of 2023 , this is the only new commuter line in the Metra system since its formation. Prior to the start of NCS, the last passenger service on this route ended in January 1965, when
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