Misplaced Pages

#820179

74-619: The Union Pacific North Line ( UP-N ) is a Metra line in the Chicago metropolitan area . It runs between Ogilvie Transportation Center and Kenosha, Wisconsin ; however, most trains terminate in Waukegan, Illinois . Although Metra owns the rolling stock, the trains are operated and dispatched by the Union Pacific Railroad . This line was previously operated by the Chicago & North Western Railway before its merger with

148-425: A federal lawsuit against Ravinia Brewing Company for trademark infringement , alleging that the brewery's use of the name and imagery is misleading consumers into believing there is a relationship with the festival. The dispute escalated following the opening of a second brewery location and the rescinding of a prior agreement that the music festival now claims was violated. Ravinia Brewing Company responded, describing

222-471: A flat $ 3.75 fee. Several ticketing options exist for passengers. Riders may choose to purchase one-way tickets, day passes, day pass five-packs, weekend passes, or monthly passes. Metra allows some travelers to purchase reduced fare tickets or even ride for free. These reduced fare and free ride programs are administered by Metra and the RTA . Some pre-college students , youth , senior citizens , members of

296-558: A longstanding agreement that UP inherited from the C&;NW, Metra owns the vehicles and the stations along the line, but Union Pacific employs the crew who actually operate the trains, and they also control the right-of-way along the route. By the first quarter of 2024, the Union Pacific Railroad is expected to transfer operations of the three Union Pacific lines to Metra. The Union Pacific will continue to own and maintain

370-817: A music program. The longest running program—Jazz Mentors and Scholars—assembles the best Chicago Public School musicians with city musicians to create a larger ensemble. Over the years, Ravinia Festival has hosted many famous artists. Recent artists who have performed at Ravinia include John Legend , Aretha Franklin , Bryan Ferry , Diana Ross , Maroon 5 , Common , Carrie Underwood , The Beach Boys , Tony Bennett , Lady Gaga , Josh Groban , Dolly Parton , Sheryl Crow , Patti LaBelle , Andrew Bird , Darius Rucker , Mary J. Blige , Gladys Knight , James Taylor , Santana , Stevie Nicks , Patti LuPone , Smokey Robinson , Sting and John Mellencamp among others. In November 2023, The Ravinia Festival Association, organizer of North America's oldest outdoor music festival, filed

444-1111: A nod to the C&NW's Flambeau 400 passenger train . Until 2022, a private club car ran weekdays exclusively on the Union Pacific North Line. It was the last remaining private car in service on a commuter railroad in the United States. The current timetable as of December 5, 2022 shows 70 trains (35 in each direction) on weekdays. Of these, six inbound trains originate from Kenosha , 17 from Waukegan , six from Highland Park , and six from Winnetka . Seven outbound trains terminate at Winnetka, five at Highland Park, 17 at Waukegan, and six at Kenosha. 13 trains operate in each direction on Saturdays. Of these, five inbound trains originate from Kenosha and eight from Waukegan. Six outbound trains terminate at Waukegan and seven at Kenosha. Nine trains operate in each direction on Sundays. Of these, three inbound trains originate from Kenosha and six from Waukegan. Six outbound trains terminate at Waukegan and three at Kenosha. During

518-420: A public transportation infrastructure allowing for intermodal connections to local, regional, national and international transportation services. Parking lots are available adjacent to most suburban Metra stations for passengers connecting with their train by car . Most parking lots are operated by the municipality they are located in. Fees and fines are also assessed by the local municipality; however, parking

592-450: A result of the anticipated withdrawal of commuter service operated and owned by various private railroad companies in the 1970s. In a 1983 reorganization, the RTA placed commuter rail under a newly formed Commuter Rail Division, which branded itself as Metra in 1985. Freight rail companies still operate four of Metra's routes under purchase-of-service agreements. Metra owns all rolling stock and

666-774: A short walking distance of Union Station as well. A number of suburban Metra stations are also shared with Amtrak as well. The South Shore Line , an interurban line connecting Chicago with the Indiana suburbs and South Bend , originates at Millennium Station and operates along much of the Chicago portion of the Electric District line, as far south as 63rd Street . Per a longstanding noncompete agreement, eastbound South Shore trains only stop at shared Electric District stations to board passengers, and westbound South Shore trains only stop to discharge passengers. In regards to

