METRA TIPS

UNION PACIFIC - NORTHWEST LINE

This is now the busiest UP commuter line. Crystal Lake historically was, and still is the primary terminal of the commuter rail service. Harvard was a secondary terminal, and intercity passenger service beyond Harvard to Janesville and Madison, was discontinued in 1965. The route is shared with the Union Pacific North Line as far as Clybourn, and this line has 3 tracks between Clybourn and Barrington. The Kennedy Expressway parallels this line through much of Chicago's northwest side, and a portion of the expressway median strip is used by CTA's Blue Line to O'Hare Airport. Many local stops existed in Chicago until 1958, when they were discontinued as part of a streamlining of the commuter service. The Jefferson Park station is part of a complex also used by CTA trains and buses. Outside Chicago, Park Ridge is the first suburb. Beyond Park Ridge are several other large suburbs including Arlington Heights, home of the Arlington Park Race Track. This is also Metra's longest line, extending 63 miles to Harvard. For many trains, especially on weekdays, Crystal Lake is the end of the line. Weekends are good days to ride the entire main line, with the weekend pass offering considerable savings over the one way weekday fare to Harvard. The outer end of that line is in McHenry County, which is still quite rural, offering a pleasant escape from the city. Woodstock is the county seat. Freight traffic along the line is rather light, continuing beyond Harvard to Janesville, Wisconsin. The branch line to McHenry has rush hour service only. This branch once continued further north to Williams Bay, Wisconsin, but commuter service was gradually cut back to McHenry. Unless one makes other arrangements in McHenry, the only time railfans can make a round trip on this line is very early in the morning.

Speed Limit: 70 mph
Chicago-Clybourn: 35 mph
Crystal Lake Jct.-McHenry: 59 mph