SouthWest Service
Encyclopedia
The SouthWest Service is an American commuter rail line owned and operated by Metra
, running southwest from Union Station
in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois
. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the SouthWest Service line are printed in "Banner Blue," for the Wabash Railroad
's Banner Blue passenger train. 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).
On weekdays, Metra operates thirty SouthWest Service trains to and from Orland Park 179th Street. At present, six trains (three roundtrips) run as far south as Manhattan.
Metra initiated Saturday service on March 21, 2009, with six trains running between Union Station and Manhattan.
, which the Wabash owned one-fifth of, and used to reach Dearborn Station
in downtown Chicago.
After several reorganizations, the Wabash Railroad
was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway
in 1964; by then all that was left in the way of passenger trains was the Chicago-Orland Park commuter service. On May 2, 1971, after only one day of operations, Amtrak
pulled out of Dearborn Station, and for several years the N&W operated trains to a track west of the station. In 1976, the terminal was moved to Union Station
, via a new connection at Alton Junction
, and the Regional Transportation Authority began to subsidize the service in 1978. The N&W merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway
in 1982, and for a while the line was known as the Norfolk Southern Line (NS). On June 1, 1993, Metra took over operations and renamed it the SouthWest Service.
The rail line expansion project, which includes 11 miles (17.7 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 increased 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.
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
, running southwest from Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
in downtown Chicago, Illinois, to Manhattan, Illinois
Manhattan, Illinois
Manhattan is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,071 at the 2006 special census. The city is located in northeastern Illinois approximately 50 miles southwest of Chicago.- History :...
. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the SouthWest Service line are printed in "Banner Blue," for the Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
's Banner Blue passenger train. The trackage is owned by Metra north of a junction with the Belt Railway of Chicago
Belt Railway of Chicago
The Belt Railway of Chicago , headquartered in Chicago, is the largest switching terminal railroad in the United States. It is co-owned by six Class I railroads — BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union...
at Loomis Boulevard, and is leased from Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
south of the junction (NS has trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over Metra's portion).
On weekdays, Metra operates thirty SouthWest Service trains to and from Orland Park 179th Street. At present, six trains (three roundtrips) run as far south as Manhattan.
Metra initiated Saturday service on March 21, 2009, with six trains running between Union Station and Manhattan.
History
The line south of the curve at the east end of the section aligned with 75th Street was originally built by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway, which opened in 1880 to Chicago. At that curve was a junction with the Chicago and Western Indiana RailroadChicago and Western Indiana Railroad
The Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad was the owner of Dearborn Station in Chicago and the trackage leading to it. It was owned equally by five of the railroads using it to reach the terminal, and kept those companies from needing their own lines into the city...
, which the Wabash owned one-fifth of, and used to reach Dearborn Station
Dearborn Station (Chicago)
Dearborn Station was the oldest of the six intercity train stations serving downtown Chicago during the heyday of rail in the twentieth century. Additionally, the station was used as a terminal for commuter traffic. Located at Dearborn and Polk Streets, it was also referred to as Polk Street Station...
in downtown Chicago.
After several reorganizations, the Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
was leased by the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
in 1964; by then all that was left in the way of passenger trains was the Chicago-Orland Park commuter service. On May 2, 1971, after only one day of operations, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
pulled out of Dearborn Station, and for several years the N&W operated trains to a track west of the station. In 1976, the terminal was moved to Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
, via a new connection at Alton Junction
Alton Junction
The Alton Junction, more commonly known as the 21st Street Crossing, is a historically significant rail location in Chicago, Illinois. The junction can be found just east of Canal Street and north of Cermak Road near Chicago's Chinatown...
, and the Regional Transportation Authority began to subsidize the service in 1978. The N&W merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
in 1982, and for a while the line was known as the Norfolk Southern Line (NS). On June 1, 1993, Metra took over operations and renamed it the SouthWest Service.
The rail line expansion project, which includes 11 miles (17.7 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 increased from 16 to 30, 15 in each direction. For years, Pace
Pace (transit)
Pace is the suburban bus division of the Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was created in 1983 by the RTA Act, which established the formula that provides funding to CTA, Metra and Pace. In 2010, Pace had 35.077 million riders. Pace's headquarters are in...
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.
Station stops
SouthWest Service trains make the following station stops:- Union StationUnion Station (Chicago)Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
- WrightwoodWrightwood (Metra)Wrightwood is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Wrightwood neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Wrightwood is in zone C...
- AshburnAshburn (Metra)Ashburn is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in the community area of Ashburn, Chicago, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Ashburn is in zone C. There is an unstaffed shelter. There are no connecting bus...
- Oak LawnOak Lawn (Metra)Oak Lawn is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Oak Lawn, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Oak Lawn is in zone D.-Bus connections:Pace* #381 95th Street...
- Chicago RidgeChicago Ridge (Metra)Chicago Ridge is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line...
- WorthWorth (Metra)Worth is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Worth, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Worth is in zone D....
- Palos HeightsPalos Heights (Metra)Palos Heights is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Palos Heights, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Palos Heights is in zone D.-Bus connections:Pace...
- Palos ParkPalos Park (Metra)Palos Park is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Palos Park, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Palos Park is in zone E.- External links :*...
- Orland Park 143rd StreetOrland Park 143rd Street (Metra)143rd Street is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Orland Park, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 143rd Street is in zone E....
- Orland Park 153rd StreetOrland Park 153rd Street (Metra)153rd Street is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Orland Park, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 153rd Street is in zone E.- External links :*...
- Orland Park 179th StreetOrland Park 179th Street (Metra)179th Street is a station on Metra's SouthWest Service in Orland Park, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 179th Street is in zone F. The station was the southern terminus of the line from 1984 to 2006 when it was...
- Laraway RoadLaraway Road (Metra)Laraway Road is a commuter railroad station recently completed in New Lenox, a southern suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The station was dedicated on October 6, 2006, and train service began on October 9, 2006...
(New LenoxNew Lenox, IllinoisNew Lenox is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The village population is estimated to be 24,938 as of 2006. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning forecasts New Lenox will have a population of 90,652 in 2030.-Geography:...
) - ManhattanManhattan (Metra)Manhattan is a commuter railroad station on Metra's SouthWest Service located in the town of Manhattan, Illinois. The station is the southern terminus of the line. The Manhattan station opened on January 30, 2006, as part of a southern extension of the SouthWest Service...