740-820: A single identity to the many infrastructure components serviced by the Regional Transportation Authority's commuter rail system. However, the system is still legally known as the Commuter Rail Division of the RTA. Today, Metra's operating arm, the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, operates seven Metra owned routes. Four other routes continue to be operated by Union Pacific (formerly Chicago & North Western ) and BNSF (formerly Burlington Northern ) under contract to Metra. Service throughout

814-529: A single train operated each day, departing from a terminal in Chicago at Water St. and Kinzie St. at 8:30 am and returning from Waukegan at 3:30 pm. The president of the railroad, former Chicago mayor Walter S. Gurnee , speculated on land in Lake County spurring the development of railway suburbs along the line. The railroad merged with the Green Bay, Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad in 1863, and

SECTION 10

#1732801627821

888-743: A top priority and dedicate a significant amount of resources to combat these dangers. Starting in the early summer of 2013, Metra has announced plans to up police patrols on to the seven lines the agency operates: the Milwaukee Districts North and West, the North Central Service, the Heritage Corridor, South West Service, Rock Island, and Electric District. The police patrols will not be on the BNSF and Union Pacific train lines because those lines are operated by

962-579: Is actively maintained by the Ravinia Neighbors Association, who work to enhance and preserve Ravinia's architecture, history, and environment. The business district on Roger Williams Ave., within walking distance from the Ravinia Festival grounds, includes neighborhood service businesses and restaurants. Ravinia takes its name from the numerous steep-sided ravines that slice the shoreline near Lake Michigan . In 1904,

1036-559: Is at 70% of pre-pandemic numbers, while all other metrics ( reverse-peak , midday, evening, Saturday, and Sunday ridership) is at or above pre-pandemic ridership. The service shares the Union Pacific Railroad 's Harvard Subdivision with the Union Pacific Northwest Line from Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago to a junction just before Clybourn station. From Clybourn, the North Line splits from

1110-428: Is one of the safest forms of land travel, compromises to Metra's safety and security can occur through pedestrian accidents, suicide attempts, vehicle collisions, derailment , terrorism and other incidents . Failing to maintain safety and security can result in equipment and infrastructure damage, extensive service disruptions, traumatic injuries and loss of life . Therefore, Metra and other agencies consider safety

1184-458: Is responsible for all stations along with the respective municipalities. Since its inception, Metra has directed more than $ 5 billion into the commuter rail system of the Chicago metropolitan area alongside the CTA . In January 2023, Metra rolled out a new real-time train tracking website to allow passengers greater visibility into their commute. Since the 19th century, Chicago has been a major hub in

1258-695: Is responsible for the safety of all routes and stations. In an effort to help coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management , all Metra police officers are certified in the National Incident Management System . In addition, Metra police works with the Chicago Police Department as a member of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy . Thomas A. Cook was the only Metra police officer that has been killed in

1332-416: Is usually free on weekends and most holidays. Mass transit CTA and suburban Pace buses connect with many Metra stations downtown and in the suburbs. Monthly pass holders are offered link-up options with these services. In addition, many intercity bus lines connect with passengers outside of Union Station. The Chicago "L" also has transfers with Metra at some Chicago stations. Most 'L' lines traverse

1406-625: The Chicago Loop to Kenosha, Wisconsin . Metra Metra is the descendant of numerous passenger rail services dating to the 1850s. The present system dates to 1974, when the Illinois General Assembly established the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to consolidate transit operations in the Chicago area, including commuter rail as a public utility. The RTA's creation was

1480-458: The Chicago Loop , so Metra passengers can easily transfer to a different Metra line upon their arrival downtown. Metra's urban-centric service remains popular with suburban commuters working downtown, reverse commuters , and those who visit Chicago for recreational activities and tourism . Stations are found throughout Chicago, as well as in suburban Cook , DuPage , Kane , Lake , McHenry , and Will counties—an area largely coextensive with

1554-498: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra who then made Ravinia its permanent summer residence. In addition to symphony concerts, often with guest soloists, the venue hosts opera , jazz , blues , folk , rock , and popular music performances, plus ballet , drama , and educational programs which take place year-round. These educational programs serve around 75,000 people each year in Chicago area schools without

SECTION 20

#1732801627821

1628-945: The Chicago metropolitan area . Each station, unless a route or branch terminus, provides travel toward (inbound) and away from (outbound) downtown Chicago. Therefore, a passenger can connect between the city and a suburb or between two points in the suburbs using Metra service. Although Metra's commuter rail system is designed to connect points all over the Chicago metropolitan area, it does provide some intracity connections within Chicago. Metra trains originate from one of four stations in downtown Chicago. Six lines originate at Union Station . The three Union Pacific lines originate at Ogilvie Transportation Center , formerly and still popularly called North Western Station. The Rock Island District originates at LaSalle Street Station . The Metra Electric District originates at Millennium Station , formerly and still often called Randolph Street Terminal. All four terminals are situated within walking distance of

1702-614: The Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Rail Corporation (NIRC), Metra's operating subsidiary; five of these primarily run over track owned by other railroads, while two (the Electric and Rock Island districts) run entirely on Metra-owned track. Inbound trains on every line at all times run through to their Chicago terminus, however, many outbound trains do not run through to their respective lines' terminus (for example, most trains on

1776-510: The PTC mandate that passed Congress , Metra took steps to meet the deadline. Metra concluded that the December 31, 2015 mandate to have PTC running was an unreasonable requirement. This aligned with the stance taken by much of the railroad industry. This is due to a variety of factors including but not limited to: delays from the government, and the fundamental complexity of building a program from

1850-782: The Suburban Transit Access Route ("STAR" Line). In 2023, Metra announced plans to extend the Milwaukee District West Line to Rockford, Illinois , with intermediate stops at Huntley and Belvidere , by 2027. In August 2024, Metra ran hourly shuttles on the North Central Service between O'Hare International Airport and Union Station during the Democratic National Convention , leading some to question whether more frequent service to O'Hare could be permanently obtained. Such an agreement would require contracts with

1924-590: The Union Pacific North Line at a station outside the front gate with special stops before and after concerts. It is the last private train stop in Illinois . The noted British conductor Sir Thomas Beecham , who guest-conducted the CSO there in 1940, referred to Ravinia as "the only railway station with a resident orchestra." Visitors get dropped off and picked up right at the front gate. ° Levine

1998-538: The Union Pacific Railroad , and was called the Chicago and North Western Milwaukee Division and then the Chicago & North Western/North Line before the C&NW was absorbed by Union Pacific in April 1995. It is the only Metra line that travels outside Illinois. Metra does not refer to its lines by particular colors, but the timetable accents for the Union Pacific North line are dark "Flambeau Green,"

2072-544: The Union Pacific West Line from Geneva to Elburn and extended SouthWest Service from Orland Park to Manhattan. In 2012, it boasted 95.8% average on-time performance (measured only for a train's arrivals at its last station no more than six minutes late). It also posted its fourth highest volume in its history despite decreases in employment opportunities in downtown Chicago. Metra continued to seek expansion options and to improve passenger service. Over

2146-485: The United States Armed Forces and persons with disabilities may qualify for these programs. Time-based and geographical restrictions apply to these programs and passengers must ensure they qualify before attempting to purchase special tickets or ride for free. Cook County launched The Fair Transit pilot on January 4, 2021, scheduled to initially last for three years. Under the pilot, all riders on

2220-565: The 1920s, it was known as the summer opera capital of the world due to businessman Louis Eckstein, who booked all-opera seasons and artists from the Chicago Opera and New York Metropolitan Opera Companies. By 1930, Ravinia had featured performers including Yvonne Gall , Edward Johnson , and Giovanni Martinelli . However, the high costs of opera performances ultimately led to financial ruin for Ravinia, and it closed for four years. In 1936, North Shore residents raised enough funds to attract

2294-464: The 36 acre (150,000 m ) parkland and lawn. Ravinia is one of the few concert venues in the country to allow full meals to be brought in and consumed at concerts, including allowing alcoholic beverages. Accordingly, most grocery stores and specialty restaurants in and around the Highland Park area offer ready-to-eat Ravinia picnics for purchase. Metra provides rail service to Ravinia Park on

Union Pacific North Line - Misplaced Pages Continue

2368-481: The A.C. Frost Company created Ravinia as an amusement park intended to lure riders to the fledgling Chicago and Milwaukee Electric Railroad . The amusement park had a baseball diamond, electric fountain and refectory or casino building with dining rooms and a dance floor. The prairie-style Martin Theatre (then called Ravinia Theatre) is the only building on the grounds that dates back to that original construction. When

2442-414: The Chicago and North Western ended operations between Chicago and Milwaukee in 1971 and the line was truncated to Kenosha. The North line became part of Metra when the agency was formed in 1984. The trains continued to be operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway under contract until that railroad was bought by Union Pacific in 1995. UP now operates passenger services along the line for Metra. Under

2516-465: The Chicago and Western Indiana service to Dolton, Illinois, was discontinued in 1964. Chicago Great Western had commuter service to DeKalb, Illinois (closed 1906). Santa Fe service to Joliet, Illinois (closed 1903). However, Metra runs service to Joliet, Illinois, on two routes: Heritage Corridor and Rock Island District. Ridership has been slowly declining on all but one line since 2014, as seen below. The figures post-2020 have been drastically affected by

2590-561: The Chicago area continued to operate their lines under contract to the RTA. Less than a decade later the Regional Transportation Authority was already suffering from ongoing financial problems. Additionally, two rail providers, the Rock Island Line and the Milwaukee Road , went bankrupt, forcing the RTA to create the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation to operate their lines directly in 1982. In 1983

2664-475: The Illinois Legislature reorganized the agency. That reorganization left the Regional Transportation Authority in charge of day-to-day operations of all bus, heavy rail and commuter rail services throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. It was also responsible for directing fare and service levels, setting up budgets, finding sources for capital investment and planning. A new Commuter Rail Division

2738-577: The Illinois State Medical Society, after admitting to taking bribes to steer Metra contracts to firms associated with former legislator Roger Stanley and pleading guilty to his part in Illinois's Operation Safe Road scandal. In April 2010, Metra's executive director, Phil Pagano, faced investigation for taking an unauthorized $ 56,000 bonus and was later found to have improperly received $ 475,000 in vacation pay. The day that

2812-584: The Loop allowing nearby access to all downtown Metra terminals. There are also transfer points between Metra and the 'L' outside of the Loop, such as transfers from the Union Pacific Northwest Line to the Blue Line at Irving Park and Jefferson Park Transit Center ; and from the Union Pacific West Line to the Green Line at Oak Park. 'L' trains announce downtown Metra connections on board when announcing

2886-626: The Metra Electric and Rock Island lines will pay Metra's reduced fare rates. On the Union Pacific North Line , passengers headed to an event at Ravinia Park may ride to the event for free after showing their Ravinia Festival e-ticket to the conductor. Metra employees, the Metra Police Department and other public safety agencies are responsible for maintaining safety and security on its lines, aboard its trains and at stations all to various degrees. Although rail transport

2960-496: The Metra board approved an $ 80 million contract to Parsons Transportation Group. Parsons was the sole bidder and speaks to the complexities of the project. They will be in charge of incorporating various devices from GPS, radio, to trackside antennas into one cohesive system. The group has some experience in this sector previously as Parsons worked with the southern California commuter rail agency Metrolink to install their system. By

3034-544: The North American rail network. It has more trackage radiating in more directions than any other city in North America. Railroads set up their headquarters in the city and Chicago became a center for building freight cars, passenger cars and diesel locomotives. Early commuter services were run by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy , Chicago and North Western , and Milwaukee Road . By the 1930s, Chicago had

Union Pacific North Line - Misplaced Pages Continue

3108-682: The Northwest Line and traverses the Kenosha Subdivision north to Kenosha, Wisconsin . The Kenosha Subdivision continues to St. Francis, Wisconsin and a junction with the Union Pacific's Milwaukee Subdivision. No passenger trains operate north of Kenosha. The Green Bay Trail parallels the Union Pacific North Line, using the former right of way of the North Shore Line for over 51.9 miles (83.5 km) from

3182-468: The Northwest Line). Zones K and M were merged into zone J on July 15, 2018, reducing the number of zones to ten. On February 1, 2024, Metra reduced the number of fare zones from 10 to 4 and labeled each of the four zones by number instead of letter. This was proposed in an effort to simplify its fare structure. In addition, trips not entering or exiting the downtown area (zone 1) are subjected to

3256-583: The Union Pacific Northwest Line do not run through to Harvard; instead, terminating at Crystal Lake). █   BNSF █   Heritage Corridor █   Metra Electric █   Milwaukee District North █   Milwaukee District West █   North Central Service █   Rock Island █   SouthWest Service █   Union Pacific North █   Union Pacific Northwest █   Union Pacific West Metra proposed two routes in

3330-642: The agency received approximately $ 700 million a year, but Metra claims to need about $ 2 billion a year, which only since 2020 has been accomplished. Because of this, Metra had to cut back on new rolling stock, instead resorting to their Rebuild Programs, in which they rebuild railcars and locomotives with newer state of the art utilities. Rebuilds cost only a fraction as much as buying new rolling stock, such as with their Amerail built cars. Rebuild programs can rebuild aging cars for approximately $ 650,000, whereas buying that same railcar new would be approximately $ 3 million. Metra serves passengers through stations throughout

3404-460: The agency's board was scheduled to discuss his fate, Pagano stepped in front of a moving Metra train in an apparent suicide. Around the time of Pagano's death, allegations also surfaced that a Metra employee demanded a $ 2,000 payoff from the studio that used Metra in the 2011 film Source Code . That employee was later relieved of his duties, and retired. In June 2013, Metra CEO Alex Clifford abruptly resigned his position with no public comment. It

3478-493: The board's decision. By October 2013, local officials had restored Metra's board to 11 members. After reviewing four candidates, the re-constituted board formally appointed Orseno CEO of Metra in January 2014. In 2014, "a lengthy history of political patronage hiring at" Metra was reported, based on past files. For a long time, Metra was not being funded enough to keep most equipment and rolling stock up to date. On average,

3552-407: The commuter rail system, the Illinois General Assembly formed the Regional Transportation Authority in 1974. Its purpose was to fund and plan the Chicago region's public transportation. After initially using second-hand equipment, the RTA took delivery of the first new EMD F40PH locomotives in 1976. That F40PH fleet is still in service today. The companies that had long provided commuter rail in

3626-706: The early 2000s: the SouthEast Service , which would connect some portions of the southern suburbs with downtown Chicago; and the Suburban Transit Access Route , which would connect various suburbs with each other without going into downtown. As of 2020 , only the SouthEast Service is still being considered. In 2023, the Illinois Department of Transportation selected Metra as the agency to run restored rail service to Rockford . Several commuter lines were discontinued before Metra

3700-560: The first quarter of 2024, the Union Pacific Railroad is expected to transfer operations of the three Union Pacific lines to Metra. Union Pacific will continue to own and maintain the right-of-way. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Metra experienced record ridership and expanded its services. In 1996, Metra organized its first new line, the North Central Service , running from Union Station to Antioch. By 2006, it added new intermediate stops to that same route, extended

3774-459: The ground up. Moreover, Metra estimates the cost of implementing the system on their 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of track in the Chicago region to be over $ 200 million. The fear is this unfunded mandate will divert scarce capital funds from other essential needs. This includes building and maintaining existing tracks, stations, signals, and other equipment that ensures a safe operating environment for all of Metra's passengers. However, Metra recognizes

SECTION 50

#1732801627821

3848-599: The inner ring of the Chicago metropolitan area. One station is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin . Metra operates on 11 lines, most of which date from the mid-19th century. Four lines are operated under purchase-of-service agreements. The BNSF Line service is operated by BNSF Railway . The three lines out of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (formerly North Western Station) are operated by the Union Pacific Railroad . The other seven lines are operated by

3922-401: The lawsuit as "baseless and an embarrassment", emphasizing their willingness to coexist peacefully with the festival and defend their legal and moral right to their name. The legal battle centers on issues of brand confusion and the use of music-themed marketing, with the festival's complaint detailing multiple counts of trademark-related violations. For most attendees, Ravinia is experienced on

3996-632: The line of duty thus far. Ravinia Festival Ravinia Festival is a primarily outdoor music venue in Highland Park, Illinois . It hosts a series of outdoor concerts and performances every summer from June to September. The first orchestra to perform at Ravinia Festival was the New York Philharmonic under Walter Damrosch on June 17, 1905, with the Chicago Tribune praising its "musical entertainment so satisfying in quality and so delightful in environment." It has been

4070-542: The need for PTC but needed a more reasonable timeline to implement such a program. This recognition is partially based on Metra's previous accident history. Two noteworthy events were a pair of accidents on the Rock Island District within a span of a couple of years. The first event was a derailment that occurred on October 12, 2003, when a train flew through a 10 mph crossing at 68 mph. A second very similar occurrence happened on September 17, 2005, but

4144-400: The network is provided under the Metra name (in keeping with Metra's goal of providing a single identity for all commuter rail in the region). Metra also owns all rolling stock, controls fares and staffing levels, and is responsible for most of the stations. However, the freight carriers who operate routes under contract use their own employees and control the right-of-way for those routes. By

4218-444: The next 'L' stop. Union Station doubles as both a Metra station and Amtrak 's station in Chicago. In addition to Illinois Service and Hiawatha , Amtrak trains run nationwide including service to states spanning both coastlines . Passengers connecting from Ogilvie Transportation Center can access Union Station through its north platforms on the opposite side of Madison Street , with Millennium and LaSalle stations also within

4292-422: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic . Though monthly reports from 2024 show heavy improvement over 2021 figures, they are still below pre-pandemic levels. Peak-direction ridership is at only 56% of pre-pandemic ridership, while other types of weekday travel are between 80% and 95% recovery rates. Systemwide, Saturday and Sunday ridership has fully recovered to pre-pandemic numbers. Transportation in Chicago consists of

4366-533: The park's existence became jeopardized following the railroad's bankruptcy, local residents (for the most part Chicago businessmen) formed a corporation in 1911 to purchase and operate the park. Music was a confirmed summer activity from then on, except for a brief hiatus during the Great Depression and the COVID-19 pandemic . The Ravinia Festival has been widely acclaimed throughout its history. In

4440-482: The past three decades, Metra has invested more than $ 5 billion into its infrastructure. That investment has been used to purchase new rolling stock, build new stations, renovate tracks, modernize signal systems and upgrade support facilities. In addition to core improvements on the Union Pacific Northwest and Union Pacific West Lines, planning advanced on two new Metra routes, SouthEast Service and

4514-487: The railroads that own them and security falls to those companies. When asked why there were increasing patrols spokesman Michael Gillis said, "There is no particular reason, other than the fact that we want to be more proactive and more deliberately visible to our riders". The Metra Police Department is a special law enforcement agency charged with providing police services to passengers, employees, equipment and property. The department has more than 100 police officers and

SECTION 60

#1732801627821

4588-412: The remaining board members unanimously elected Don Orseno as interim CEO. (The six-member board was operating with reduced membership and thus lacked the authority to elect a permanent CEO. Orseno and Alex Wiggins shared duties as co-executive directors.) Orseno's long railroad career, beginning with work to set up trains and check doors for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad played favorably in

4662-560: The right-of-way. All stations on the line except for Ravinia Park are open daily. Ravinia Park is only open during the Ravinia Festival in the summer months. Between 2014 and 2019, annual ridership declined by 8.3% from 9,328,441 passengers to 8,552,117 passengers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic , ridership dropped to 2,300,363 passengers in 2020.As of October 2024, the line has Metra's highest ridership recovery rate at 83% of pre-pandemic weekday ridership. Peak-direction ridership

4736-424: The same zone even though they are on the same line. Historically, the downtown terminals and stations in the vicinity of downtown were classified as zone 'A' and each additional zone represented an added 5 miles (8.0 km) from the downtown terminus. There were originally thirteen fare zones: zones A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and M (zone L would not have any stations since 1984 when Hartland station closed on

4810-484: The summer concert season, on weekends, an extra outbound train, named RAV1, makes all stops to Evanston Central Street , then runs express to Ravinia Park during events, with a train returning to Chicago after the concert. The route followed by the UP North Line was constructed in 1854 by the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad . Passenger service between Chicago and Waukegan began on January 4, 1855. Initially,

4884-688: The summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) since 1936. Located in the Ravinia neighborhood, the venue operates on the grounds of the 36-acre (15 ha) Ravinia Park, with a variety of outdoor and indoor performing arts facilities, including the architectural prairie style Martin Theater. The Ravinia Festival attracts about 600,000 listeners to some 120 to 150 events that span all genres from classical music to jazz to music theater over each three-month summer season. The Ravinia neighborhood, once an incorporated village before annexation in 1899,

4958-578: The two freight railroads - Canadian National , which owns some of the NCS track, and CPKC , which dispatches trains on another portion of the route. Additionally, improved service to O'Hare would likely require major infrastructure upgrades to track, sidings, crossovers, and flyovers, with the potential for dedicated rolling stock another consideration. Metra also has been marred by allegations and investigations of corruption. In April 2002, board member Don Udstuen resigned from both Metra and his executive job with

5032-401: The world's largest public transportation system, but commuter rail services started to decline. By the mid-1970s, the commuter lines faced an uncertain future. The Burlington Northern , Milwaukee Road, Chicago and North Western and Illinois Central had been losing money for several years, and were using trainsets with passenger cars dating as far back as the 1920s. To provide stability to

5106-545: The year 2020, Metra completed installation of the Positive Train Control. This came at a capital cost of $ 400 million and an annual operating cost of $ 20 million. Metra's PTC system works with the trains of 12 other railroad companies. Fare is determined by the distance traveled by a passenger. Each station along every route has generally been placed in a specific zone based on its distance from its respective downtown station. Multiple stations can be placed in

5180-478: Was acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway in 1866. Commuter rail services along the line started operating into the new Chicago and North Western Terminal (now Ogilvie Transportation Center ) in 1911. In 1966, the Chicago and North Western closed the Lake Front Depot and began operating into the new Milwaukee Union Station . This service would ultimately prove to be relatively short lived as

5254-540: Was created to handle commuter rail operations; along with CTA and Pace , it was one of RTA's three "service boards". The board of the RTA Commuter Rail Division first met in 1984. In an effort to simplify the operation of commuter rail in the Chicago area, in July 1985 it adopted a unified brand for the entire system–Metra, or Met ropolitan Ra il. The newly reorganized Metra service helped to bring

5328-740: Was established. The Illinois Central West Line from present-day Millennium Station to Addison, Illinois, (closed 1931), Pennsylvania Railroad line to Valparaiso, Indiana, (closed 1935), New York Central line from LaSalle Street Station to Elkhart, Indiana, (closed 1964), and four Chicago & North Western lines to St. Charles, Aurora, Freeport, and Kenosha-Harvard (all municipalities in Illinois and Wisconsin, closed 1930–51). The Burlington Route had service between Aurora and West Chicago, Illinois (closed 1943). Chicago Eastern Illinois operated commuter service on this line out of Dearborn Station to Dolton and Momence, respectively. The Chicago and Eastern Illinois commuter line to Momence, Illinois, ended in 1935, while

5402-436: Was later reported that his exit had been demanded by the Metra board, which negotiated a $ 871,000 severance package including a non-disclosure agreement . Clifford's ouster was allegedly arranged because he rejected requests for patronage hiring and promotion, including a request to promote a longtime supporter of State Representative Michael Madigan . In the wake of this scandal, five board members resigned. In August 2013,

5476-410: Was more serious. The latter derailment killed two passengers and injured 117. Both of these incidents could have been prevented if PTC were in place. In both circumstances, PTC would have overridden the engineer and slowed the train down to the appropriate speed to prevent an accident from occurring. Recently, Metra has taken significant steps in the process to fully implementing PTC. On April 22, 2015,

#820179